Braided Fig: Summer Street, Aberdeen

MY PAL had just returned for a trip abroad which meant two weeks without gossip.

So dinner and a good catch-up were in order.

I’d heard good things about the Braided Fig so we headed to the city centre bar.

The eatery has a great selection of pub favourites, like potato wedges, burgers and chilli. But we were attracted to the posher grub on offer.

For our starter we shared the crusted calamari (£5.50). Perfectly cooked rings of squid were coated in a deliciously crispy Cajun spiced casing and the seafood was complemented well with a Greek salad and a tangy tzatziki.

For my main, I went for the chicken with lemon and thyme sauce. A beautifully succulent chicken breast was served on wilted vegetables with a surprisingly sweet sauce. The meal was unusually served with macaroni and cheese shot through with truffle. And the pasta actually worked with the sweetly-doused poultry.

My friend went for the baked cod fillet (£15.95). The delicately-cooked fish was served on a generous bed of mash with strips of crispy bacon. And the dish was covered in a lightly cheesy sauce – which my pal loved so much she asked for an extra side portion.

Along with a couple of drinks, the meal came to around £40. It was a fairly expensive pub meal but exceptionally high quality.

My only gripe was the service charge was included, and I always like to make my own mind up about what the service deserves.