99 Bar & Kitchen: Back Wynd, Aberdeen

AFTER trudging around the shops trying to find a gift for a woman who has everything my feet were in need of a rest.

And hubby was in a like-minded mood after he went to the wrong shopping centre to meet me. His fault. Not mine. So we headed to the 99 Bar and Kitchen for some much needed sustenance.

Unable to decide on just one dish, hubby opted for three of the tapas-style plates.

The chicken skewers with a ginger dressing got things off to a good start, but could have done with a bit more of a kick.

Next up was hubby’s salmon plate, a yummy combination of plump pieces of fish and pastry and skewered together with a spinach sauce. But his favourite, surprisingly for a card-carrying carnivore, was the vegetable cakes. The smoky pattys packed with veg were perfectly complimented by the sour cream dip.

I opted for the seabass on a bed of puy lentils. The fish was cooked to perfection and the lentils added a bit of contrasting texture.

The only disappointment came when we were told they had no desserts left as they were about to undergo a menu makeover.

So that left one more stop on the way – to the chocolate shop.