I Dream of Gin | Cocktails at Orchid Aberdeen

It's so refreshing when you meet people who are genuinely passionate about their craft. People who could sit and chat for hours about their business and who always greet customers with a smile, this sums up city centre cocktail bar and Aberdeen hot spot, Orchid, to a tee. Home to the inventive minds behind Porters Gin and no stranger to the odd award winning bartender, Orchid is always first on my list of nightly hot spots.

Recently the Aberdeen bloggers and I had the pleasure of being invited along to Orchid to have a chat about the business,  learn a bit more about the brains behind the bottles (Porters Gin that is) and of course enjoy some stellar cocktails from their new winter menu, and with my other half in tow for his first ever blogger event. Here's how we got on.

 
Mini masterclass & the pink orchid
To start off our evening I got behind the bar and showed the other bloggers how it was done...Nah I'm just kidding but I did get to make a pretty fantastic Pink Orchid Cocktail (THE cocktail of the Aberdeen drinking scene if you didn't know) We were given a brief history of the drink, a rundown on how to create your own version of the pink orchid and we even came up with a rather fantastic tasting melon daiquiri!

A history of gin
Being the 'in drink' of the moment, Orchid have fully embraced the spirit with their own Porters Gin (delish!) and we were treated to a trio of gin's from throughout the ages. Suffice to say these guys seriously know their stuff, from conception to creation and all of the nasty, gritty bits in between it's amazing to hear just how far gin as a drink has come and changed into the sophisticated beverage we know and love (a little too much sometimes) today.

Brand new Winter Cocktails
For our groups grand finale we were treated to three new cocktails from Orchid's winter menu. The Religious Robbery (my favourite)  a gin based, spiced pina colada and a new take on the sweet and vanilla pink orchid from earlier which is unlike anything I have ever tasted for sure. The Honey Rice, a rum lovers dream full of dark notes and warming to the core, and finally the Beerlini, a long drink, which is exactly what it sounds like and unfortunately not my cup of tea or indeed cocktail of choice.

During the winter months Orchid will be releasing 8 new winter cocktails, and each cocktail will be associated with a location in Aberdeen, for example rum based Honey Rice is associated with Fittie for it's piratey connotations (clever huh?) Originally inspired by a New Orleans bars idea, Orchid have placed their own Aberdonian twist on this clever piece of marketing which encourages cocktail connoisseurs and visitors alike to get out and explore the city. A badge will be presented with each cocktail and customers will be encouraged to go and snap a selfie at their given cocktail location which may win you a prize when you next visit.

Thoroughly buzzed and happy with the evenings events we stumbled home, ending another holly jolly night at my favourite cocktail bar. I'm so looking forward to visiting Orchid over the festive period and much as my liver may not agree I'm feeling pretty determined to attain every badge and tick every place off of Orchid's list. What can I say? I want to be the very best... like no one ever was...

Hopefully once again you guys have enjoyed this small glimpse into Granite City life and perhaps have found a new Aberdeen haunt if you've never visited Orchid before (say whaaaat?) If you like what I've done here I do even more! Right here on Twitter, right here on Instagram and of course more from the Blog, here on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, spice up your gin?

H.Elizabeth x

Grab a Slice of The Action | Revolution Aberdeen's New Pizza Menu

You could say I have been a little anti social recently. Whenever someone messages me odds are I'll bury myself in my duvet and give out a whole lotta nope. Maybe it has something to do with how busy I have been outside of my social life of late, maybe it's something else, who knows? All I know is that the only thing that was strong enough to entice me from my pit was the promise of pizza and luckily for me, my trusty old haunt, Revolution was on hand to help.

Revolution are known in Aberdeen for being a one stop shop for pretty much everything. A quiet ladies lunch on a heated balcony? Yes. Some quick grub on your break in the bar? Pretty much. Cocktails to die for? TO DIE FOR! But recently there has been a pizza shaped hole in Revolution's life and thankfully they knew just how to fill it - with all of the pizza you could ask for.

From tried and tested tastes like the margarita pizza oozing with cheese, to some more acquired tastes like their new 'The Beet Goes On' pizza dripping with artichoke puree, goats cheese and beetroot to name but a few ingredients, Revolution are peddling their pizza to the masses, and my mass was in for a treat when myself and my fellow Abzchat bloggers were treated to an exclusive menu preview on the last sunny day of the season!

Given I was driving that day I was going sans cocktail, there's a first for everything guys, but I did enjoy several gorgeous mocktails, so to all you drivers, pregnant ladies and t totallers out there go for a Naked Sunset they're also to die. Carnage was to follow, a blogger free for all if you will, as the steamy, oozy, fresh from the oven pizzas were delivered to our table alongside some tasteful side orders of fries and onion rings. It was a sea of pens flying in the air, lipstick everywhere, diaries bashing one another faces, pizza in places it really shouldn't be and the cheese, my god the cheese!

Of course I am kidding, we Granite City Gals are all very civilised! We all got to taste each and every pizza on the menu (admittedly the goats and feta varieties were not something I would be tempted to order for myself) and favourites were declared, one favourite being the Asian Satay Chicken variety - not my personal fave but one of. Me I like a Hot Italian. Pizza that is. Complete with pepperoni, cured ham, peppers, garlic mushrooms, a tomato sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella I ask my fellow meat eaters and spice lovers - what's not to like?

After a good catch up, several mocktails and a mountain of pizza I was ready to roll on home (and my bladder was ready to burst) but it won't be farewell forever from me. Since I'm already planning my next visit with my other half when it's payday once again.

The Revolution pizza menu launched on Wednesday the 12th of October, find out more by visiting their Facebook page or better yet pop in and visit them yourselves...and bring me?

Until next time folks, go grab yourselves a pizza the action.

H.Elizabeth x

#ThisIsTokyo | Yo! Sushi Menu Preview

Most bloggers won't admit this, but I always feel a little squee of joy whenever I'm invited along to something like this, particularly when there is food involved. In fact most bloggers tend to grace these sort of events with a seemingly cool air about them and an I could take it or leave it attitude, but not me. Nope I'm there, bright and early, an eager beaver keen to try something new, and I tried something very new when I graced Yo! Sushi in the Bon Accord to preview their new, revamped menu.

Maybe it's just me but I always love to hear the concept behind a brand, new idea or in this case a menu. We were told that Yo! Sushi are planning to get right back to their roots, offering traditional Japanese street food at an affordable price but with their focus steered more towards Tokyo, but don't worry basics, they'll still have your beloved katsu!

Their new menu reads like a magazine. No really their new menu is literally a magazine, full of articles on Japanese culture, with of course their focus pulled towards current trends in Tokyo. In there you'll not only find a wide range of new dishes and old favourites, but articles on fashion, technology and all things Tokyo, which is fab if your date or friend is boring you  a wee bit! As you'd expect the seemingly tiny dishes soon arrived conveyor style and we were ready to dig in.

Now guys, I have a little confession to make. I don't like sushi. Something about eating a fish raw doesn't sit too well with me, in fact it reminds me a little bit of Gollum when you see him plucking fish and just gobbling them down, a bit boke inducing! But soldiering on I tried a piece of sushi with my fave fish, tuna... nadda, it was not for me. My sushi loving compadre for the evening however wolfed hers down, so if you are a sushi lover, shockingly you're in the right place!

I gave it a good go, I must say, I tried a couple of salmon and tuna sushi dishes from their new menu, but I eventually gave up and opted for something a little more my speed, a good old katsu, but not just any old katsu, Yo! Sushi's new and improved, tuna katsu. Divine, what can I say I'm a bit of a basic! Now if you were coming here to find out about dishes of the squid or octopus variety you're in the wrong place, as you may have gathered, I was adventurous, but not THAT adventurous, but I can bend your ear about the most delicious, light and fluffy cheesecake I have ever tasted in my entire life!

Overall I was chuffed to bits with losing my Yo! Sushi virginity, and I'll definitely be visiting a bit more in the future especially if it means sampling even more of their #ThisisTokyo menu, and of course I'll have to keep tabs on those magazine articles!

Apologies on this post being a day or so late guys, I have been a very, very busy bee at home, at work and in my spare time something else has taken over my life it feels, don't worry it's nothing serious and all will be revealed in good time my pretty! As per you can keep up with my latests, the latest in Aberdeen and my general musings over on Twitter, or of course keep up to date with the latest Granite City Girl posts on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, konichiwa and good day!

H.Elizabeth x