After opening their first restaurant in Edinburgh back in 2015, Maki & Ramen have now made their way to the Granite City, bringing their Japanese cuisine to Aberdeen’s Union Square.
On Union Square’s first floor you will find Aberdeen’s newest Japanese restaurant, Maki & Ramen offering up a plethora of delicious sounding dishes.
Your arrival at the restaurant will be announced by the beating of a taiko drum and a welcoming call from the restaurant staff.
The space is decorated lovely with exposed wood and golden reflections below the iconic cherry blossom tree while the walls are adorned with colourful post-it notes.
After being shown to our table and perusing the menu it was clear that it was going to be hard to decide as everything sounded great. However, being in Maki & Ramen, I thought it best to try their namesake, ramen.
To start we tried the tempura battered squid served with homemade dipping sauce and the pumpkin croquettes (warning, these can be very hot).
The squid was perfectly fresh and crispy and paired nicely with the slightly spicy dipping sauce, while the croquettes were hearty and familiar with the twist of the pumpkin flavour if you are used to a potato croquette.
For the main course the Black Garlic Tonkotsu had to be ordered, as I can’t resist something with garlic. A tonkotsu made with eight-hour broth infused with black garlic oil and tender pork made for a decadent, intensely flavoured, but light dish. Would it be frowned upon to lick the bowl?
My dining partner opted for the Steak Tataki, a curry based broth paired with tataki steak which was cooked rare. With a mild spice, the dish was rich and creamy and came with a soft boiled egg. Everything is better with an egg on it.
Exclusive to Aberdeen, Maki & Ramen offer authentic Japanese desserts created by Our Little Corner Cakes, a family run cake shop based in Portlethen.
Japanese Cotton Cheesecake, Japan’s famous souffle cheesecake, cloud-soft, gently sweet and melts the moment you take a bite. Light and elegant, it’s the perfect treat to end your meal.
Japanese Strawberry Shortcake, a beloved Japanese favourite. Soft, fluffy sponge smooth fresh cream and juice strawberries in every bite. The Japanese Choux Cream was so popular they were sadly sold out.
Further to providing delicious food, Maki & Ramen have also partnered with Aberdeen-based charity Instant Neighbour to give something back to the community, with part of anything you order on a Monday between 4-8pm going to the charity.
Oh, and don’t forget to share your thoughts or leave a little message on the pos-it walls.
For more information about Maki & Ramen or to book visit www.makiramen.com/our-venues/aberdeen/
Or to find out more about Our Little Cakes visit www.instagram.com/ourlittlecornercakes/
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