If you saw my previous post about Aberdeen Restaurant Week 2023 then you will know that this year, I was very luckily chosen to be one of the Ambassadors for the foodie fortnight! The restaurant that I was asked to head out and review was none other than….. Faffless!
Who are Faffless??
Faffless opened its doors at 47 Netherkirkgate back in August 2021. The name derives from “no faff” or in other words “not pretentious” just a simple faff-free experience! In saying that, the venue has a lot to offer! Not only do they serve great alcohol and small plates but they also triple-up as a coffee shop and comedy venue too.
The Face Behind Faffless
Craig Thom is the 26 year old behind the success of Faffless. Craig started his career in hospitality whilst studying sports a university however was offered a job as a restaurant manager and jumped at the opportunity. One thing led to another and he landed himself in London. He later decided that he wanted to work somewhere that he could put his own twist on and so, Faffless was born.
Craig was incredibly busy on the night of our visit but that did not cause a lack to customer service. He was great at talking us through the menu, talking about the wines and helping suggest a beer for Stephen.
ARW At Faffless
For Aberdeen Restaurant Week Faffless are offering a Plate with a Paired glass of wine for just £15.
What we ate at Faffless
On to what really matters! It’s recommended that between 2 you order 3 plates as they are bigger than starter size but smaller than a main. The menu definitely is not your ‘standard’ and wouldn’t necessarily appeal to a fussy eater.
Plate 1 – Scallops & Gazpacho
3 large scallops served in a rich gazpacho. I have to say, I believe these are the best scallops that I have eaten. They were soft and buttery and paired with the Gazpacho – an absolute winner in my books!
Plate 2 – Octopus
If you have seen anything about Faffless, it is probably the Octopus! 2 tentacles served on a bed of lentils and salsa verde. The Octopus itself didn’t have much of a flavour but there was a very slight fishy taste. It definitely needed to be paired with the lentils to boost it. Once you get past the idea of the suckers, it really is worth a try.
Plate 3 – Tuna Pate (in place of the Pate de Cabracho)
This quickly became Stephens favourite dish as the other two were a little too far out of his comfort zone. A pot of tuna pate served on the side of crispy sweet pitta bread, crackers and bread. This was a great 3rd dish to compliment the rest of our meal.
As for the wines – I am not a connoisseur in the slightest. I don’t have the knowledge to talk about each note of the wine but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one! Stephen opted for a Mango and Habenaro beer although Craig did let him try one of their Orange Wines which he did surprisingly like!
Overall thoughts
Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised by Faffless. I think it makes a great boozy/light lunch option rather than a dinner. We left feeling satisfied but not full on our trip, but adding an extra dish could have solved that I’m sure.
Each dish was presented beautifully and it was a refreshing menu of things to chose from. Faffless certainly isn’t your norm but I do believe that it should be on your list of Aberdeen restaurants to try at least once!
A big thank you to Craig at Faffless for having us and giving us a great evening. A further thanks to Aberdeen Inspired for giving me the opportunity to be an Aberdeen Restaurant Week Ambassador.
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