I’ve discovered a while ago that although Aberdeen does not offer the wealth of cultural experience Edinburgh might, it still has a lively culinary scene that can cater for many different tastes and needs. One of the most vivid areas of the city is Rosemount, packed with florists and galleries as well as delis, restaurants and tea shops; it is no wonder then that it was the first point of call when together with a group of friends we decided to meet over a Saturday brunch.
In all fairness, most of that group lived in the area anyway, and had previously visited Fifi’s or been recommended it for a late morning/early afternoon treat, while for me it was time to finally review a coffee – so the decision was pretty unanimous. I was the first to arrive in the small cafe – decorated in pastel colours and with a classic tearoom feel about it – so I took one of the bigger tables available, which was still hardly big enough to fit five people once the group was complete. We were meeting for brunch after all, so, again unanimously, we all went for some poached eggs on toast, accompanied by a variety of hot drinks – me, naturally, opting for a mocha.
Before I got engrossed in the conversations, I voiced my approval of numerous reviews I had found on the internet when I was researching the venue for the address – virtually all of them pointed out the considerably high prices for a cafe menu. Indeed, it is not often that I pay more than £3 for a mocha, so I knew this would be one of the deciding factors in my rating of the place – but the closer we got to noon, the more issues arose.
We were served our coffees first, because – as you would expect – tp deliver 10 poached eggs was going to be somewhat a challenge for this small place, at that point bustling with customers and only run by three young-looking baristas. The presentation of the milky drinks was pleasing to the eyes of the receivers (you wouldn’t expect much from black americanos anyway); but I was slightly put off by the steam rising from my mocha as that could only mean one thing. I only managed to take a few sips of my brew before deciding to leave it till after food, as I could hardly taste it for how hot it was.
So, as our brunch arrived, we began to knock our elbows together digging in – only to discover the eggs were more hard boiled than poached. We didn’t complain much, however, as the overall dishes were quite tasty and filling.
Once that was done, I returned to my mocha – now at a drinking (and not cool!) temperature. Although it did have nice smooth texture, it tasted more like a cocoa than a coffee; I could not distinguish any hint of caffeine in it – which, considering the price, was a significant let down.
All in all, we left Fifi’s with smiles all around, happy to have got together for a chat and with nice plans for the rest of the weekend to keep us going; but if we were to do this again, I would strongly recommend choosing another venue – one with a bit more attention to detail.
Mocha: £3.10
Verdict justification: Dainty venue with a good selection of sweets and brunch options, but overpriced for the quality of coffee (and some of the food) that you get
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fifis-Cafe-Bistro/530302067082356
A Black Spot 