][1]Nick Nairn has been a busy boy of late. Not only has he been all over the box with his show Paul and Nick’s Big Trip, he has also been setting up a new restaurant in Aberdeen.
Native by Nick Nairn opened recently in Aberdeen Hilton Garden Inn. It’s the second time that Nick has partnered with the hotel company having opened the Kailyard by Nick Nairn at the Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro in 2010.
The chef is said to have been keen to launch a restaurant in Aberdeen since opening a second branch of his cook school in the city last year.
Great food
He told Caterer and Hotelkeeper that ‘Since launching the Nick Nairn Cook School in Aberdeen last year, we’ve had incredible support from local people and that got me thinking about opening a restaurant in the north east.
‘The area is home to some amazing produce and lots of people who love great food. Native by Nick Nairn will deliver that with great service in a sophisticated and elegant refurbished setting within Hilton Garden Inn Aberdeen City Centre’.
While Nick’s name is on the door and the recipes are his, the day-to-day cooking at Native is done by Gary Leishman, formerly of Carberry Tower and Ackergill Tower.
Haggis tortellini
Typical starters on the Native menu are the haggis tortellini with beetroot, trompette mushrooms and a Cabernet Sauvignon vinaigrette or the slow braised roast pork belly with hand-dived Orkney scallops, crispy black pudding and apple sauce.
The current selection of main courses includes pan-fried Peterhead sole with brown butter and capers; beef Bourguignon made with braised featherblade of Aberdeenshire beef and a dish of Dornoch lamb rump, crispy shoulder and Scotch broth.
Grill section
Naturally, this being an Aberdeen restaurant, there is a grill section filled with sirloins, fillets and rib-eyes.