The Caird is jam-packed full of fun and unique dining experiences under just one roof.
To get a full grasp of what’s on offer, you’d probably have to visit more than just once.
From The Caird Cocktail Bar or the Capones Speakeasy section, to the Shackleton’s Restaurant or The Caird Garden, there’s an evening of great food and excitement for just about anyone.
The 1920s-themed Capones Speakeasy area of the restaurant can be found on the lower level of the building and aims to transport diners back to the “roaring twenties” with themed decorations, lots of jazz and classic cocktails.
The Caird Cocktail Bar is on the ground floor, or you can head outside to the beer garden to enjoy a drink instead.
All three sections offer the same informal dining menu which provides a variety of food choices at affordable prices with starters ranging between £4-£6, mains between £9-£13 and steak for under £16.
The Shackleton Restaurant
The Shackleton Restaurant boasts a more formal dining experience and aims to tell the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s famous 800-mile trip aboard the James Caird Lifeboat after their main ship, Endurance, was crushed by ice and sank in 1915.
I first learned about Shackleton and the gruelling rescue mission he successfully executed to save the lives of his crew when I moved to Dundee just over a year ago.
I became even more invested in the story when Shackleton’s lost ship was found earlier this year, 107 years after it sank in the Antarctic.
I was interested to see how The Caird would run with this historic theme and how they would incorporate the concept into their menu.
Arriving at The Caird
When we arrived inside the building, a friendly waitress greeted us with a smile and allowed us to pick our own seats in the left section of the restaurant.
We of course went for the best table in the house, a window seat with a fantastic view of the River Tay and Tay Railway Bridge.
After we sat down a waiter instantly brought menus over to our table and asked what we would like to drink.
I was driving so I opted for a soft drink (£1.85) while my boyfriend ordered a pint of Tennents (£4.25).
At first I failed to notice any references to Shackleton and his historic Antarctic explorations but I soon began to pick out subtle features that complemented the theme.
There were three chandeliers made from rope hanging from the ceiling, a giant compass clock mounted on the wall and several pictures of Shackleton’s crew and other snapshots of historic Antarctic expeditions hung around the restaurant.
The food
At first glance of the menu I noted a heavier seafood offering, but there were plenty of other options to choose from, too.
For starters we ordered the bang bang prawns (£8.90) and I was torn between the hand-dived scallops (£11.95) and the haggis bon bons (£8.95).
In the end I opted for the haggis bon bons. I had only tried these once before and was keen to sample them again.
Both dishes came well presented with nice garnish and attention to detail.
The bang bang prawns were the better out of the two. The prawns came fried in a light batter with a spicy sauce drizzled on top and were accompanied by a crispy noodle salad.
The batter on the prawns was nice and crispy, the sauce was very mild and not too spicy – which I preferred – however my boyfriend, who likes spice a lot more, said he was expecting more of a flavour that packs a punch.
My only wish was that there had been a little more sauce.
The haggis bon bons were not a disappointment. They were garnished with microgreens and presented on top of a rich garlic mayonnaise which complemented the haggis well.
The batter was crispy but I found the haggis housed inside slightly dry at times.
We were off to a good start and I was excited to dig into the main course.
Our plates were cleared within five minutes of us finishing and it wasn’t long until our next course arrived.
I decided to go for the breast of Cajun chicken (£15.95) while Connor went for the pan-seared sea bass (16.95).
I was tempted by the 10z ribeye steak (£25.95) but I was interested to try something on the menu that was a bit different.
The Cajun chicken came with sticky rice, coconut curry sauce, seasonal veg, pineapple salsa and a lime wedge.
The plate was bursting with colours and was very busy.
Unfortunately I was slightly disappointed by my dish as I found the chicken a bit chewy and dry, with just little hints of Cajun in there.
The sauce was flavourful and the rice was cooked well, but the dish in general didn’t have any real punch to it.
I was curious to see how the pineapple salsa would work and was hoping it would bring some sweetness to the plate.
But because the meal also came with seasonal veg, which included carrots and what I believe was turnip, I found the flavours didn’t complement one another too well.
I looked on to Connor’s pan-seared sea bass with envy as it was full of flavour, cooked well and nicely presented.
The sea bass was salty but not too overpowering and was cooked to perfection as the skin was slightly crisp on the outside, but inside was incredibly soft.
I thought the noodles went well with the white fish and included a generous helping of veg along with chilli slices and sesame seeds.
Somehow we had room for dessert and decided to go for the cheesecake of the day, which the waitress had recommended.
It was a salted caramel cheesecake and we were told they had been made fresh in-house.
I’m not the biggest fan of cheesecake as I usually find them too creamy but this one was really delicious and had a perfect cream-to-biscuit base ratio.
It came with a fresh raspberry and strawberry along with vanilla sorbet, and caramel sauce had been drizzled on the plate.
The portion was perfect for sharing and it wasn’t too heavy, plus you could taste the salted caramel well throughout.
The verdict
Overall, I felt the food was tasty but that their seafood options were definitely the star picks of the menu.
I liked that The Caird made simple dishes their own and found a way to make them interesting to look at and eat.
Perhaps offering more seafood on the menu would be a better way forward for the menu as it goes well with the theme of Shackleton.
But I did like the variety of options available so it might be that the non-seafood meals need to be looked at again to bring them up to the standards of the other dishes on offer.
The staff were easy to talk to, very friendly and attentive although we did have to get up and ask for the bill at the end.
Amie is a journalist with The Courier’s live news team based in Dundee covering breaking news across Tayside and Fife.Â
She loves to spend hours scrolling on Instagram and TikTok to find the best places to eat and trying new and unique restaurants that put exciting twists on food.Â
Information
Address: The Caird, 172 Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4EE
T: 01382 520008
Price: £63.85 for two starters, two mains, one dessert, a soft drink and a pint of Tennent’s.
Scores:
- Food: 3/5
- Service 4/5
- Surroundings 4/5
Conversation