Aberdeen's most recent previous appearance in Gorgie was the 5-0 loss the day after Craig Brown's appointment as boss last December.
If the Dons were short of confidence that day, they appeared deflated once again after a third loss from four games this season - and they are still to score after Kari Arnason was denied by the bar and Fraser Fyvie missed a good chance in the second half.
Brown denied confidence was the issue.
He said: "I'm hoping it's just a phase we're going through.
"It looked a fairly even game to me - I was maybe seeing it through rose coloured spectacles - but we didn't convert the opportunities that we had.
"I don't think Hearts missed a chance in the game and we must have missed five good chances, hit the bar and missed good opportunities.
"But goals win games and we've got to take it on the chin and accept we lost 3-0, which is not a good statistic."
Aberdeen supporters had spent the first half indulging in tasteless chanting in relation to Hearts' initial support of convicted sex offender Craig Thomson over the summer, the full-back having subsequently joined FBK Kaunas in Lithuania. Like Hearts, FBK Kaunas are owned by Vladimir Romanov.
However, the second goal quietened the away end and Brown criticised the chanting afterwards, while expressing his disappointment for the travelling support.
He added: "I deplore that kind of chanting - that's not acceptable. But the vast majority of support was terrific."
Source: Team Talk
Source: Team Talk