When your dining companion has just returned from a trip to Barra with tales of uber-fresh seafood, you hope that the evening’s restaurant of choice goes some ways to eradicating the green-eyed monster. Mercifully, Fishers in the City, a smart but relaxed eatery on Thistle Street, succeeded in showing that a city restaurant can deliver those fresh harbourside flavours.
Let’s presume that their head chef is well-connected in terms of suppliers. From native oysters, to scallops, lobster and fish from near and far, the extensive menu offers everything a seafood lover could ever wish for. Glasses of Rueda Blanco charged, Laura and I set sail to dinnertime.
For me to start, four whole Scottish langoustines. Never shy to get to the bottom of something tasty, crimson shells were promptly discarded to reveal the chunky, succulent flesh. The melty garlic and herb dunking butter appropriate for this ‘sleeves up’ kind of dish. A simple potato and rocket salad brought a clean freshness in contrast.
Across the table, Laura tucked into a stylish layered tower of confit sea trout, charred spring onions, tomato and soft lettuce leaves. Drizzles of a creamy almond tonnato sauce a soft counterpoint to the delicately-flavoured trout.
Next, I tucked into a flaky fillet of buttermilk marinated Peterhead cod served Indian-style atop a spiced daal of urad (black lentils), pops from mustard seeds, tangy ginger, and aromatic freshness from baby coriander and lemon oil. Enjoying this delicate white fish in a perfectly balanced spice dish was an absolute delight.
Laura was justly impressed with her main course platter of three perfectly cooked, sweet Orkney hand-dived scallops served on the shell with a half-lobster. Crackers deployed, the tender claw meat in particular was, as always, worth the effort! That seductive garlic & herb butter made a welcome encore, too.
Laura’s warm chocolate truffle cake seemed dry, despite the accompanying caramelised plums. Otherwise, desserts showcased plenty of technical skill. The goats’ milk ice cream was a triumph of bringing that chèvre-esque tang to a dessert.
For me, an assiette of autumn berries was as pretty as a pud could look. From pink strawberry macaron, to raspberry marshmallows and blackcurrant-sorbet, each bite was as truthful in its natural berry flavours as it was rich in red, purple, and pink hues.
In a city where restaurants come and go, confident yet understated, Fishers in the City demonstrated why they’ve been a steady ship for over 15 years.
The bill
£78.50 before wine
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