amelie

Could someone tell me about the seafood that is really good in Scotland? My Dad keeps asking me (for our summer 07 trip). All I really seem to recall eating a lot of (I haven't been since 03) was haddock (it was great). I'm also pretty sure smoked salmon is popular.

What else is good? Lobster... is this local or is it flown in?

Let's talk food. And while we are at it, if you want to throw out restaurant recommendations for Aberdeen or Edinburgh, please do.

Thanks in advance!!
~amelie

carylspall

Lobster is available sometimes if caught locally - or within a hundred miles or so. I dont think we import, unless for the frozen variety in supermarkets.
Scottish salmon is always on the menu as is haddock. Scallops and monkfish are my favourite!
There is a very good seafood restaurant in Aberdeen called the Silver Darlings. Pricey, but good.
Edinburgh has a good variety of restaurants. A good reasonably priced one is The Mussell Inn on Rose Street. I had lunch there the other day. Busy, fairly noisy, but a good menu and service.
For a top class restaurant there, try Martin Wishart down at Leith.
No doubt Caroline will come up with some good recommendations for you.

sheila

Goodness gracious me!

Seafood- that would be cockles and mussells, and langoustines, and scallops and haddock and mackerel and prawns and coley and cod and sardines and plaice and sole and tuna and herring and oysters and crab and halibut and swordfish and monkfish and hake and clams and squid and lobster, did I mention lobster?

Seafood restaurants- best in Aberdeen would be the Silver Darlings, and Atlantis at the Mariner.

In Edinburgh, ther's a much larger choice, but most places here will have fish on the menu in one shape or form or another.

janisj

Salmon -- smoked, fresh or any which way and sea scallops are my favorites. Besides the places carylspall mentions, if you get into Fife, the Cellar in Anstruther is one of my very favorite places for seafood/fish.

Gerardo

Loch Fyne oysters are a speciality WWW.lochfyne.com

GBC

Even if you don't normally eat mussells at home, try them in Scotland. Soooo good.

LJ

Check out the Taste of Scotland Guides-2006 is out now but you can get on the mailing list for 2007 and do your planning in advance.

GreenDragon

I had a wonderful salmon in Broadford on Skye, but can't remember the restaurant Also, great fish & chips near Croabh Haven at a hotel restaurant overlooking the loch. Haddock that time.

You're making my mouth water in anticipation of our 2008 Scotland trip!!!

Gerardo

I once had Fish & Chips with onion vinegar

Craigellachie

We land some of the best seafood in the world, and until about ten years ago we stuck it all in ice and sent to to London and Paris. Then we came to our senses and decided to keep some for ourselves and our guests. The choice is even more endless than Sheila suggested.
Nearly anywhere that serves hot meals willhave at least one seafood option, and the quality will match the quality of the rest of their menu - cheap and cheerful places will use frozen stuff, the better places will have top quality fresh stuff cooked to perfection. You can even get very good seafood ready cooked in most supermarkets now - ignore the cheap frozen tiny prawns and go for the chilled organic tiger prawns - yummy. Sheila managed not to mention Arbroath Smokies which I think are delicious although the flavour is too intense for some people. Be warned that "one smokie" is two whole fish an is a lot to get through in one go.
They used to say you shouldn't eat seafood if there isn't an R in the month - or was that just shellfish?

amelie

Anyone been to Fishers Bistro in Leith?

http://www.fishersbistros.co.uk/bistro/bistro1.html

caroline_edinburgh

My favourite seafood restaurants in Edinburgh...

La Partenope - Neapolitan chef/proprietor, the best Italian seafood (i.e. Scottish seafood cooked to Italian recipes) I've had outside southern Italy. Every day there is a double sided sheet with that day's specials, nearly all seafood.

Leith is the old docks area & there are various places there specialising in seafood :-

upmarket - the Waterfront - also does vg steak - I had a great meal there just a couple of weeks ago. If booking, ask for the conservatory. www.waterfrontwinebar.co.uk

sister restaurant to the Waterfront, still quite pricey but cosier & more homely - Skipper's.

medium-price - The Shore, which has a pub side & a restaurant side.

I used to like Fisher's at Leith but my last experience there was very disappointing. I think the owners may have lost interest in the original Leith restaurant after they opened 'Fisher's in the City' - I haven't been there for a while but other posters here recently have liked it.

amelie

Thanks Caroline! I was hoping you would chime in as well, when I read that you live in Leith. We definitely have plans to visit Leith for an afternoon/dinner (I've never been to the area).

audere_est_facere

All these posts and only one mention of the typical Scottish seafood meal - the fish supper. It's fish n chips and is extremely popular, and often very good indeed (there are good chippies and bad chippies everywhere). Fish suppers are what Scotsmen are brought up on (and indeed bring up after a night on the bevy).

I found this on the net and rather liked it…...

Tae a Fish Supper.

Fair fa' yer sonsie haddock or plaice,
Great chieftain o' the battered race;
wi' vinegar laced an' chips an' peas,
A sicht tae mak ye weak at the knees.

Wi' plastic knife I stab ye braw,
An' then staun back an' stare in awe.
Wi' a smell like you it is nae wonder,
My bellie rumbles, lood as thunder.

Is there that ower his haggis an' neeps,
Or ower his Irish stew he peeps,
Wi' envious glances at my plate,
Wishin' it was you he'd ate.

A dish like you I hae each day,
As lang as yer din the Itie way,
Wrapped in the Daily Record ye lie,
A finer feed ye'll never spy.

O' Lord, forget yer breed an' jam,
Or great big pieces wi' lumps o' spam.
Tae let me ken I wilna suffer--
Jist gae me a big fish supper

ekscrunchy

I'm not an expert by any means, having spent only one week in Scotland, in the Highlands. Much to my surprise, the food was some of the best I have ever eaten, anywhere!!!!!!!!! Amazing. You are in for a treat if you like seafood. The fresh salmon was the best I have ever enjoyed.

caroline_edinburgh

Good one, audere ! But sadly I've never had a good fish supper in Edinburgh. I think you'd probably do better in Glasgow, and you can certainly do better in Aberdeen.

Just reread my previous post & realised I wasn't very clear about the 2 branches of Fishers. Leith one - avoid. Fishers in the City - probably OK.

mousireid

A GREAT place for fish and chips in Scotland....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/s...st/6110990.stm

Big Award!!!

Barbara

audere, very good!

Caroline, you abandoned Morningside for Leith?

caroline_edinburgh

Hi Barbara. Yes I did !

amelie

Thanks mousireid!