Before we went to Scotland we already knew that it’s not going to be an eye candy and chill out opportunity only but also a feast for all culinary freaks who love fish and seafood! Seems like they eat fish in Scotland from dawn till dusk and that’s the way we like it! We order scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for breakfast (divine!), even though you can go all the way from the start and have grilled kippers – grilled herring. I’m not a fan of “lunch for breakfast” idea but Łukasz used to follow this rule in Ireland once and it wasn’t such a bad idea. I still prefer a fish breakfast to a traditional oatmeal (porridge) or ‘full Scottish breakfast‘ with obligatory haggis, – a Scottish “blood sausage ” of some sort.
More fish or seafood for lunch! Mussels, oysters, crab cakes or calamari for starters, a salmon, a haddock, shrimp pasta or seafood platter for main course. Immortal fish’n’chips make our dinner. No worries, if you don’t like fish, you will still be able to find something suitable. This entry however is a must-eat list for all of you fish and seafood lovers. For people like us! 🙂 PS. I couldn’t resist and just had to end this entry with two desserts – no fish involved 😉
1) FISH’N’CHIPS
You can’t go to Great Britain and not try fish’n’chips which is why this meal is in pole position! When we go to Great Britain, we often eat fish’n’chips every day! Sometimes for lunch, sometimes for dinner. Sometimes in a restaurant, sometimes wrapped in paper bought from a booth selling this type of food only. Large fish, crispy batter which may be irritating anywhere else (too much of it!) but tastes delicious here! Chips… always thickly chopped, soft and preferably served with malt vinegar and dipped in Tatar sauce! Yummy… So simple, yet so delicious! Fish’n’chips often come with mashed peas but that’s not my cup of tea… Łukasz on the other hand, declared today that it tastes like …. a joint. Then he ate his portion to the last drop!
Different than in Ireland where fish’n’chips is usually made from a cod, it’s haddock, that rules in Scotland. And the ‘windows’ or bars specialised in fish’n’chips are caressingly called the chippies.
2) ‘CULLEN SKINK’ FISH SOUP
cullen skink to warm you up
Chowder rules in Ireland and cullen sink is it’s Scottish brother. It’s a fish soup with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions, milk and a bit of cream. It’s very thick and creamy which makes it a nutritious meal perfect in cold and windy weather. Like chowder, it’s served with dark bread and tastes best eaten with a view of fishermen’s boats like in one of fish spots in Mallaig.
Cullen skink originates from the town of Cullen on the north-east coast of Scotland, however nowadays it’s equally popular in other parts of the country. If you’re more into classic chowder, you can find one in Loch Fyne Oyster Bar in Clachan.
chowder – Łukasz’ other love
3) MUSSELS
mussels – this time served with cider and bacon
Mussels. Reportedly the Shetland mussels are the best but the ones from the west coast are good enough! Be sure to try mussels in cider and bacon sauce in a tiny restaurant called Luigi located in Dornoch. Original and tasty!
4) SHRIMPS, OYSTERS, LANGOUSTINES, CALAMARI
seafood platter in Loch Fyne Oyster Bar
calamari in Loch Leven hotel
If you still want more, Scotland has shrimps, oysters, langoustines, crabs and calamari in store as well. Try Loch Fyne Oyster Bar for oysters – it’s been there since the early 80s and specialises in fresh oysters. Inside, behind the bar, you can see some nice colourful oyster plates.
We’re not that much into shrimps right now (I guess we had too much of them!) but Maks still loves them. When we were in Thurso located close to the end of the world, somewhere in the far north of Scotland, the kids’ menu in a bar included battered shrimps with chips instead of a tomato sauce pasta. Let this be the indicator of seafood popularity in Scotland! 🙂
best place for oysters
5) CRAB CAKES
crab cakes in Dornoch
It’s not a typical British meal (I think it comes from the USA), but crab cakes can still be found in many Scottish restaurants. These are served as a starter in various ways. I liked the ones with chilli sauce the most. Crab cakes are sometimes enhanced with things like smoked salmon, fresh herbs or chilli peppers. Perfect for a small starter!
This was supposed to be an entry focusing on fish and seafood in the first place, but I couldn’t hold it to myself and not tell you about the desserts! Puddings may be sweet like hell, but they’re worth a try! And if you fall in love with British puddings, be sure to visit The Pudding Club in Coswolds! Here
STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING AND BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING – KONIECZNIE! 🙂
sticky toffee pudding
bread and butter pudding
*We’re tasting Scotland and giving you some culinary recommendations thanks to VISIT BRITAIN.
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