Sole food
Striped Bass combines a slick bistro ambience with a transparent policy of sourcing fish ethically. Donald Reid finds out more
II the best chefs and critics advise that
the best way to cook fish and seafood is
to keep it simple. Pop it in the pan or
under the grill for a few minutes. with just a
squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of oil or a scattering of herbs. Don’t over complicate it.
It‘s a principle new Glasgow arrival Striped
Bass is trying to extend into the murky waters of
seafood provenance. The restaurant states. ‘()ur philosophy is simple. like our seafood. If a species is at risk. we will not purchase it.‘ Striped Bass is the latest operation from Ian Fleming. who was responsible for reviving the
Buttery in the I990s and runs the Lake of Menteith Hotel. Located on the top floor of Princes Square. he weds a transparent policy of
sourcing fish to a rather slick bar/bistro with enveloping dark walls and timber partitions inside. What would seem to be the more glamorous experience. sitting on the terrace shucking oysters. is in fact disturbed by a cachophony of Princes Square musak. electronic machinery and childrens’ voices.
As is increasingly common. particularly in Glasgow. flexi-menus operate. A tapas-style list runs from llam to 6pm. offering everything from small plates such as seared west coast ling or a smoked fish chowder to New York-style cheesecake. More substantial night-time options such as seared langoustines in a warm. garlic- infused melted butter and white wine broth are bolstered by a special or two. such as reasonably priced lobster served on the half shell with a surprisingly delicate caviar and trufer sauce.
In London. chef Tom Aitkens is the talk of the town with his new sustainable fish and chip cafe. Tom’s Place. selling Peterhead scampi and chips for £18 (£16.50 take-away). but in Striped Bass there’s a conscious effort to balance the sustainability agenda with realistic pricing and an enthusiasm for supporting the acceptable end of fish farming.
Thus you won’t find cod or prawn cocktail (not. at least. until prawns or squat lobster are in season locally). and the menu does throw up some welcome surprises. such as herring. mackerel. razor clams or a troncon of turbot — on
‘IF A SPECIES IS AT RISK WE WILL NOT PURCHASE IT'
the bone. just barely cooked — in a recipe deploying red wine.
Purists will argue about the mic sustainability of farmed fish. but Striped Bass should be applauded for the refreshing honesty of their approach. as well as their willingness to offer information both on the menu and table-side. Deciding what fish to eat has become such a tangle of advice with health guidelines. environmental questions. economic loyalty and unaligned regulatory schemes all pointing in different directions. You can understand how. given such swirling currents of ethics and
STRIPED BASS _
Princes Square, 48 Buchanan Street. Glasgow. 0141 221 7800. www.5tripedbass. co.uk. Stylish fish bistro with a principled
approach. Average two-course evening meal £22
economic reality. plenty of folk just don't care.
You can also understand how many in the restaurant business are happy to hide in the fog of uncertainty. Iithical principles are. after all. awkward. and often more expensive. to implement. If large supermarkets are able to parrot that they‘re only giving the customer what they want. then why shouldn't smaller. more vulnerable operators adopt the same cop out'.’
It‘s great to see local independents prepared to take a lead.
i RESTAURANTS WITH SUSTAINABLE FISH POLICIES
Mussel Inn
157 Hope Street, Glasgow & 61-65 Rose Street, Edinburgh, www.musseI-inn.com
Established ten years ago by shellfish farmers from the West Coast of Scotland. the Mussel Inns are underwritten by a clear sense of provenance. Mussels are affordable and farming them is much less controversial than other seafood. so they're an easy way to feed well on locally sourced food.
12 THE LIST 24 Apr—8 May 2008
The Grill at Dakota Forthbridqe Ferrymuir Retail Park, South Queensferry, 0870 423 4293, www.dakotaforthbridge.co.uk
Head chef Roy Brett was head chef at Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, and has brought with him a keen sense of what's involved in sensitive sourcing and great seafood contacts. Look for Marine Conservation Society-approved line-caught mackerel or crabs from Eyemouth.
Loch Fyne Restaurant
Newhaven Harbour, Edinburgh, 0131 559 3900, www.lochfyne.com
The restaurant chain has a rigorous Sustainable seafood policy established by founder Andy Lane. recipient of a List Eating 8 Drinking Guide Special award this year. As well as sourcing west coast oysters. LFR uses farmed fish recognised by the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme.