It’s a Tuesday evening and the strip at Argyle Street seems quiet and subdued. The calm before the storm perhaps. We take the opportunity to have the bar in The Finnieston to ourselves for a glass of wine and a meandering chat before crossing the road to claim a table in Crabshakk.
As the evening progresses we’re joined in the compact restaurant by Iron Maiden fans craving crustaceans before the gig at The Hydro. There’s also small clusters of folk who look like their returning to their regular tables, plus a couple of lone diners sitting at the seafood bar with a pint and a heap of mussels to work through.
There’s no excuse for serving bad seafood in Glasgow. Suppliers like The Fish People on Scotland Street have got the finest fish in the world. That’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact. Crabshakk have been cooking up a storm since 2009, blazing a trail for simple dishes done well.
There’s the straight-forward menu, filled with the likes of crab, squid, oysters, scallops and fish and chips.
We usually look for the grilled langoustines which we crack and scrape until every edible portion is devoured. It is a very satisfying way to eat.
Look to the specials board. That’s where you’re going to find the real catch of the day. We picked out a plate of bulbous, perfectly grilled octopus, served on a tasty mix of lentils and chorizo.
For a main dish, the last item on the board was a monkfish cheek scampi, fish and tomato sauce combination – probably the best plate of fish available in the city yesterday.
Cheerful service. Winning food combinations. Craft beer. Reasonably priced wine. It’s our kind of place. Make a bon voyage to Crabshakk.
Crabshakk
1114 Argyle Street
Finneston
Glasgow
G3 8TD
T: 0141 334 6127
E: info@crabshakk.com
Bensenville, IL 60106