The Bell family behind The Fish People Cafe announced this week that they will close permanently, making the decision to concentrate on the fishmonger shop next door. They broke the news saying: “We would like to thank each and everyone of our wonderful customers over the last nine years. When we first opened The Fish People Cafe we didn’t know what to expect, it was a completely new venture and we took a chance to try something different.
“Together with our fantastic team, chef John and front of house Graham, and the finest seafood Scotland has to offer, we created something truly special.
“Over the last nine years we’ve been overwhelmed by the love and support of our many loyal customers and all those who travelled to see us, even though we’re ‘a wee bit out the way’.
“So we are so very sad to say that as a family we’ve taken the decision not to re-open once restrictions are lifted. Like many others, we’ve taken time to re-evaluate over the last year and we feel it’s time for some change.
“We’ll certainly miss sitting at the corner bar, with a perfectly paired glass of wine, watching all the laughter and the happy faces delight at the plates floating in from the kitchen. We’ve loved every minute.
“As always our fish shop next door remains open and you’ll still be able to pick up some of our deli dishes in there.”
The Fish People worked with us on the Glasgow and West Coast Cook Book. You can order your copy here.
Below you will find their entry in the book and their recipe for tandoori sea bass.
We encourage you to visit their fish shop and give this a go in your own kitchen.
When Andy Bell and family looked at the adjacent industrial cafe to their southside fishmongers that had lain dormant and disused for a number of years, they saw an opportunity. Seizing the chance to try something new, they embarked on a substantial renovation of the neighbouring unit. Resplendent in the French bistro décor that you see today, the doors opened on The Fish People Cafe in September 2012.
The restaurant team are led by Head Chef John Gillespie and Manager, Graham Hamilton. “Both are experts in their field with John working as a chef for 30 years and Graham working front of house for 32 years” explains Laura Bell. “They have been with us since we opened six years ago and are the foundations of the restaurant.”
John’s cooking style consists of simple, classic dishes with an Asian twist, showcased in their featured tandoori sea bass recipe shared in this book and another customer favourite – steamed sole fillets en papillote with Asian greens and sesame. The menu consistently features the finest Scottish seafood, including Tarbert landed monkfish, Cumbrae rock oysters, which can be enjoyed at the marble oyster bar, Campsie Glen smoked salmon and hand-dived Barra scallops.
John’s food philosophy centres on offering high quality sustainable fish at affordable prices. All fish is sourced from their very own fishmongers. “Our retail shop is next door to the café and we also have a wholesale unit which supplies many other restaurants and hotels throughout Glasgow and the surrounding areas. As a wholesaler we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality of fresh seafood and have a loyal customer base that will testify to this” Laura says.
They also use local suppliers such as Seasonal Produce for their fruit and vegetables, J.R Fine foods for cheese and dairy and Thorntonhall for ice cream.
The Fish Place Cafe is a small but dynamic restaurant with a changing seasonal menu. Customers are an eclectic mix of locals and visitors to the city. “We are a bit of a destination restaurant, with an unusual location, so it means all the more when customers travel to see us. Many of the customers are regulars and know the staff well. Graham ensures that everyone is greeted warmly and that the high standard of service never slips.”
Tandoori Sea Bass
Serves 4
Preparation Time 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
4 whole sea bass 400-450g
For the tandoori paste
375g natural yoghurt
10 cloves garlic peeled
60g fresh root ginger
5 tablespoons sunflower oil
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
55g paprika
2 ½ teaspoon garam masala
2 ½ teaspoons turmeric
2 ½ teaspoon chilli powder
2 ½ teaspoons cumin
2 ½ teaspoons salt
For the curry oil
500ml sunflower oil
500ml extra virgin olive oil
2 onions roughly chopped
10 cloves garlic chopped
100g root ginger peeled (keep the peelings they can go into the oil)
200g tomato paste
100g fresh coriander
1 tablespoon garam masala
3 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
For the samphire pakora
100 g gram flour
1/4 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4. tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder
Pinch baking powder
Water
Method
Ask your fishmonger to gut, scale and score the flesh of your sea bass on each side this allows the tandoori paste to get into the flesh of the fish. You can make the curry oil and tandoori paste ahead of time they can be kept in the fridge in sealed containers for 4-6 weeks.
Tandoori Paste
The Tandoori paste is very easy to make. Just place each of the ingredients into a jug blender or liquidiser and blend until smooth. That’s it.
Curry Oil
In a heavy based saucepan sweat off the onion, garlic & the finely diced peelings of the root ginger for 5 mins. Add the cinnamon stick and the garam masala, curry powder and turmeric then cook for a further 2 mins. Then add the tomato paste and olive oil and simmer at a low heat for 25 minutess ensuring it doesn’t stick set aside to cool slightly. After cooling; pass through a mesh sieve discard all the pulp.
In another bowl, have a sieve with a sheet of muslin or a j cloth and let the oil pass through, this will give you a clear flavoured oil set aside to cool completely.
Chop the coriander and blend with 1 teaspoon of salt and the curry oil. Take the peeled root ginger and finely dice add to the cooled curry oil
Samphire Pakora
Mix all of pakora ingredients in a bowl and add the water to make a thick batter then add in the samphire. Set aside.
The Sea Bass
Season your whole bass with salt only, fry in a hot pan for 1 minute each side place on a metal oven tray. Spread each fish with a generous amount of tandoori paste and bake in the oven at 220 °c for 8- 10 minutes
Place small batches of pakora mix into a deep fat fryer at 180 °c for 3-4 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Divide the whole bass between 4 serving plates, drizzle with the curry oil and place under a hot grill for 1 minute to warm the oil.
Serve the cooked fish with the pakora on the side and mini poppadoms, basmati rice and fresh lemon.