The Aberdeenshire chippy elevates your usual fish and chip shop fare
You can’t beat a good fish supper. There’s something about the combination of crunchy batter, the salt and vinegar flavour explosion and the carby goodness of a hot chip that’s a tonic for the soul. A day by the sea isn’t complete without it.
And who knows more about the power of a chippy tea than the team behind Fish Shop and Restaurant Ballater? The restaurant, based in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, has taken the traditional chippy and elevated it into something very special indeed.
All the fish on their exciting menu is ethically-sourced, often caught by hand or creel in Scottish waters that very same day. It’s the same story with the fruit and veg; you can rest assured the vegetables are all grown locally, too.
Dishes on the menu are carefully considered, balancing a delicate and impactful profile. Shetland mussels with East Coast cured nduja and tomato, Monkfish tail with cauliflower, pine nuts and sorrel and Highland beef tartare with smoked oyster mayonnaise are just some of the interesting dishes on offer, taking your usual chippy offering and dial it up to 11 in the flavour stakes.
The restaurant’s eco-friendly commitments are impressive as well, the fish smoked using zero-emission charcoal and low-impact drinks stocked – biodynamic and low-carbon-footprint wines from British and European vineyards, and beers and spirits from microbreweries and distilleries in Scotland. The aptly-named Fish Shop Negroni, combining Thompson Bros. Gin, Valentian vermouth, Campari and samphire is one concoction I’m very keen to try.
Yes, everything here is considered, right down to the interiors. The whimsical fish shoal installation (pictured below) was created by Aberdeen-based artist Helen Jackson using her own homegrown willow. She took inspiration from the River Dee and the plight of the Atlantic salmon, a subject she has explored in previous projects and exhibitions.
Fish Shop Ballater
3 Netherley Place
Ballater
AB35 5QE
t: 01339 720250
e: mail@fishshopballater.co.uk
Follow Fish Shop Ballater on Instagram and Facebook
Lyla Edinburgh review: A fine dining experience worth saving up for
