Fresh from the team behind Dunfermline’s award-winning Jack’O’Bryan’s, this week will see the public opening of The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack in South Queensferry.
A soft launch of the ambitious new family restaurant was held last week, in part to bring in media and food bloggers, but also to say thank you to the many contractors who worked over the winter to transform the property, a long-neglected former Frankie & Bennys, into a smart and well-equipped ‘Hamptons’ style seafood restaurant.
Sited next to the Dakota Hotel at the south end of the Forth Road Bridge, this latest venture from the Coghill family aims to tap into the huge tranche of house building now underway around South Queensferry, and the many families moving into the area.
Bryan Coghill, father of Jack’O’Bryan’s wunderkind chef Jack Coghill, stressed that The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack is not intended as a larger version of their upmarket Dunfermline eaterie, which specialises in top-end Iberian style meat and seafood.
Rather, the South Queensferry site is setting out to be an unashamedly relaxed dining destination, with menu options to suit everyone from primary aged kids to OAPs, and family deals designed to attract regular repeat custom.
“It was fantastic to see many of our friends, family, supporters and suppliers, along with media guests, come along to see what we have done to this incredible space,” said Coghill.
“We treated them all to some amazing tempura oyster starters, crab delicacies, smoked salmon and caviar blinis, and then our signature fish and chips, served in our Crab & Lobster Fish Shack boxes.”
The full menu, which will be available from this Thursday, 12th June, is firmly centred around upscale fish and chips, although some Iberian touches have crossed the bridge from Jack’O’Bryan’s, such as squid with chorizo jam, crispy tempura oysters with buffalo aioli, Singapore crab, and a Whole Lobster Piri Piri.
At the same time, there are fish finger buttys for younger kids and, for the over 55s, who are always staple customers of fish and chip restaurants, there’s a ‘Fish Shack Supper Club’, which offers haddock & chips, bread & butter, and a pot of tea for only £15 per person.
The new restaurant is creating over sixty jobs across both kitchen and front of house, and represents an investment of over £350k from the Coghill family, collectively Bryan, his son Jack, wife Michelle, and daughter in law, Sarah.
The family are supporting Cash for Kids as their chosen charity partner, in particular it’s Holiday Hunger initiative, aimed at young people and children who would otherwise go hungry during the school holidays when schools meals are not available.
Said Bryan: “We will have an optional donation on the bill for customers at both of our venues. Our staff will be on hand to explain to customers what we are trying to achieve, there is no pressure to donate, but we are confident that our lovely customers will want to contribute to this worthy cause.”
Details of the new restaurant’s menu can now be found at www.thecrabandlobsterfishshack.com
