In Admiral Lord Nelson’s Navy, a captain was not only judged on his fighting ability in savage sea battles of the time, but also on how good a table he kept.
I am indebted to Patrick O’ Brian and his meticulously researched epic novels on the subject (remember Russell Crowe in the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World? This used material from several of his stories).
Recurring themes in the books included fascinating descriptions about the menu at the captain’s table at various eating times during the day in the early 19th Century – often a lavish treat, which was financed from his own pocket.
The hero, Captain Jack Aubrey, usually tucked into not one, but two sumptuous breakfasts: an early one for himself and a later one with selected fellow officers at sea, or visiting dignitaries in port.
So, it was heartwarming to discover that the crew of The Captain’s Table restaurant in the famous fishing port of Fraserburgh also prided themselves on quality.
They have not been open for long, but plenty of admirers are on board already.
We drove from Aberdeen on a whim one midweek night. We rang as we headed north, not sure where we were going, but chef Joshua kindly gave us very precise directions which led us straight to the front door.
With its location right next to those mainstays of community life – a sports bar, football ground, hairdresser and church – you might think from a distance that this was more likely to be a fast-food joint.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
A classy menu with an array of delicious fish dishes put paid to that impression.
This is very much a family concern and obviously a labour of love for all involved.
For example, not only do you receive a warm welcome, but there is also every chance – as happened to us – that Joshua jumps out of his kitchen for chats about the dishes as your visit unfolds.
It was a nice touch and seemed very natural.
We soon discovered that they buy their fish virtually straight off the boats in port, and my main dish of monkfish had been landed just a few hours earlier.
Having watched a reality documentary about celebrities on a north-east trawler recently, I knew the effort and risks involved in bringing that monkfish to my table.
There is a strong seafaring link in this family, too, not surprisingly.
Just in case it slips your mind how important the sea is to The Captain’s Table, you are reminded by trawler photos all around.
And in the loo corridor there are ropes along the walls to guide you, if necessary, with displays of sailors’ knots and model anchors.
For starters, langoustine cocktail for my wife and lobster pieces in a pot for me – a great introduction.
The langoustines were plump and juicy, with Marie Rose sauce and salad, while the locally sourced steamed lobster was topped with a crumbly layer of breadcrumbs and accompanied by bread to dip in the delicious white wine and cream sauce.
Considering it was the middle of the week, the dining room was quite busy while we were there, with three couples, a solitary businessman and a family of Spaniards, who livened things up quite a bit.
As with any seafood restaurant worth its salt, they offered an alternative steak dish as well.
My wife enjoyed a juicy eight-ounce sirloin steak, matured for 21 days, topped with good-sized scallops in a surf and turf combo.
For me, it was the monkfish, wrapped in bacon, with leek sauce and accompanied by new potatoes.
I had not eaten monkfish for a while and it was a sheer delight to be reacquainted.
Its brilliant whiteness, fleshy texture and wonderful flavour made it the star of the show for me.
We rounded off with sticky toffee pudding – Josh’s own homemade date sponge and toffee sauce and ice cream. Needless to say, it was excellent.
I tried a speciality-of-the-house Oreo cheesecake, created by the sous chef, complete with miniature versions of the popular biscuit, which also provided the base. A little too creamy for me, but it was still a stunner and must be popular.
We felt we had been on a voyage of discovery to find The Captain’s Table, in more ways than one, but we were so happy we had made the effort.
The restaurant
- The Captain’s Table
- 20 Seaforth Street, Fraserburgh AB43 9BB
- t: 01346 512412
- w: https://thecaptainstable.ltd/
The bill
- Langoustine cocktail £8.25
- Baked lobster pot £8.95
- Surf and turf £27.95
- Monkfish £15.75
- Sticky toffee pudding £6.50
- Cheesecake £5.95
- Glass of prosecco x 2 £10
- Sparkling water £1.50
- Total: £84.85