Review: Stonehaven's Tolbooth is haven for seafood fans

On a crisp, sunny Sunday afternoon in September, Stonehaven Harbour was showing off.

Lit under blue skies and with only a gentle breeze blowing, the seaside space was bustling with people in and out of the water.

It would have been easy to get lost wandering around but we were on a mission. We had a booking.

It might have been the September air, but I had been craving seafood.

The Tolbooth has some lovely views of Stonehaven Harbour.

Hearing good things about the Tolbooth Seafood Restaurant by the harbour, I roped in my mother-in-law Caroline, a fellow seafood fan, to join me for an afternoon lunch.

Neither me nor my mother-in-law had visited the Tolbooth before but we had heard great things. Especially after the restaurant had been reopened under the new ownership of north-east restauranteur, Paul Mair, last year.

And as we made our way up the stairs to the restaurant, we could not contain our excitement.

The Tolbooth Seafood Restaurant. — The Tolbooth Seafood Restaurant in Stonehaven.

The Tolbooth Stonehaven

We were greeted warmly at the door before being shown our table.

Our first impressions of the Tolbooth’s interior were warm, light and subtly nautical.

The different shades of blue paid tribute to the restaurant’s harbour-side setting and their fame for their seafood while the white-washed walls dotted with frames created an open and elegant space.

A table by the window in the Tolbooth Seafood restaurant in Stonehaven. — The blues with the white-washed walls point to the restaurant’s seaside location.

The outside sunshine had no difficulty getting in and those sitting by the windows were treated to stunning views.

Sat just on the harbour edge, it is a great spot to take in the views and people watch.

Sadly, on this occasion we did not manage to nab a window seat but tucked in the back corner, there was still plenty to satisfy our people watching interests (or joint nosiness).

Inside the Tolbooth Stonehaven — The restaurant has a busy but warm and relaxed atmosphere.

After perusing the drinks menu, our wonderful server Euan took our order which included a glass of rosé for my mother-in-law and a white wine for myself.

Being a Sunday, we had the option of choosing a tempting roast dinner which we both eyed up on the table next to us.

However, with seafood in the restaurant name, it would have been rude not to try the Tolbooth’s speciality.

So we went all out.

The cod at the Tolbooth Stonehaven — We made sure to have seafood in every dish.

The starters and sides

We ordered the starter and main for £35 each. To start off, we ordered the Shetland mussels, langoustine bisque and sourdough bread with Scottish butter.

The first to arrive was the sourdough bread (£6) and goodness did it look good.

This loaf’s sourdough starter must have had good genes.

The sourdough bread with Scottish butter. — The sourdough bread was a delight.

Glowing with health and with a faint rising of steam, the sourdough bread was golden, crusty and still warm.

Partly cut into quarters, it was easy for us to grab a piece each. Not quickly taking another was the hard part.

On going to spread it with some butter, my mother-in-law discovered the small pat of butter had sea salt sprinkled over it.

The Shetland mussels at the Tolbooth Stonehaven. — The Shetland mussels were a generous portion.

Not having seen that before, she was left very impressed and said it added an extra element to what is usually a very simple side. The Lurpak at home might have to watch out.

A few minutes later, the sides arrived.

Agreeing to share all the dishes, Caroline started with the bisque while I got stuck into the mussels.

The Shetland mussels (usually £10) were piled high in a large bowl sitting in a garlic, shallot and creamy white wine sauce and decorated with parsley.

The mussels served at the Tolbooth in Stonehaven — I was glad we had ordered the sourdough bread to help make the most of the creamy white wine sauce.

The sauce was well balanced and not sickening which can sometimes be the case with mussels and each of the mussels had popped open. It was the perfect introduction to the dish for Caroline who had never tried them before.

It was safe to say they were a success and we made our way very quickly through them.

I was very glad however we had ordered the sourdough which was used to soak up the rest of the sauce.

The Langoustine Bisque — The langoustine bisque.

While the mussels were delicious, it was the Thai-style langoustine bisque (£10) with the spiced prawn boudin that was the winner.

Beautifully presented, the frothy bisque was slightly outside of what would be our usual order. But it quickly diminished any apprehension.

The seafood soup was very light and surprisingly not too creamy. The dotted coriander oil added an earthy freshness while the Thai flavours gave it a subtle kick.

The mains

Following our starters, our table was looking a little messy thanks to the sourdough. We apologised to Euan for our crumb shame but he quickly replied he had seen worse.

In between courses, we enjoyed sipping on our drinks and enjoying the dinner buzz.

We continued to eye up a few Sunday roasts on other’s tables which we commented might warrant a prompt revisit.

But then our mains turned up and the Yorkshire puddings disappeared.

The cod surrounded by an orange rouille — The cod was my mother-in-law’s favourite.

The cod was a vivid and impressive plateful.

Sat on a vibrant pool of sauce, the cod had been placed on an island of warm bulgar wheat salad surrounded by some greens and biquinho peppers.

The cod was flaky and beautifully cooked. The bulgar wheat was light and well seasoned while the mix of the rouille and velounte ensured there was plenty of flavour to go around.

When it came time to swap dishes, the butter poached coley (usually £23) did not disappoint in colour either and ended up being my afternoon highlight.

Butter poached coley at the Tolbooth in Stonehaven. — The butter poached coley had plenty of flavours on offer.

The coley which flaked off the fork, was placed next to the olive oil mash and braised fennel while the crayfish, stems of broccoli and slices of grapefruit and orange brought welcome colour to the dish.

While it did not have a sauce like the cod, the dish was not dry and everything was perfectly cooked.

The array of flavours in the dish were wonderful. From the slightly bitter braised fennel to the sharp and fruity citrus slices and the sweetness and saltiness of the crayfish, it was a combination that had many elements to keep you guessing and wanting more.

The verdict

We left the Tolbooth in Stonehaven thoroughly full in the best sense possible.

While the bill was slightly on the pricier side, the portions were the perfect size, the food was fresh, full of goodness and colour and beautifully presented making the meal an experience we would not easily forget.

The restaurant atmosphere was elegant but relaxed and the menu had attractive options for vegetarians and those who are not such big fans of seafood.

Adding in the unique location and stellar staff service, the Tolbooth in Stonehaven is certainly a spot I will be revisiting.