What: A seafood restaurant and champagne bar located in the heart of Hyndland, Glasgow, which champions the wealth of fish and shellfish landed and sold at Glasgow Fish Market.
Who: Shucks is the latest venture from brothers Paul and Chris Charalambous, who also own the Michelin-starred Cail Bruich restaurant, as well as Epicures and Brett under their Cultar Restaurant Group - all of which are located in Glasgow. For Shucks, the brothers have partnered with hospitality investor Oli Norman, who owns Glasgow bar Sloans in the city centre. In the kitchen, the Charalambous brothers have installed former Cail Bruich head chef Shaun Haggarty, who has cooked at a number of restaurants around the world such as Stokehouse and Circa at The Prince Hotel in Australia.
The food: For the menu, Haggarty is combining his passion for Scottish fish and shellfish with Asian influences from his international career, utilising a wide range of techniques from classic and over-fire cooking to in-house curing and smoking - all prepared in a ‘state-of-the-art kitchen’. The menu begins with a selection of snacks including a Shucks gilda of house-preserved sardine, smoked olive and guindilla chilli (£3.50 each); crispy fried whitebait with smoked paprika aioli (£6.50); and tater tots with chive crème fraiche, herring caviar and Sardinian pecorino (£9.75). What follows is a selection of small and large sharing plates, including a dedicated raw, cured and smoked fish section. As you would expect from the name, oysters play a role, with Pacific oysters available in plates of six or 12 (£21/£36) with guests able to choose between having them served natural, mignonette or with seasonal hot sauce. Other dishes available include mackerel tataki with preserved turnip, ginger ponzu and purple shiso (£11); Champagne clams with garlic, chili, coriander and charred sourdough (£17); and a barbecue gigha halibut with pork glaze, peas, smoked bacon and grilled lettuce (£26). A modest selection of meat and vegetarian dishes feature alongside the seafood plates, with options including spicy beef tartare with cacklebean yolk and shrimp crackers (£12); and barbecue swede with puy lentils and tarragon mustard (£15). For larger parties of nine or more, guests can order the Shuck's feasting menu (£55pp) that combines elements from across the menu.
The drink: Shucks serves a broad drinks menu of fine wines and Champagne; as well as cocktails and local artisan beers. Cocktails include a rotating range of seasonal 'house creations' (£13 each) such as the 'You’ll Never Eat Yer' Dinner' with El Gobernador pisco, Avallen calvados, bramble, pastis, citrus and lactose; and the 'Last Of The Summer (Rice) Wines' with Roku gin, eucalyptus, dry sake, ponzu and orange.
The vibe: The smart design has been overseen by Glasgow-based interior architects Surface, fashioning a casual, yet elegant environment. Shucks holds 80 covers across its restaurant and bar areas, with the bar available for walk-ins only. An outside terrace is also available.
And another thing: For its seafood supply, Shucks is working with John Vallance Seafood Specialists, with all fish served being 'fully traceable to ecologically approved sustainable sources'.
168 Hyndland Road, Glasgow, G12 9HZ