#FtLionAwards 2022 Seafood of the Year shortlist

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5/5 rated Cona steakhouse in Bradford have thus far had a nomination each for a starter and a veggie (both being the same dish), as well as a main. Well now there’s this King Prawn Tempura which will give any Dynamite Shrimp dish a run for its money. You will not have had anything like this before. With a light and crispy batter surrounding prawns still boasting that bite of perfectly cooked crustaceans, it was the buttery richness of the fermented chilli sauce, with gentle heat enhanced by the addition of the sliced red chilli segments, which undergirded this tremendously satisfying plate of food.

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Duck & Noodle in London’s Bayswater make it two in a row with a main and this seafood nomination. A full seabass as visually compelling as this was always going to make a spectacular entrance. And the euphoria was only amplified after tucking in, with the herbacious, crispy-battered skin easily giving away to the moist and delicate flesh beneath. The mildly spicy, relatively coarse sambal chilli paste guaranteed both an additional textural profile, as well as a touch of acidity.

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Some of you will recall Patri winning our curry house of the year in 2019. This year they didn’t just serve an amazing Ramadan menu, but from that came this extraordinary Gramthu Meen Kulambu which stole the show really. Tender flakes of fish were left swimminig in a lightly spiced, buttery sauce, which boasted a piquant edge. We couldn’t get enough of this delicious dish.

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Malay Fellas at Putera Puteri in London’s Queensway have a starter up for consideration. Here their Kari Laksa epitomised the homeliness that Malay Fellas are trying to bring. A tremendous bowl of buttery sweet soup, which was soothingly warm, had the lingering hint of the lemongrass in the background, and plenty of noodles that had absorbed all that rich broth. Opting for prawns, they had the tender chewiness of precisely made crustaceans, as well as crunchy beansprouts, a hard boiled egg, and saturated cubes of soft tofu. Wow!

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Royal Shezan in London Ealing’s Hotel 55 had the same dish shortlisted for both the starter and the veggie. This time, it’s a sea bass which, even before these gorgeously large portions flaked apart at the merest glance, we know that this appetising plate was going to be one of the dishs of the review. And so it proved. And though there were enjoyable pieces of al dente broccoli and soft baby potatoes nestled neath these moist fillets, what made this entire blue plate sing the high notes was the vibrant orange curry sauce – a deliciously smooth and velvety tomato-based one, with a subtle sweetness and a touch of heat, which we couldn’t get enough of. Addictive!

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Chef Anand knows his fish because once again Royal Shezan makes it with these plump and ultra juicy Ajwani Jheenga, which were executed exceptionally well, and driven by an earthy marination that offered a tad of sourness, as well as a similar thicker textured sauce streaked across the bottom of the plate. Would travel a long distance for these.

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Part of our Birmingham Food Toour 2022, Tarragon Bistro in Hall Green, who have a beverage in the running and a main, presented these scallops which you won’t be served better executed. Pan seared in a buttery residue, these dreamily tender beauties were served in a seashell and paired with a lightly spiced purée of butternut squash, whose heat was satisfyingly countered by the sweet sourness of the raspberry salsa (complete with the seeds too). Do not underestimate these. They may look simple, but the skill-factor involved here was stratospheric.