Pan-fried sea bream, puttanesca sauce, crispy capers, pickled guindilla chilli

Exceptional hospitality and reassuringly good food combine to stop the clock.

This dish brings together bold southern Italian flavours with clean, precise fish cookery. The puttanesca sauce is rich yet vibrant – slow-cooked tomato pulp forms the base, layered with anchovies that melt into deep umami, briny capers and olives, gentle heat from guindilla chillies, and freshness from lemon zest and basil. The result is savoury, salty, slightly spicy and lifted with acidity, designed to complement rather than overpower the fish.

SERVES 1

Ingredients

Puttanesca Sauce: 

200g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large banana shallot, thinly sliced

50g anchovies in oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

50g sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

20 basil leaves

100g mixed Kalamata olives, sliced into rings

1 stick celery, peeled and thinly sliced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

20g Lilliput capers

30g tomato paste

Tomato pulp

20g guindilla chillies, finely chopped

Salt and sugar to taste

Olive oil

Pan-seared wild ream: 

150g wild bream fillet

20g cold unsalted butter

Salt, to taste

Fresh thyme

Lemon juice

Rapeseed oil 

Crispy Capers:

Capers (brined)

Neutral oil, for frying

Method

For the sauce:

Prepare all ingredients before cooking.

Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a saucepan over low–medium heat. Gently sweat the sliced shallot and minced garlic until soft and translucent, without colouring. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to burst and release their juices. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove its raw flavour. Add the tomato pulp and bring to a gentle simmer.

Season lightly with salt and a pinch of sugar, adjusting to balance acidity.

Remove the pan from the heat. Fold in the anchovies, olives, capers, sliced celery, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add the chopped guindilla chillies and adjust seasoning if needed. Finish by gently folding through the basil leaves.

The sauce should be bold, balanced, and aromatic, with freshness from the lemon and basil. Best rested for a few minutes before serving to allow flavours to meld.

For the fish:

Trim the belly neatly and lightly score the skin. Pat dry thoroughly with a clean cloth, then season the skin side lightly with salt. Crisp skin is key, so ensure the fish is fully dry before cooking.

Preheat a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add a small amount of cold-pressed rapeseed oil. Place the bream skin-side down into the pan. Press gently but firmly to ensure even contact with the pan. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip the fish carefully. Add the butter and thyme to the pan. 

Once the butter has melted and begins to foam, baste the fish continuously.

Add a dash of lemon juice to brighten the flavours, then remove the fish from the pan.Transfer the bream to a drip tray and allow it to rest briefly until ready to serve.

For the capers:

Drain the capers thoroughly, discarding the brine. Spread the capers onto a clean cloth and pat completely dry. Heat neutral oil to 170°C. Fry the capers for 4–5 minutes, or until puffed and crispy. 

Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Allow to cool completely; set aside until ready to use.

To finish 

Once all components are ready, spoon the puttanesca sauce onto the plate. Carefully place the perfectly cooked bream on top, skin-side up. 

Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of crispy capers for added texture and salinity.

Should you find yourself in Topsham, casting around for somewhere to placate those tummy hunger trolls, then The Galley Restaurant, at 41 Fore Street offers something to keep them at bay. For more than 30 years, it has held a prominent place in town’s food scene, consistently earning a reputation for serving “the very best of Devon on a plate.” From the get-go, the restaurant has been guided by a simple principle: exceptional ingredients, treated with skill and respect, make for exceptional dishes. Keith Floyd would have been a diner here.

Over this time, The Galley has developed a distinctive identity, shaped by the passion of its chefs,

the loyalty of its suppliers along with the dedication of its team. Its status as an independent, stand-alone fish and seafood restaurant has been strengthened by numerous accolades, including the retention of a Michelin Bib Gourmand, a reflection of both consistency and a high level of creativity in the kitchen.

Core to The Galley’s philosophy is sourcing. The team works closely with people from the South West, drawing from Brixham and Newlyn fish markets, local farms and a raft of independent producers. Fish and seafood arrive fresh each day, vegetables are cultivated nearby and meats come from trusted local farms. Even the ice cream on the dessert menu is carefully chosen from Granny Gothards in Cullompton. This network of relationships allows The Galley to showcase the diversity and quality of Devon’s produce, from dairy and microgreens to game, meat and fish, while honouring the integrity of each ingredient. Sustainability is held aloft as a guiding principle; every choice in the kitchen reflects a responsibility to the environment, the local economy and to those who will come after.

The estuary setting of Topsham is integral to the restaurant’s appeal, with its location informing the menu rather than the other way around. It’s a measured focus that reflects both what is abundant in the region and what is at its freshest. Daily conversations with fishermen and local small holders ensure that the dishes served are always aligned with seasonality, whether that means adapting to changes in fish size, availability, or weather conditions. When storms recently prevented the team from sourcing plaice, the chefs adjusted the menu to adapt to what was available, demonstrating flexibility and expertise in equal measure.

The Galley’s approach to cuisine is characterised by a balance between tradition and innovation. Classic dishes nudge shoulders with contemporary creations that draw upon a subtle fusion of influences, including Asian flavours. The head chef’s favourite, a pan-fried sea bream with puttanesca sauce and crispy capers, epitomises this philosophy.

The dish is deceptively simple: the bream itself is fresh and unadorned, yet it is complemented by a complex, bold sauce that elevates the flavours without overshadowing the fish. It’s a considered approach that allows the ingredients to shine while adding layers of depth.

Recognition and awards have followed, reflecting the dedication and skill of the entire team. Retaining the Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2023, having previously won Michelin Plates in 2021 and 2022, alongside accolades from Taste of the West, Food Drink Devon and Hardens, demonstrates consistency and excellence. For the team, these achievements are a source of pride but also a reminder of responsibility: to continue inspiring the next generation of chefs and to maintain standards that attract aspiring culinary talent to the restaurant. The awards are not merely for decorating the restaurant, they are a tangible affirmation of effort, skill, and the collaborative spirit of the kitchen and front-of-house staff. At its core, The Galley aims to provide an experience rather than one that expands the waistline.

That’s not to say that the offer is stingy. Guests are invited to enjoy plates that deliver taste, quality, freshness under the auspices of attentive service, leaving them with the desire to return. Every aspect of the dining encounter, from the sourcing

of ingredients to the presentation of the final plate, is part of a considered process. The team invests in understanding its clientele, maintaining a balance between satisfying long-standing local patrons and attracting a new, younger audience eager to partake of creativity expressed on the plate inspired by seasonal variation.

Looking to the future, the restaurant’s culinary direction continues to evolve. Menu innovations remain an ongoing priority, with a strategic focus on introducing fresh influences without compromising the integrity of traditional seafood dishes. Close collaboration with sustainable producers ensures that expansion does not come at the expense of environmental stewardship. Methods such as fly fishing, a no big net habitat-conscious approach to fishing, and partnerships with Oak Park Dairy, which prioritises conservation and sustainable farming, reflect a broader commitment to community and land.

In every sense, The Galley is a celebration of Devon. Over the past three decades, it has traversed the path between reputation and ambition, with an exemplary degree of skill, aided by an eye focussed upon its original ethos: to showcase the very best of the region in the best possible of ways. So, while it’s cool, it’s also rather laidback,

and the menu won’t frighten even the tamest of diners.

galleyrestaurant.co.uk