As the youngest of three brothers, I know that being defined by what went before you is rarely fun.
So the team at 1876’s bid to put curry well behind them strikes a chord.
For 42 years, the old church on Queen Street in Broughty Ferry was occupied by The Gulistan House.
Now the team behind new restaurant 1876 – which officially opened on Thursday June 5 – have the difficult task of building a new reputation around the well-known spot.
“One thing I wanted to make sure of was that when you step in here, it doesn’t look like the Gulistan, and it doesn’t,” Iftikhar Ahmed, the man behind 1876, tells me.
“We’re completely different. There isn’t a curry in sight!’
And it’s not just the food that has changed.
Iftikhar’s daughter Aaisha Naseer – who will soon take over running the restaurant – had creative input on a complete refurbishment. The space is transformed.
Sleek, plush seats and gilded tables occupy the main dining room. A Venetian plaster finish on the walls gives the restaurant an effortless elegance.
Meat and seafood take centre stage at 1876
“Because I’ve lived in Dundee and socialised around Broughty Ferry for 15 years, I think I know roughly what people in the area are looking for,” Iftikhar says.
A glance at the menu quickly tells me that Iftikhar thinks people want a whole lot of meat and seafood.
Sitting in the middle of the menu is a selection of steaks, including three dry-aged Angus steaks – a ribeye, sirloin and fillet – that range from £34 to £38.
For those looking to make a splash, a kingly sounding porterhouse steak can be had for just under £60.
Elsewhere, chicken, pork, venison and lamb dishes also feature. Many of these are priced under £20.
The team at 1876 source their meat from local supplier Scott Brothers.
The range of seafood is just as extensive.
Scottish salmon steaks can be had for £22.50 and a whole lobster with garlic or parsley butter for £47. Grilled Dover sole at £28.50 is another eye-catching item.
Outside of these showstoppers, 1876 also serves several pasta dishes, pizzas and burgers that range in price from £12.50 to £16.90.
In a slightly leftfield approach, the restaurant also serves roast dinners on Sundays.
That being said, 1876’s focus is undoubtedly its range of meat and seafood-centric hero dishes.
Iftikhar has even had a meat and seafood counter installed, giving guests the opportunity to select specific pieces of meat or fish.
A ‘very extensive’ drinks menu
A food menu that’s heavy on meat and seafood is made for wine pairing. Iftikhar is capitalising on this opportunity by offering a wine list that is both extensive and well curated.
It spans everything from an £800 bottle of highly sought after pale gold Swiss wine to a £26 bottle of pinot noir from Chile.
Various Champagnes, chardonnays and even a few English wines also feature.
Helpfully, each listed wine comes with a short and accessible description that lets buyers know exactly what to expect.
The bar is nothing to be sniffed at either.
“We expect to have no less than fifty gins on offer,” Iftikhar tells me.
The bar is also teeming with a range of whisky, rum, cognac and other spirits.
“People are more than welcome to just come in for a drink or a cocktail night,” he says.
Giving customers as long as they need
Despite margins being finer than ever in the restaurant industry, Iftikhar wants to ensure that his customers have an opportunity to relax when visiting 1876.
“We’re not in the business of hurrying people,” he says.
“If you’re with family, sometimes you want to sit and enjoy spending time together.
“It’s an occasion that the whole family can remember.”
As long as they are given prior notice, the team is happy to let customers have tables for three or even four hours.
In terms of service, the team at 1876 are professional but friendly.
“I want formality but not for it to be overly formal,” Iftikhar says.
“I think people in Broughty Ferry want to get to know you on an individual, personal basis.”
Conversation