Gaby Soutar visits The Dory Bistro & Gallery, Pittenweem

Where? 15 East Shore, Pittenweem, 01333 311222, www.thedory.co.uk

Ihaven’t worked out exactly where I’d put it, but I wouldn’t mind a spooky third eye to flash whenever I’m agitated, or asked to do my share of the chores. In common with some species of moth, spider, caterpillar and butterfly, as well as peacocks, the fish species John Dory has faux peepers.

They’re on the sides of its saucershaped body and are probably there to bamboozle predators or prey.

In this new bistro, the focal point is a huge painting of this fishy foureyes by Malcolm Cheape, one of the owners. The walls are covered in other artwork too, with some happily non-twee stuff in the adjoining gallery.

But nothing can really compete with what’s right outside the window – the harbour, chockablock with primary coloured fishing boats.

It’s a bonnie view from what is probably the only restaurant on the East Shore.

While Anstruther may be packed with eateries, the only other places I’ve eaten at in Pittenweem are the Cocoa Tree Cafe, as well as the sweet shop (on our visit, with a chocolate labrador reclining outside on a green chaise longue) and the retro Pittenweem Fish and Chip Bar, with wood cladding and staff in striped tabards serving the best of suppers.

I once ate a sandwich outside St Fillan’s Cave, but I don’t think that counts.

So, at last, there’s somewhere new, with a full house on my visit, some of whom looked triumphantly windswept, as if they’d just tackled the Fife Coastal Path.

For starters, I thought I’d try the vegetarian mezze (£8.50) and my dining partner chose the salt and pepper squid (£6.50).

My option was a bit of an uninspiring assemblage.

There was a bowl of chilli infused beetroot purée topped by a sprinkle of za’atar, another potpourri of butternut squash and toasted pine nuts, plus a ramekin of giant couscous, crumbled feta and mint, as well as a few small rectangles of pitta (but not enough to decant the beetroot mulch on to).

It seemed an attempt at vegetarian/ healthy eating bait that had resulted in a selection of sandwich fillers.

The salt and pepper squid wasn’t bad, though we’d kind of anticipated the usual crispy battered hoops, and these were rather flobbery rings, pasted with a bit of salty seasoning. Meh.

However, almost exactly at the same time as the haar lifted from the marina, things got much better.

My main of coq au vin (£13.50) featured a soft leg that was tinted dark red and rich with vino.

It came with loads of gravy, a stack of honey and rosemary infused carrots, as well as some buttery and wild garlicky crushed new potatoes.

My dining partner’s daily special of sea bream (£14.95) was a sunny looking dish, as yellow, green, yellow, green as a budgie rolling downhill. There was a well seasoned and crispy skinned piece of fish on top of a buttercup yellow risotto that was dotted with shreds of smoked salmon, dimpled broad beans and peas. They hadn’t gone easy on the lemon squeezy, which made for a zingy dish. Smashing.

We weren’t that inspired by the (metaphorically) vanilla pudding list – chocolate brownie (£4.50), Victoria sponge (£2.50) et al – but maybe that was because our heads had already been turned by the much-moreinteresting-looking teatime cakes under glass cloches on the counter.

One of these was the swoonsome rhubarb drizzle (£2.50), which was all crumbly like an hour old sand castle, with rivulets of syrup and shreds of this vegetable in the fissures. Oh my.

We also loved our tall wedge of orange and almond cake (£2.50), with a bitter marmalade flavour and a roof of glossy citrus cross-sections.

Anyway, although another eye could be useful, I’m quite glad that I don’t have any more than two.

They say you eat with them, and one more to feed would have meant another slice of their marvellous cake, which would have resulted in me having to be rolled into a boat and shipped home.

(At this point, I’m pretty sure that the John Dory winked at us, but that may just have been the sugar high).