Spurred on by the success of LSQ2 at GreenPark, Reading, Sally and Tony Cole took a considered look at a site in the town centre and were fortunate to secure another riverside location at the Oracle in the very heart of this vibrant university town.

The very epitome of a modern restaurant, the glass walls bathe the interior in natural light that combines with the contemporary cathedral-like height of the space to create a perfect backdrop against which to showcase the theatre of modern exhibition cooking. This is a space in which to impress, to entertain clients, or merely chill out with friends, colleagues, relations even.

On the corner of the riverside and London Street, Oracle is handy for parking at Holybrook and Riverside. Both are safe, secure and easily accessible. Riverside is open 24/7. If travelling by rail Reading station is only a mile away.

Start your meal in style with baked Waterloo cheese, onion marmalade with chilli relish, or there's olives marinated with olive oil, garlic, chilli and fresh herbs, and home baked bread with olive oil, balsamic and spezie.

Traditional Thai fishcakes of salmon and pangasius fillet with sweet chilli sauce, wild local rabbit and Meon Valley pork faggot with braised leeks and spicy butternut broth, or potted duo of fresh and smoked salmon with crème fraiche, pernod, lemon juice and chives are but three from a good range of entrée dishes.

Main courses pursue a happy path of inventiveness tinged with tradition and the red curry of seafood, an aromatic cream curry with scallops, salmon, pollock and prawns, venison Wellington accompanied by haggis, horseradish cream, swede fondant and red wine sauce, or pan fried North Sea cod with star anise braised oxtail and oyster mushrooms reinforce this trend. For an indulgent concession to modern food take a closer look at the Wagyu beef burger on brioche with local cooked salmon, free range fried egg, bacon, cheese, chilli miso and triple cooked chips.

The char-grill continues the theme of modern and imaginative dishes with a difference, and the weeping tiger kangaroo fillet steak is marinated in lime, chilli and coriander and served with jasmine rice. A roasted Cornish monkfish comes to table wrapped in prosciutto with Yorkshire pudding, cider, chorizo and caper cream sauce. The butternut squash and chickpea gnocchi stages an appearance, with a supporting cast of chestnut brown mushrooms and wild garlic.

The range of sweet temptations that lies in wait to trap the weak and unwary scores points with a treacle tart with crème anglaise, icky sticky toffee pudding with toffee pecan sauce and Chantilly cream and a local cheese board that seems to have made a point of selecting the most outstanding of its kind, all stating the case for a menu that has not just had some puddings added on.

LSQ2's express lunch operates daily from 12 to 6 pm, offering exceptional value from a two course menu with such hot dishes as traditional Thai fishcakes with sweet chilli sauce and home made Pollock fish fingers with triple cooked chips and mushy peas.

On Sundays (11-5) LSQ2 serves brunch, the ideal occasion to totally chill with or without friends, probably the newspapers, enjoying anything from coffee and croissants to an impressive full English, and much, much more as lunch comes and goes.

Looking for private dining for an intimate party of up to 8? Call 0118 9511 311 and do it in style at Oracle Riverside.

A smart wine list presses the right buttons. From a 2006 Chianti Reserva Villa Di Campobello to a South African 2007 Merlot with a nose like a port light, the list follows in the footsteps of the LSQ2 interpretation of exciting food in great surroundings and company.

Their excellent Website will keep you up to date on changes and events.