Riverside Restaurant, The

The mere act of turning up at the Riverside, with its stunning views of the river and the sea, sends you into fishy mode. Nor will you be disappointed. Emphasis is on simplicity in almost every sense, food, cooking, décor, the lot. Those who, for whatever reason, cannot rise to the fish are not only tolerated but provided for with the same expertise and care that goes into the restaurant's forte.

A good mix of locals and 'foreigners' is always a healthy sign and there's no lack of both as they work their way through risotto, sea bass with chilli and ginger and gooseberry crème brulee. While the scallop and bacon salad takes some beating, but then you are up against lobster ravioli, never mind the Abbotsbury oysters, prepared as they should be with minimum mucking about. Excellent breads. In general stay with the fish as it is their speciality.

A challenging wine list supports the kitchen well, with some interesting bins amongst the top flighters, and there is an interesting range of very decent bottles by the glass from £3.50 to £4.75. Yet another example of a quality restaurant providing people with what they want at prices they can afford - the formula rarely fails.

Watch out for the fact that they generally close from early December to the middle of February every year.