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Yalbury Cottage is a delightful three hundred year old thatched cottage, in a rural setting two miles from Dorchester with ample car parking space.

It has all the necessary ingredients to make it a real home from home. That contradictory combination, which we all seem to love, of good modern food served in historic surroundings, works well here and there are bucolic, sturdy dishes which are instantly recognizable sitting alongside more modern offerings which have their genesis in Europe. Thirty seats only means booking ahead is advisable. Good wine list with house wine from £12.50.

A meal could begin with a choice of pressed ham hock and leek terrine on a sweet mustard sauce; baked shallot tart tatin beetroot relish and chive cream cheese spread; 'cauliflower cheese' - a crisp gruyère beignet on an almond and cauliflower purée or poached ballotine of salmon with a light saffron and mussel casserole.

With thoroughly tempting main courses such as butter-roasted loin of veal roasted cocotte potatoes with baby beetroot and sherry vinegar jus; coriander-glazed duck breast Cracknell farm organic duck, braised red cabbage and young fennel; slow roasted Dorset horn lamb - best end of lamb with fondant potato, chantenay carrots and minted lamb jus; pan-fried brill, buttered leeks and sweetcorn purée, crushed violet potatoes and sweet garlic foam or baked butternut tortelloni buttered spinach and truffled butternut nage.

But keep some room for their wonderful desserts like glazed orange and ginger crème brûlée with kumquat and stem ginger; plate of apple - baked tatin, sharp rice pudding and granny smith sorbet; hot and cold chocolate white chocolate and citrus panna cotta and baked chocolate pot or a selection of fine cheeses with fig loaf, quince jelly and celery.

They also have eight spacious rooms, in the modern part of the building, decorated in a simple cottage style; there are seven double or twin rooms, and one family room. Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom with both bath and shower, a direct dial telephone, a remote control colour television, hair dryer and tea and coffee making facilities. The rooms overlook either the garden or adjacent fields, and all are non-smoking.

If you wish to learn how to transform a fast-sinking old boozer into a lively, popular and much loved local take a trip to Mudeford, drop anchor alongside The Ship, and ask for Sally Canning.

Crammed full of cheerful people surrounded by nauticilia The Ship's turnaround was achieved very much on the back of its attitude to decent food, centred almost entirely on the fruits of the nearby sea with the odd concession to those who must have their meat. At one stage of the recovery customers were even being invited to bring their own sandwiches or takeaways to eat on board, but there is certainly no need for that now.

In the restaurant start with Breton fish style soup, grilled Brixham scallops, or delicious brochette with crab and spring onions glazed with gruyère cheese. What follows is always a bit subject to wind and weather, but think in terms of baked fillet of turbot with shallots, lemon sole filled with crab on Tuscan style beans, or a fresh Mudeford lobster salad served with new potatoes.

Follow up with one of the wide selection of fresh homemade desserts, say date and apple cake with green apple ice cream, banana tart tatin with coconut ice cream, or mixed berry Bakewell tart with clotted cream.

Freshness, generosity of helpings, all amidst wonderful atmosphere just about summarises the qualities of this excellent vessel, now pursuing a steady course with a happy crew and overjoyed passengers.

With five years in the fish and chip trade already behind them, father and son team Peter and Fred Capel bought the premises at 10 Seamoor Road, Westbourne in January 1989. There had been a fish and chip shop at this address since 1968 - as little had changed in the intervening 20 years, a major refurbishment was called for!

The refurbished shop opened on April 3rd 1989. The Capels' formula of offering great food with friendly service in pleasant surroundings proved an overnight success. Many fish and chip shops already offered good food, but none did so with quite the panache and emphasis on quality that Fred brought from his early years as a professional chef at some of London's finest establishments. This winning combination has remained the cornerstone of Chez Fred's success ever since.

Still in their first year of trading, Chez Fred scooped the coveted "Best Fish and Chip Shop in the South West / Southern England" title, as well as being runners-up in the "Best in Britain" award in the Seafish Industry Authority's prestigious competition, in 1991 Chez Fred were crowned, and therefore retired from the competition, as Best Fish and Chip Shop in Great Britain.

Chez Fred do not take restaurant bookings, as they work on a first come first served basis.