"Ridiculously good."

For someone who will always choose meat over fish, it's fair to say I may have been converted, so scrumptious was the menu at The Kings in Christchurch.

The restaurant, which prides itself on the freshest local ingredients, base their Friday night Fizz 'n' Chips menu on the best catches of the day from Mudeford and the south west coast.

And once it's gone, that's it.

With new head chef Peter Kacki, who has come on board from Pebble Beach, Friday night's visit to the buzzing restaurant, started with a delicious cocktail in the hotel's swish new bar.

Shown to our table by Sebastian Wojslaw, food and beverage manager, it is clear good service is a priority for the hotel, with both him and general manager Lukasz Dwornik checking on tables and serving customers throughout the night.

A beautifully presented board of tempura prawns and squid - frankly the lightest batter I have ever tasted - smoked prawns, smoked salmon on rye and two mini fishcakes, swiftly arrived, ensuring our appetites were suitably whet.

And whereas I usually skip a starter for a dessert, the temptation of sauteed squid with chorizo, red peppers, salad and sweet chilli sauce proved too much.

Having always been a little nervous of squid, the combination of the smokey and peppery chorizo with the sweetness of the red peppers and sauce was mouth-watering but deliciously light.

The spice from the chorizo was the perfect taste-bud awakener for my main course - Thai moules with frites.

Having only ever had moules marinieres before now, the lively medley Thai flavours ensured my plate of shells mounted up pretty quickly.

Attentive staff brought me a spoon to enjoy the rest of the delicious sauce, and I resorted to dipping my frites to soak up the rest - dunking usually being a practice I save for eating at home.

A basket of delicious bread also appeared without asking; I obviously looked like I was enjoying it.

Across the table, my companion opted for "the best fish and chips" he had ever eaten.

The beer-battered fat fillet of Cornish cod with chips, peas and malt vinegar was demolished in minutes.

Flakes of cod and crispy batter were soon coated in the tartar sauce - no soggy batter on this plate.

And let's be honest, there is always room for dessert, always.

With Eton Mess on the menu, there was only one choice for me, while we also opted for the chocolate brownie, presented in a sundae glass.

What's more, if you arrive to eat between 6pm and 7pm on Friday, you also get a complimentary glass of Prosecco with your meal.

If shellfish aren't your thing, other dishes on the menu included trout en papillote, grilled whole plaice or sea bream, roast turbot or lobster, served how you like it.

And their a la carte menu is also available with a wide range of dishes as well.

For details on price and other deals, go to thekings-christchurch.co.uk.