I'VE always wanted to dine at The Mansion House. The restaurant has two AA rosettes and I've heard nothing but good things about it, so this was one review I was particularly looking forward to.

Of course, quality comes at a price, so I was also aware a meal at the Mansion House wouldn't be cheap.

That's why I waited until August, because throughout the month, from Monday to Friday, the hotel offers a special deal of three courses for 2006p (last year it was 2005p, next year it will be 2007p, etc).

To be truthful, that deal is only available to members of the hotel's dining club - so I'm not entirely sure how we got away without paying the slightly higher (but still reduced) price stated on the menu of £22.06 for non-members.

Nevertheless, it's still a bit of a bargain for a meal of such a high standard and in such pleasant surroundings.

Even the brief walk from Poole Quay up quiet Thames Street was enjoyable in itself, as it's such a beautiful, quaint, typically English corner of town.

The Mansion House is a splendid Georgian townhouse, simply oozing character, while the downstairs restaurant is lavishly furnished with cherrywood panelling, thick drapes and crisp white linen.

Clever use of lighting makes the absence of windows unnoticeable, and creates an intimate atmosphere and a sophisticated ambience.

I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a choice on the August special offer menu, with a selection of six dishes for each course.

To start with I was torn between the goat's cheese croquette with apple chutney and aged balsamic, the twice-baked Dorset Cheddar cheese souffle in a cheese and chive sauce, and the gazpacho with pan-fried fillet of mackerel.

My friend liked the sound of the breast of wood pigeon with wasabi mash and oriental mushrooms, but in the end I settled on the souffle and she on the goat's cheese croquettes.

If you like mature Cheddar you can't go wrong with the souffle.

It had a wonderfully intense flavour and was beautifully light, while the sauce was extremely rich and creamy.

There were three goat's cheese croquettes - small balls of melting cheese in a crunchy coating - accompanied by the sweet and savoury combination of apple chutney and a tiny salad of peppery rocket and shaved Parmesan.

For the main course the options included breast of Gressingham duck with Chinese greens and sesame soy sauce, green Thai curry of courgette, fennel and beans with rice and vegetable spring roll, and fillet of pork with slow cooked pig's cheek, black pudding and apple chutney jus.

We were in the mood for fish though, so my friend went for the fillet of sea bass with a prawn risotto and salsa verde, while I ordered the catch of the day - fillet of cod with mussel pasta, creamed leeks and saffron froth.

Both fish were evidently fresh and perfectly cooked.

The prawn risotto was quite creamy, while the salsa verde was more like a pesto in consistency, made from fresh herbs, with mint being predominant.

The leeks, small mussels and tiny beads of pasta with the cod added extra flavour and texture, although the "saffron froth" would better be described simply as a creamy saffron sauce.

Our main course was served with some al dente mange tout, a finely diced ratatouille, and a cheesy potato gratin.

Luckily the portion sizes were just right to allow room for dessert - caramelised lemon crme brulee for my friend and chilled pineapple gazpacho with summer fruits and crme fraiche ice cream for me.

The alternatives included fresh raspberries and strawberries, bread and butter pudding, and cappuccino semi-freddo with cinnamon doughnuts, plus cheese and biscuits.

The gaspacho didn't look particularly appetising - it appeared to be a bowl of pineapple juice with chopped strawberries, raspberries, pineapple and redcurrants floating in it and a dollop of ice cream in the middle.

Although that description is fairly accurate, it tasted extremely good, with vanilla seeds adding to the sweetness of the pineapple and the crme fraiche ice cream adding a refreshing twist.

You could really taste the lemon in the crme brulee, while the accompanying raspberry ice cream, fresh raspberries and pistachio biscotti completed the dish perfectly.

Our bill - including two soft drinks - came to £42.92.