AS the waiter sat us at our table, he said humbly: "I'm sorry we are a little quiet tonight."

Quiet?

What did he mean quiet? This was the most buzzing place I'd been to in a long time.

We were at Sebis bar and brasserie, on the corner of Charminster Road and Shelbourne Road, Bournemouth, where people of all ages and nationalities have congregated since the day it opened last summer.

Come July 1 it may lose a section of clientele who like to smoke, but it may gain a few back who previously deemed the eatery too smokey.

Its informal set-up comprises a restaurant area, plus a bar and seating for those who just want to stop by for a coffee with friends.

Waiting staff are charming and fun, but like their sister establishments Barolo in Winton, the nearby Salsa Latin Bar & Restaurant, and Havana Wine Bar, they never seem to compromise on their service.

The plasma screens at Sebis (pronounced sebees) are usually flickering with life - be it a popular film or sporting event. But on our recent visit, the food very much stole our attention.

Think holiday in the Med, and that's the sort of fare on offer here, with fresh rice and pasta dishes, grilled steaks with sublime sauces, fish, chicken and salads.

We were unsure of what to have as a starter, so staff made us up a sample platter comprising beautiful, delicately battered calamari (£4.50), breaded mushrooms with a garlic dip (£3.95), a selection of cured meats (£5.50) and a deep-fried mozzarella sandwich (£3.95).

The latter was an example of how a menu description can do little justice to something. Rather than a soggy, greasy heap, this starter was crisp (like bubbly fish batter) and surprisingly light. Be prepared for the mozzarella to stretch into long strings if you halve it to share. (Tip: do not share. Keep this one all to yourself.) That said, the other dishes held their own in the presence of this savoury deity. It's fair to say that not of them one let the side down.

Another apology was served up with the main course - the king prawns weren't as big as usual - it was the wrong season. True, these monsters are usually akin to mini lobsters, but I wasn't going to complain this time that they were only' the length of my hand.

Once I had them with garlic and white wine. This time I chose the tomato, chilli and garlic sauce (£14.95). I loved them both. It's not inevitable you'll end up covered with sauce, but it may be wise not to wear a white top if you order this!

My friend went for the breast of chicken cooked in a white wine, cream and Roquefort cheese sauce (£10.95). Not only did the tender chicken get its fair share of rich sauce, but there was more than enough for the French fries to be dunked into. And on the subject, our bowl of chips for two' could have also quite happily fed the neighbouring table of six.

The courtesy of a breathing space was offered between courses (praise the Lord!). When the time came for dessert we went for the Requeson con Miel (£3.95) - a light, fresh ice cream made with mascarpone cheese, topped with honey and almonds, plus the Crema Helada (£3.50) - a blend of cream and vanilla ice cream with a lightly spiced caramel topping.

As we were both driving, we finished the evening with a non-alcoholic cocktail, but next time (and there definitely will be a next time) we'll leave the cars at home.