THE first time I tried the French aperitif Eau de Vie (a French expression meaning Water of Life) I thought I was going to die. Although it was many years ago, I can still remember my eyes watering as the clear, colourless fruit brandy hit the back of my throat.

But although this particular tipple is not quite to my taste, it didn’t deter me from visiting a relatively new restaurant of the same name in Westbourne .

It was a Tuesday evening when I arrived with a small group of girlfriends and we delighted to discover that on Mondays and Tuesdays you can have any two courses for £10.95 which is a great deal.

I liked the sound of the mussels for starters and the whole roasted lemon sole with new potatoes and asparagus for mains which were on the chef’s specials board.

Unfortunately they had sold out of the sole and also my second choice, the seafood chowder, so the waiter suggested I had mussels as my main course and the potted lobster and crab as a starter.

The locally-sourced crab and lobster was served market kitchen style in a small Kilner-type jar on a wooden board with wild garlic and spring onions, borage and fennel salad and two slices of bread. It was a very small portion of seafood even for a starter but tasted nice and fresh. The bread had been chargrilled which was a little over-powering for the more subtle flavours of the seafood.

The mussels were spot on though – plump, succulent and drenched in a creamy white wine sauce which I mopped with more slices of bread.

The restaurant’s famous house cut chips were absolutely delicious and my friends were all very happy with their dishes.

The service was excellent too – we were very well looked after and they let us sit and natter until nearly midnight.

All in all a lovely evening. Good, locally sourced food at reasonable prices. We are already planning a return visit to try the Sunday roast (two roast meat dishes and the chef’s special Yorkshire puddings and home-made gravy for £9.95).

This is an independent review by a reporter without the cooperation of the establishment.