BOOKING is advisable at the New Inn at Shalfleet. But don't be put off immediately by the 'reserved' signs on all of the tables in this historic roadside inn just ten minutes drive from the ferry terminal at Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.

Closer examination will show that some of the bookings are not until later in the evening, although that will mean you need to time your eating to perfection.

Perfection is a word I seldom use for a meal, but to be fair I couldn't actually fault the whole cracked crab with salad I had ordered when we took our seats at about 6.30pm. The children were far from amused, however, as I used the crackers to smash my way into the elegant creature's shell and pick at the meat inside. Shards of shell shot everywhere, much to Mrs M's amusement, and her daughters' horror. Too late I realised I would never be able to pick them up on their table manners again.

The regulars are used to such antics at The New Inn. Sea food is their speciality and I had toyed with the thought of the giant seafood platter at £55 for two (£100 for four) to include local lobster and all manner of crustaceans, but as Mrs M doesn't go in for food that needs to be tamed it wasn't really on the cards.

Instead, Mrs M plumped for the gammon steak with Stilton and pears. She had shrewdly watched what other diners were receiving and thought this a delightful option. It turned out she was correct. The gammon arrived cooked to her orders, with the creamy pear and Stilton topping oozing seductiveness.

The Miss Ms had been persuaded to try the bangers and mash with onion gravy and a child's lasagne, that to be frank could have fed any adult in the room. Luckily I was the closest adult to hand, and after finishing off my creature from the deep, I was able to do the same to the untouched section of lasagne. Superb.

For pudding we all went for the chocolate Lumpy Bumpy, a thick gateaux that threatened to sink the ferry on our return crossing if we dared go for seconds.

The New Inn has been known to travellers for centuries. Travellers have been stopping at the inn on the main route between Yarmouth and Newport to recharge since long before the Isle of Wight became a day-trip for lunch or dinner. On our visit it looked as though all of the pubs' tables had been reserved for diners arriving for an 8pm sitting. We definitely got the impression this was no longer the sort of place to drop in for a quiet drink, although there were a few groups standing around the small bar.

There is a decked area on a patio set high above the pub on a bank at the rear but this was rather soulless.

Added to the cost of the crossing, our £50 bill would make this a dear adventure, and I would advise anyone planning such a trip to make sure they book first.

But for a hungry family, on their way home after an Island experience, the decision to drop in at The New Inn proves a sensible choice.

Just as travellers would have found in centuries gone by.