LET ME nail my colours to the mast from the start - I love fish.

So when my young son had an unexpected "sleep-over" at a friends we took the opportunity of having a meal out. Not wanting to eat in one of the local pubs and wanting to go somewhere a bit different we jumped in the car and headed off.

After a short drive to Gosport, a trip on the ferry to Portsmouth and a walk around to Old Portsmouth we found ourselves at the doors of Flounders seafood restaurant.

The dcor is light and cheerful with loads of fishy prints on the walls but thankfully no fake lobster pots or plastic crabs hanging from netting.

Soon after sitting down in the bar area with our drinks, up came a waiter. "Table for two, sir No problem, would you like to come straight through"

After studying the menu and not being able to make our minds up as usual, we did the thing that couples often do - "If I have this and you have that, can I have a taste" The deal was struck.

We kicked off from the starters menu, Mary had potted shrimp and I went for the warm goats cheese which came with char-grilled vegetables and red pesto sauce. I had almost got away without handing over any of my goats cheese before my wife remembered the deal. Still, fair exchange, the shrimps were great.

After about 30 minutes the main course arrived, not a problem as the atmosphere was so warm and relaxed that we hardly noticed the delay. But when it did arrive . . . wow!

Mary had chosen from the menu the seared king scallops which were served on a bed of rocket salad with a warm vinaigrette dressing. This time it was I that prompted the exchange of forks.

Being a bit on the greedy side, I followed the waiter's suggestion and went for the grilled sea bass which was so large it hung over ends of the plate. Both dishes came with vegetables - baby new potatoes, carrots, broccoli and red cabbage which must have have been cooked in honey. Delicious.

Other mouth-watering fishy dishes we could have selected included pan-fried fillets of turbot served with a lobster and brandy sauce or a melange of monkfish, scallops and deep-fried oysters.

But the dish I will certainly go back for will be the Fishy Affair for Two which is described as "a sumptuous seafood platter for serious fish lovers" which will set me back £26.95 - or £34.95 if I opt for the half lobster as well.

Too full to tackle the "to finish" part of the menu we staggered back to our ship (the Gosport Ferry) like two sailors after a good night out.

With half a lager and a glass of wine our bill came to £40.80, pretty good for a quality "run ashore" in Old Pompey.

Tables can be reserved. Tel: 01705 870268.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.