The Paradise

This pub was refurbished a year ago or so, and as far as I could tell - as a occasional visitor - it involved sprucing up what was there, making it a bit more flash, emphasising the restaurant, adding a dance venue on the 1st floor on Sat nights, and -- and here I will disagree with guys at Beer in the Evening - improving it.

As a pub I think it is a perfectly pleasant place to drink wine or lager, perhaps not bitter, in generally attractive surroundings. As a club, a place to dance, I've only been once (it was my birthday, so I wasn't too old for one day) it was great fun.

But most of all I like it as a restaurant. I've been twice, for the second time tonight, and both times the food has been brilliant. Tonight we had (main courses only) skate wing, lamb with clams, and cod. We all agreed it was lovely - my girlfriend's skate was 'pillowly', tasting of garlic and adorned with Morecambe Bay shrimps, and with the most fantastic mashed potato. My lamb was, unusually, served with clams, but I imagine much like Guinness and Oysters, it worked beautifully, with the sweet lamb (and a kind of potato Dauphinois).

I would also like to commend the staff. The - I am not sure what to term to use, but I'll use this one - Maitre 'd, both found us a table early (as he knew we were waiting) and gave us a running commentary on the source of the food, the chef and the ideas. He really made the evening. The waiter too was as good as you could imagine, and also a great laugh.

So I can't really recommend it highly enough for food. Prices are moderately expensive, say £12-£15 for a main course and £4-£7 for starters/deserts. An interesting and varied wine list starts from about £13.