CLAIMING the unique selling point of being the only large building at Lulworth Cove to overlook the beach, Bishops Bistro looks set for a busy summer.

The building was originally constructed by the son of Wordsworth, the then Bishop of Salisbury, but the restaurant is a new addition for this year.

The café that used to occupy the bottom floor has been upgraded into a light and airy dining room, which can seat 30.

A large open terrace and courtyard lead to a cosy bar, with welcoming sofas, while the bistro itself boasts furniture all revived and restored - no two tables are the same.

While the rustic French feel of Bishops' décor creates a relaxing ambience, the menu sells itself on a similar principle - straightforward but with eye-catching attention to detail.

Located just yards from where fresh seafood is dragged up the beach every day, it's hardly surprising fresh fish and shellfish dominate.

Starters include a bouillabaisse, with cod, bass and mussels, as well as salmon fishcakes and deep-fried whitebait.

The mains menu is just as likely to set a seafood lover's pulse racing, with mussels done three ways, smoked mackerel risotto and seafood gratin with scallops and prawns.

I have to confess, I'm a bit of a non-believer when it comes to seafood, but with my friend the complete opposite, it gave us a chance to test the menu from both angles.

I opted for the grilled mushrooms with an olive tapenade and Parmesan for starters, while my friend went for the fishcakes with a sweet chilli sauce.

Two huge flat mushrooms arrived, layered thick with the green olive topping, and were a small meal in themselves.

I had been a bit concerned about the presence of Parmesan, which can just about wipe out any other flavour, but it was sparingly used in a deliciously tangy tapenade.

The fishcakes were no smaller than the mushrooms and were perfectly moist, and just as good without the tangy chilli sauce as with it.

My main of creamy oven-baked chicken with garlic potatoes had a real French feel - the potato and chicken layered in a thick-bottomed dish and covered in a sauce unlikely to feature on too many Weightwatchers' programmes.

If you don't like your garlic, steer clear. I loved it, however, delving for the generous chunks of meat and potato in a sauce bursting with flavour.

My friend went for the scallops and chorizo linguini with garlic and chilli, and was presented with a colourful bowl of pasta with two huge scallops on top.

The seafood was firm and juicy, while the chorizo came in bite-sized chunks and the whole thing was drenched in tounge-tingling flavours.

Believe me, two courses will be enough to satisfy you for hours (possibly days), but a dessert and cheese menu is available.

A better bet might be to order up a Cosmopolitan or Long Island Iced Tea from the classic cocktail menu and utilise those bar sofas for what they were made for!

Our bill, including a glass of wine and a couple of soft drinks, came to £38.

10:38am Monday 12th May 2008

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