Restaurants open and close with more regularity than Primark's tills, but bustling away in the background are Oxford's stalwarts, which work hard to stay on top – they’re the Madonnas of the hospitality industry.

And The Cherwell Boathouse is definitely one of the pack, although it did go through a spell when the quality slipped. But, hidden away in the backwaters of North Oxford, this contemporary and elegant restaurant is now serving fantastic food.

SO WHAT'S THE CATCH? It'll cost you, mind. This is definitely an ‘occasion’ place, but it’s worth the money because what you get are fresh, seasonal, innovative dishes.

And it’s welcoming to boot, the whitewashed rooms dotted with murals and the staff friendly and accommodating without being obtrusive.

WHAT DID YOU HAVE? There were four of us so we managed to get through a hefty chunk of the menu. First up was a complementary shot glass of tomato soup with a basil oil puree, which woke up our tastebuds on a wet Tuesday night.

The starters were delicious, the Cornish squid with mango, cucumber, lime and salsa was much appreciated, as was the marinated line-caught mackerel, carrot and ginger broth with a tempura of crayfish. If I had to make a criticism, I'd say the chorizo and tomato tart, red pepper salsa and Greek basil was a bit clumpy, the vegetable ravioli too subtly seasoned and the parmesan crisp rather overpowering. But these were minor details.

It is hard to remember the mains, as they were eaten so fast, leaving us with glazed smiles. But I can recall the oven-roasted rump of Hereford beef which perfectly matched the shallot tart tatin, Hook Norton battered marrow and gremolata – with not a potato in sight.

Similarly, the baked saffron risotto cake, aubergine cannelloni, roasted summer squash, tomato and basil sauce with Greek cress and red stem radish salad was beautifully compiled.

We also sampled the canon of lamb, minted pea mousse, grilled fennel and smoked potato puree with a sauce Vierge, and the crisp belly of pork, white bean puree and apple croquette potatoes.

But the puddings really took the biscuit (no pun intended) – silly, fun and utterly delicious. The New York cheesecake, popping candy and strawberry milkshake sounded like Barbie’s tea-party fodder, but was superb. The chocolate sorbet fondant’s twist was that it was cold and oozing in the middle with honeycomb and strawberry dotted about its rim, but the piece de resistance was the pineapple tart, coconut pastry and pineapple relish, made like a French apple pie and quite, quite stunning.

SO HOW WAS IT? Short of licking our plates, we couldn’t have been more blatant in our appreciation. PRICE: approximately £40 a head.

Contact Details: Cherwell Boathouse, Bardwell Road, Oxford Tel. 01865 552746