FOR me, there's so much more to a good meal out than the quality of the food.

The ambience has to be right, the welcome friendly and the menu inviting.
I can usually tell whether it's going to be my kind of place as soon as I walk through the door.
I knew straight away that I was going to like The Sportsman. The atmosphere was relaxed, yet alive; youthful, yet mellow; laid back, yet attentive.

Some of my favourite restaurants are on the dramatically rugged Cornish coast, one in particular is perched on stilts above Watergate Bay, surfers' paradise. It is buzzing with young families and gastronomes alike and boasts one of the best seafood menus on the planet.

It was taken over by Jamie Oliver a couple of years ago and is well worth a visit if you're in that part of the world and can crack the waiting list for tables. The Sportsman has the potential to be just as good.

Once you have negotiated the building and worked out which door to use (the far one at the front, facing the sea), you enter a gastro-delight.

A large, high-ceilinged room with gorgeous, old, wooden floorboards could be imposing but for the sympathetic décor and the many points of interest – a carpeted, cosy lounge area to peruse the menu, complete with settees and huge wooden trunks; tables tucked into bay windows affording the most splendid views of the Embleton dunes and the sea; a real fire set in a whitewashed brick surround; a contemporary bar that fits in well; white panelling all round.

The attention to detail in a restaurant that verges on the minimalist is cleverly contradictory. I liked the tea lights on the tables, the low, modern candelabras that brought the ceilings comfortably lower; the exquisite star-shaped wall light.

The menu is equally impressive. It pledges a commitment to local produce, where possible. "The seafood we offer is supplied by the local trawlers and day boats, not fish merchants," it boasts.
Meat is supplied by farmers Donald Macpherson and organic champion Steve Ramshaw, from Monkridge, a regular at the Alnwick Food Festival.

There was also an apology that some ingredients depend on weather conditions and may not always be available.

There were just five starters, five main courses and half a dozen desserts on this the spring menu – a sure sign that the food is freshly-prepared. Impressively, the choices change with the seasons and depend upon the local produce on offer at the time.

So, the starters were home-made soup (tomato) with farmhouse bread (£3.95); wild mushroom risotto with Cuddy's Cave cheese (£4.95); flash-fried langoustines (£6.95, not available on our visit); Craster smoked salmon on blinis and lemon and dill crème fraiche with mixed leaves (£5.95); garlic mushrooms (£6.95).

You will not get instant service (friendly, attentive and cheery, yes) at The Sportsman – it is not a fast-food joint, so be prepared for a leisurely meal. The wait for our starters (risotto and garlic mushrooms) was tempered with generous helpings of bread and butter.

My risotto was delightful – fresh and not too creamy – and my wife's mushrooms were set on bread and were infused with just the right balance of garlic. We took great pleasure in devouring both!

The main courses were loin of pork with swede puree, green beans, caramelised apples and cider jus (£14.95); Amble day boat caught halibut or turbot (£13.95 or £15.95); the aforementioned rump steak (£15.95); free-range Northumberland chicken breast, sautéed potatoes, shallot and Bywell smoked bacon and thyme jus (£13.95); tagliatelle with wild mushroom sauce (£9.95).

My turbot was so fresh, you could taste the sea. The thick, white fish was succulent and well-presented on a bed of crushed new potatoes and a dozen green beans. That was it on the "seasonal veg" front – enough for me, but some may expect a side dish with more vegetables.

My first choice dessert – simply the best sticky toffee pudding from Alnwick's Proof of the Pudding - was sold out and I had to resort to the chocolate pudding (£4.25), matching my wife's choice. They were predictably delicious if not hot enough. Mine was swimming in single cream – my wife opted for ice cream (a better option, with hindsight).

Other desserts included tart tatin (apple) with Doddington's ice cream (£4.95), crème brulee with cointreau (£3.95); and Doddington's cheese board (£5.95).

It was a bit disappointing that our first-choice wine too was unavailable – a Spanish Rioja - and we were offered an alternative – a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon at the same price, £18.95 for a bottle. The wines list is extensive, graced by 56 wines ranging in price from £13.95 to £49.95 for rosé Champagne.

Our bill was £73.65 for a three-course meal with wine – not the cheapest night we've ever had but about average for this quality venue.

Some atmospheric Norah Jones and jazz tracks were playing through the evening but failed to completely drown out a clamour of music and loud voices from the kitchen. It spoiled the ambience a touch but fortunately not entirely.

Children are welcomed – they can have half-portions from the main menu or an ad hoc choice of frozen foods (turkey dinosaurs and the like, for £4.95).

Improvements are being made to The Sportsman by the new French manager. The relaxed mood and thoughtful interior will help this restaurant succeed.
The considerable efforts made to embrace local produce are laudable.

Despite a few early-season failings, we will return, particularly in the summer when I expect it to be jumping. After all, it's my kinda place.

STAR RATINGS (out of five)
Quality of food * * * * *
Choice * * *
Vegetarian choice * * *
Atmosphere * * * * *
Children catred for * * * *
Disabled access * * *
(ramp and small steps)
Disabled toilet YES
Overall experiance * * * *

VERDICT: Exquiste local food, spendid venue.

Contact details: Sportsman Inn, Embelton, Northumberland, NE66 3XF