SOME people may have bad memories of school dinners, but Brasserie@No.68 should wipe them all away.

The sophisticated eatery in Fareham’s historic High Street is based in part of a former school and was up until recently known as Edwinns.

It is hard to imagine now, given the stylish décor inside and the impressive façade that welcomes diners into the property.

My wife chose the daily special – French onion soup – for starters, which was satisfying, flavoursome and warming.

I chose the beetroot gravadlax (salmon) with watercress and wasabi mayo.

It struck the perfect balance between light and filling, and the fish was excellent. The beetroot part was a little hard to detect, but I’m sure it was in there somewhere.

There was no escaping the skate wing I ordered for main course though, which was both ample and delicious.

Curiously, it was also shaped exactly like the Isle of Wight, and I relished making my way from ‘Bembridge’ to ‘The Needles’.

My better half opted for a chicken breast with fresh vegetables, which hit the spot.

We also had a side order of vegetables, which were so fresh they tasted like they had come straight from the garden.

For dessert, my wife had fresh fruit with honey and Greek yoghurt, which looked superb and tasted as good.

I chose the amaretti fruit crumble, which was a leap of faith as crumble isn’t my favourite. However, I really enjoy amaretti biscuits, and recruiting them to this particular pud was a stroke of genius.

The cost of the meal, including two Cokes and two Corona lagers, came to around £60.

However, the venue also offers a deal of two lighter courses for £10 before 7pm every day except Sunday, when a roast dinner buffet takes centre stage.

The food at this venue is certainly worth seeking out, and the service is friendly and efficient. I predict we’ll return there before long…