Anastasia's, 13A High Ousegate, York

FOOD lovers should note that there's something fishy going on in a little snickelway off High Ousegate, York.

A new restaurant, Anastasia's, specialising in seafood and continental cuisine, has opened up in the spot previously occupied by Partners.

Now Partners was a popular haunt of mine. The welcome was always warm, the food plentiful and earthy and there was a no-fuss flavour to the place.

Anastasia's is a different kettle of fish. From the shiny silver plaque at the entrance to the bleached-wood tables inside, the look is contemporary. However, with just enough space to sit 40 diners, it still retains the intimacy of Partners.

One thing which unfortunately hasn't changed is the upstairs loos, rendering the restaurant a no-go for anyone with mobility problems.

Live jazz is the order of the day on Saturday nights which - according to our waiter - is proving popular. We turned up on a Sunday evening and had the place to ourselves bar two other tables.

The service was swift, friendly and helpful. We began with two gin and tonics and ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio (£14.20).

Mussels, Thai salmon fishcakes, and garlic and coriander king prawns all featured on the starters menu, with garlic mushrooms being the only fish-free option.

I plumped for seafood chowder with potato and basil (£5.40). It arrived piping hot and was devilishly creamy, with a satisfying saltiness infusion courtesy of the flakes of white fish bobbing in the broth.

My husband, Nick, was equally impressed with the breaded butterfly sardines from the specials' menu, which, together with a main course choice of red mullet and salad, came to £16.75.

The sardines were soft and so full of the flavour of the sea you'd have thought they'd just been caught.

Waiting for our main courses, we tackled the wine and found it surprisingly fruity. Turns out it was a Pinot Grigio Chardonnay (a first for me), which explains why it was not as crisp and fresh as I had expected.

Besides the fish dishes on offer (including a whole lobster special for £20), there was a choice of pork, duck, beef and a couple of veggie options.

For the main act, I tucked into Seared teriyaki tuna on a bed of Thai noodles (£12.95). The waiter forewarned me the tuna came almost pink, so I asked for it to be medium. This meant it was still red in the middle, but I like it that way. If you don't, be sure to speak out.

The meatiness of the tuna sat well with the robustness of the salty-sweet teriyaki sauce. I particularly liked the noodles, which were whisker thin and soaked in the dark, treacly teriyaki coating.

Nick's red mullet was served in its entirety next to a bed of salad. It looked appetising enough, but when he cut it open it was still red raw. An apology from the waiter and a five minute re-acquaintance with the chef allowed it to return to the table with its glossy-white flesh falling off the bone.

Nick enjoyed the fish, which was meaty and cooked au natural. However, I had a sneaky taste and found it rather bland.

Served with just a salad, it was undoubtedly a healthy option, although we both agreed the salad was ruined by too much lemon juice.

A small side portion of vegetables, featuring broccoli, onions and peppers (£3.75) struck another disappointing note. The broccoli pieces were burned - perhaps by being kept under a hot grill? - and although we pointed this out to the waiter, we were still charged for them.

Of the five sweets on the menu, two were "off", so from the limited range we settled on a trio of creme brule (£5) and two spoons.

When the three tiny pots arrived we decided to play a game: guess the flavour. So you can imagine our disappointment when they all tasted the same! Just as well the brule custard was among the very best we'd had: light and creamy and suitably chilled, but it would have been nicer (and more fun) had the chef taken the trouble to melt the white and dark chocolate chips we found at the bottom of two of the pots into the custard before setting it to chill.

With a caffe latte (£2.50) to finish - served with a small glass of mini white chocolate buttons - our bill came to £67.55.

Anastasia's came close to pulling off a satisfying dining experience, but was let down by sloppiness in the kitchen. Undercooked fish, burned veggies and unfinished brules are not what you expect when you come to settle a bill for two that's almost 70 quid.

Let's hope that these are just teething problems and Anastasia's can turn itself into a bit of a catch on the York cuisine scene.

Anastasia's, 13A High Ousegate, York. Tel: 01904 627929

Maxine visited on Sunday, October 3, 2004

Food: hit and miss

Service: attentive

Value: bit pricey

Ambience: intimate

Disabled access: No

Restaurant reviewers aim to be fair and accurate. Any comments on this review should be addressed to Chris Titley, Features Content Editor, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN or email

features@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 16:02 Friday, October 29, 2004