EVERYONE who is anyone dines in Instow on a Friday night, or so it seemed as we drove in along the front. The Bar was buzzing. The Commodore (bursting with light like a film set) was full of people. It was hard to tell how full the Instow Arms was because the tables are well above road level but the Boathouse had lots of diners and the Wayfarer Inn, when we finally got there, had lots of marine types at the bar and lots of land-lubbers contentedly noshing at the tables.

The Wayfarer is just behind the front; I suppose less likely to get passing trade. That may mean they have to try hard, which they certainly do. It's a proper pub with the bar given its proper priority (Sharp's Doombar – hooray). There are a few guest rooms and a serious emphasis on gastronomic matters.

There's an extensive menu – pork fillet, plenty of steaks – supplemented by specials boards that feature a lot of fish. We could have had whole plaice or bream or a seafood chowder.

But we began with mussels in tempura batter served with a pungent mayonnaise. The plump mussels took well to being battered and the mayonnaise did not come out of the Hellmann's bottle.

I had fillets of brill, a real test of a busy restaurant kitchen because they need to be cooked not too long and not too quick – they were perfect. If I am to be critical, I would say that I didn't find the rather Mediterranean salsa (capers, olives, et cetera) went very well with such a delicate cold water fish. My wife had chicken and leek pie (I must be careful – I once got turned down for a reviewing job because I wrote leaks not leeks). Chicken very tender, altogether delicious.

The other side of the table ordered liver and bacon; a generous and again perfectly timed dish (not hard and over-done, not bloody either) which was consumed with evident pleasure. And stir-fried duck with noodles which seemed to go down well too.

The accompanying salad was nice: some radicchio mixing red into the greenness and a dollop of coleslaw at the end of the dish. Chips were good, my new potatoes nicely buttery, only the carrots and peas felt perhaps a little standard.

Just to make clear that there is a proper pudding menu we ordered a crème brûlée and a cheesecake with four spoons. Too well fed to order more.

The bill for four people, which included a nice bottle of Chilean sauvignon, came to £78.80. My tip was uncharacteristically generous.

Where: The Wayfarer Inn, Lane End, Instow, EX39 4LB. Bookings: 01271 860342. Website: www.thewayfarerinn.co.uk