TOOTS is always on a diet.

Whatever the latest fad is, she is on it. This time it's seafood - no, not the old see food and eat it diet, but literally catch of the day.

It's one of her attempts to shed the pounds - apart from the ones in my wallet.

I called on my people to help me out - The Fish People to be exact.

Enterprising fishmongers in Scotland Street have taken over a cafe next door and I was hearing good reports.

Just a stone's throw from the Subway, the place has easy access despite being a little off the city tracks.

Once Toots had added the finishing touches to her glad rags, we were off.

The Buick sped off in the direction of the new joint. It's on a busy main road but at night parking wasn't a problem,

Dressed to the nines as usual, The Moll's fur coat was just the ticket in this weather. There might have been a winter chill in the air but a glimmer of light and an open door provided a warm welcome.

Inside, it's a small establishment, with just a few tables and an impressive bar area - even Rockefeller himself would have felt at home perched on one of the high stools.

We were shown to our table near the door, but there was a little heater next to us to take the chills away.

Having a look through the menu there were a few tempting dishes even for this carnivore.

We ordered a couple of rose wines while the peepers set to scran scan.

The Moll was in her element. It is a fish lover's dream.

She had her eyes on the shrimp cocktail and Scrabster hake, while I opted for whole Tandoori baked sea bass with a curry oil and lemon kick, leaving room for pud of course.

It is a slick operation and our orders were soon taken.

A relaxed atmosphere had us looking forward to the scran and we sat back in our cosy corner.

The dry rose was going down a treat and we had only taken a few sips before the little lady's starter arrived.

The Moll's shrimp cocktail was presented in a glass dish and was full to the brim. Toots thought the cocktail sauce, with lime and baby capers, was tangy and delicious, but wasn't sure why everything was mixed in together. But she still polished the lot off without coming up for air. I chanced a little soda bread and butter while waiting for the mains.

My tummy was beginning to get restless and I hoped the mains would be here soon.

It wasn't long before a piping hot sea bass with Indian spice arrived.

Of course, Toots couldn't keep her eyes off it. Looked like I had got a real catch, but The Moll was coming down with one of the worst cases of food envy I had seen.

"Want to swap," Tec dear. Not a chance, I was sticking to what I had ordered.

Cooked on the bone, the sea bass was delicious, with chunky fries on the side rounding it off. While the fish was certainly well cooked, for the ole Tec the bones were a bit of a hazard. However I persevered.

Toots' dish looked pretty healthy, so it looked like she would getting diet Brownie points for her next weigh in.

The meaty hake looked tasty, but it was its accompanying king prawns which seemed to get the big thumbs up.

Served in a sesame and chilli oil broth with wilted greens, it certainly delivered on flavour.

My fish course had left me slightly peckish, so it would have been rude not to have tried a dessert.

We plumped for white chocolate ice cream to share and hoped it would be good. It hadn't travelled far, just along the road from Thorntonhall.

It was served with a warm passion fruit and orange sauce and rounded off the meal well.

Toots looked like she wanted to make tracks as her favourite soap was coming on TV.

So I got the bill. It came to just under £60. Pricey for a fish tea, but a good night out all the same.