Fusion

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

Unassumingly situated above a pub near the train station in small, coastal Gourock, Fusion was opened in 2008 by Mary Robb and Evelyn Docherty. Bringing years of experience at Loch Fyne's Inver Cottage to this modern Scottish restaurant, they aim at a level of fine dining rarely seen in the area – and the appreciative welcome that it has received is evidenced by a full house most weekends. A staircase leads up from a side street to a well-lit, double-roomed venue where wooden floors, pale walls and crisp table linen create a contemporary feel, blending elegance and comfort. The compact menu celebrates Scottish produce and simple, regional cuisine in much of its glory. A handful of appetisers include a salad of tender strips of pigeon with earthy beetroot and black pudding, and a deliciously rich goat's cheese is softened by caramelised pears. Mains include a succulent chicken breast, encrusted with almonds and honey with a ratatouille sauce, and the seabass fillets layered with spicy chorizo on garlic mash are a delight. Desserts lack a distinct regional flavour, but the lemon and lime topping on a ginger biscuit base is refreshingly tart and creamy. Top-quality cuisine, pleasantly relaxed surroundings and friendly, attentive staff are good cause to head to Gourock more often.

• High point: Simple, accomplished Scottish cuisine
• Low point: Desserts could be more inspiring