I don't know about you, but I can't keep up with what's good and what's bad for us these days.

For example, as I write this review one of the national papers advises me to go to work on two eggs, eat vegetable broth for lunch but also, in another section, to live on nothing but maple syrup for a week! And as for fruit - well, apparently pomegranates and blueberries will have us all living forever whilst bananas and pineapples are the devil incarnate. See what I mean?

But there's always one food stuff that gets a glowing report, and that's fish.

Jam packed with Omega whatsits and other nutrients that make us healthier, more intelligent and more attractive to the opposite sex (OK, I made that bit up), it seems that our slippery friends from the sea consistently come out on top as a Good Thing To Eat. So, with freshly polished halos, we made our way to Monkfish in the centre of Ilkley for a dose of the underwater wonder food.

As the name suggests, you'll only find fish dishes on the blackboard menus which, rather than printed ones, can be updated to reflect the fresh catches delivered daily by the restaurant's suppliers. First up we shared a mini-loaf of thyme and lemon bread before choosing to share a starter of king scallops with a caramel chilli and crème fraiche sauce. The scallops were less than sizzling hot, but what they lacked in temperature the sauce certainly made up for with its own heat - and I felt, despite the cooling crème fraiche, it was overpowering for the delicate flavour of the succulent fresh scallops.

For mains Himself was not to be talked out of the Irish haddock with hand-cut chips and home-made mushy peas, and everything from the light batter to the large portion size scored top marks.

I chose halibut served with a very rich wild mushroom and peppercorn sauce, which was absolutely lovely but again a lot of competing flavours that I felt overwhelmed the fish. Not to mention another huge portion that overwhelmed me!

From a small range of desserts we decided we could just about manage a kirsch crème brulée between us. Nicely presented, it was a perfect combination of crispy top, creamy custard and incredibly boozy cherries nestling beneath. Divine!

With only eight tables set in a narrow room adjoining the large fish shop, Monkfish certainly isn't for claustrophobics or diners on a budget. Because, as the saying sort of goes, it's all got to do with the price of fish.

Starters are all around the £6-£7 mark, but mains vary from £10.95 to the market price for fresh lobster (no, you don't get the fishing boat thrown in) and a tempting fruits de mer' platter to share at £50. Including that dessert at £4.75, the bread and a side order of crisp green vegetables, our bill for two without wine came to £44.

So perhaps not the most cost-effective way to get those essential fish nutrients down us. But with great food and superb service, definitely the most enjoyable one!

Eilis Bottomley