The unstoppable restaurant-opening machine of Ian Whitehead descended again in Ryde after distributing its largesse in Bembridge, Newport and Southampton. Mr W's eatery occupies the former Post Office in Union Street; a vast building in a prominent position, with oversized doors and windows and a cathedral-like interior. Some may find it a little too cavernous for an intimate dining experience, but Smithfields gives plenty of choices of eating environment, with big tables, small tables, cosy booth-style seating, a galleried area and the delightful private Boardroom.

There seems to be a consistently high standard adopted by new eating places in Union Street, and Smithfield's is no exception, retaining (or rebuilding) period architectural features, using beautiful wood flooring and having a spectacularly long bar. In a display of openness and transparency of the sort council taxpayers demand of their councils, the kitchen extends into the restaurant - with burners and staff hotting up in front of the scenes.

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Matt and Cat did a bit of exploring - yes, it is that big - before arriving at the bar and perusing the menu. The friendly staff politely chatted to them, answering questions about the food and talking generally about this new place. After looking at the specials board, including the quaintly named 'soup calendar' (a soup for each day of the week), Matt and Cat gave their order and took their seats. Settling down with the Guardian and the Beano, which were amongst the many periodicals provided for customers, Matt and Cat were lulled by the penetrating hum of the extractor fans which put them in mind of being on the car ferry. As well as the Beano for juvenile patrons, Smithfield's Bar and Grill also has an excellent menu for children which includes smaller portions of grown-up's food, such as steak. Sensibly, children are corralled to the rear of the premises away from the bar area, and have to be out of the place by 8pm - thus Smithfield's gets a tick in both 'family friendly' and 'kid-free'.

The children's menu, mouthwatering and remarkably cheap (£5 a head, including pudding), is restricted to the under twelves. For those over-twelves with a smaller appetite there is the opportunity to have a small meal. Mr Whitehead has coined a word for this smaller portion which Matt and Cat's Eating Out Guide dare not use for fear of litigation; the menu clearly states "********* (c) Ian Whitehead" Quite tricky, that, copyrighting a single word. Might make it hard to describe it in, say, a review. What if you said it by accident in the street? Would Mr Whitehead send a bill? It's all a bit alarming. Luckily it turns out that it's not copyrighted, but trademarked . Anyway, the word and its legal status - important though this no doubt is - does not adversely affect the eating experience in any way. If it helps, the smaller portion is the 'size' of a 'deli' portion that one might order in other establishments.

Cat's smaller portion of roast vegetables and goat's cheese lasagne was nicely presented in a square black ceramic bowl and accompanied by a commendably onion-less crunchy salad with two big hunks of bread and butter. The lasagne was tasty, if a bit stodgy and slightly dry, yet redeemed by the generous slab of tangy goat's cheese melting slowly on the top. Matt's Malaysian noodles with belly pork was tangy, with very tender meat and, contrastingly, stir-fried vegetables that were on the raw side of al dente. A bowl of fresh prawn crackers rounded off this dish.

There were many other things on the menu that Matt and Cat fancied, with a good selection of pasta, meat and vegetarian options. They were pleased to note that Smithfield's Bar and Grill sources its meat and poultry where possible from local farms and businesses - such as Hamilton's Fine Foods - although no mention was made of the provenance of the salad or vegetables.

Once they had eaten, your reviewers spent some time looking around and chatting, unable to return to the Guardian and Beano as their table was, by now, covered in empty plates. For some time. Matt and Cat eventually decided to forgo coffee as the friendly staff were obviously occupied elsewhere, so they left their uncleared table and hence the premises.

So, what to make of this behemoth of Union Street's restaurant scene? It ticks all of the right boxes for Matt and Cat: friendly staff, reasonable food, fair prices, great surroundings - in all senses of the word. Also, good menu choices and the opportunity for portion control, offering good value and locally sourced ingredients where possible. On the opposite side of the street Wetherspoon's has proved that, with good quality and attention to detail, a large place can thrive in this busy little town. Unless there proves to be a finite limit on Union Street's capacity to support large, upmarket restaurants, there is no reason why Smithfield's Bar and Grill will not succeed, particularly with its Whitehead pedigree.

Visit the website: http://www.smithfieldsofryde.co.uk/