If seeking some ever-illusive sunshine and your bank balance won't quite stretch to the plane fare, you'd do well to bring Sergio's in Sandbed into your life.

This delightful little restaurant specialises in pasta dishes, and from Thursday to Saturday cooks up a shoal of fish dishes displayed on the ever-changing specials board. The à la carte menu, which is available all week, offers ample choice for even the pickiest of palates. Begin with traditional antipasti all Italiana and experience a mix of cured Italian meats, or seafood lovers, like myself, will not hesitate in choosing the gamberoni al veno and limone, which sees juicy king prawns simply cooked in white wine and lemon juice, allowing the natural flavour to speak for itself; while the Loch Fyne smoked salmon lets the superiority of Scottish produce shine through. If you are a fan of Italian breads, opt for something from the crostini section of the menu - ideal for a starter, or to accompany your meal.
When it comes to your main course, the menu will really leave you in a quandary. Whether you opt for pizza, pasta, fish or a 'secondi piatti' you're sure to experience delicious quality. Having decided to leave the speck and dolcelatte pizza for next time, I tucked into gnocchi ai frutti di mare which was absolutely overflowing with mixed seafood, olive oil and garlic. There are vegetarian choices too, with penne piccanti with its tomato, garlic and kick of fresh chilli.

Meat fans will relish the escalope of veal in a cherry brandy sauce and delight to find classic fillet of beef in a green peppercorn sauce - all main courses are served with fresh vegetables to complement. So, for some sunshine cheer, good food and wine from an extremely extensive list with many Italian varieties, book a table at Sergio's - it might just become your favourite slice of the Mediterranean.