SANTANDA is the city centre bar venue many party-goers choose as their starting pub on a night out.

Secret Service picked it for a midweek bite to get out of the rain. It has soft lighting and a cosy atmosphere, but unfortunately the only really warm place was right next to the fire.

We arrived for an early supper, as your spy had been told that the kitchen closed at 8pm. Our waiter corrected us on that detail later: as we ordered dessert he told us he would see what he could do, as the kitchen closed at 7pm!

The waiter, James, was super-attentive yet not stifling. He took our order confidently, checking everything twice, while smiling and making us feel relaxed.

Secret Service and companion tested his patience to the limit with our requests for some "plain food". We asked for some crusty bread and a plain salad to start, with dressing on the side, which James told us was no problem at all.

The salad and bread came in the way we asked and the platter of vegetarian starter titbits was pretty macho and large.

We tucked in to chunky onion rings, petite slivers of garlic bread, small seasoned fried potato wedges and nachos, served with salsa and sour cream dips and a salad garnish.

When we had polished off our first courses we took delivery of the sizzling vegetable fajitas on a smoking platter; the wraps and sour cream with salsa arrived separately.

The vegetable skewers were huge chunks of courgette, peppers and other veg in a ratatouille sauce on top of rice – a tasty dish, both satisfying and filling.

The large portion of fajitas was too much for us to finish but we ate as much as we could, wrapping it up in the tortillas.

The tortillas were not warm, which was a shame, but they were fresh and this was the only part of the main meal that really disappointed us, so it was no big deal.

We had a side order of chips to munch on along with all of this, as a friend had recommended them from a previous meal. They were a good extra accompaniment, yet in transpired that our eyes were indeed bigger than our stomachs.

Even though we had not finished our main meal we could not leave without sampling a dessert, so we picked something to share.

We chose the chocolate cake and two spoons. It was rich and a generous size, yet as cold and firm as a refrigerated shop-bought cake. Perhaps they had rustled it up from the fridge, since the kitchen had closed, and that muted the flavour.

Above all else, the waiter's attention to detail was what stood out on this visit. It is amazing what a difference to quite a straightforward menu some excellent presentation and friendly service can make.

Secret Service would recommend it as a spot to take a group of friends to eat, with lots of room, friendly presentation and much choice for all tastes. The grub does pretty much what it says on the tin and the bar's central position makes it an ideal place to meet friends.

SANTANDA

WHERE: Derby Market Place.

MEAL FOR TWO: Bread as a starter 95p, side salad as a starter £1.25, salsa dressing for the salad 25p, veggie platter starter selection £6.45, vegetable skewers with rice £6.95, vegetable fajitas £6.95, portion of chips on the side £1.75, chocolate gateau £3.95.

DRINKS: Diet Pepsi £ 1.50, sparkling water £1.80.

TOTAL: £31.80.

CALL: 01332 369977.