Having spent most of the Christmas period with a paint brush in hand, it was a welcome surprise when my boyfriend suggested we take a break from decorating and head out for a late lunch.

With still a lot of painting to do in our new home, we didn’t want to stray far and headed to Newtownards to try a newly opened bar/restaurant on South Street.

Having been recommended by a friend, we were looking forward to trying Molly Brown’s Kitchen & Bar.

Arriving at around 3pm, we were seated by a friendly waitress and were immediately both struck by the great atmosphere in the venue as many people were enjoying a leisurely coffee, early dinner or, like us, a late lunch.

A drinks order was quickly taken and the attentive staff had to approach us three times before we were ready to order, as we were deep in conversation debating paint samples.

The lunchtime menu was full of choice, from light bites to full meals, all at great value.

Deciding straight away, my boyfriend went for the beef burger, which was served with chips.

Not sure what I was in the mood for, in the end I choose a roast beef open sandwich on ciabatta bread. It came on its own and I decided against a side as we also ordered a portion of garlic bread.

When the meal arrived we were instantly impressed by the portion size.

My boyfriend enjoyed the burger. Freshly made, it was bursting with flavour. However he was less satisfied with the chips as they were slightly overdone.

I had no complaints with my meal. The beef was perfectly cooked and was served with pepper sauce on the side, as I had requested. The portion was more than adequate, I had made the right decision not to choose a side order.

The garlic bread was slightly disappointing as we found it too greasy.

After the meal my boyfriend had tea and I, not being a tea or coffee drinker, was offered a hot water and lemon.

After deciding to split a dessert, we were told our first two choices were not available. However rather than having to choose from the limited selection left, our waitress told us all the deserts had been substituted and we were given a list of alternatives. This meant I could still have a chocolate fix and we selected a beautiful hazelnut chocolate cake.

We left Molly Brown’s satisfied, relaxed and ready to return and finish painting the rest of our new home.