WHEN launching St James restaurant in Bushey High Street, the original owner was determined to propel it to the top of the tree of local eateries, and there are many who will attest that mission was accomplished. I have not dined in all the local restaurants but having sampled the delights of their cuisine the other evening, rivals will have to pull out all the stops to top St James.

It is not flawless. It is not an ambient restaurant the lighting is not ideal, and the large mirror covering one wall only reduces the intimacy further. There is an element of the London restaurant style of the early 1990's and, in the toilets, this is reflected by a hot-air drier a concept rejected by many and replaced by paper towels.

The service at St James is near-impeccable, my only reservation being when a young waitress reached across from my right to take away my side plate on the left and dropped the knife, handle first into my lap. It did not quite bring a tear to my eye, but after profuse apologies I thought I detected a slight smile around her lips.

The restaurant looks out over a Bushey church, which is a pleasant experience, and to compensate for seeing your reflection on one wall, there is the warm contrast of an old exposed brick wall running the length of the restaurant.

But essentially St James is all about eating and, from the outset, it was impressive, for the bread was not only particularly tasty but, unusually for restaurants, they offered more when the first helping was devoured.

St James offers a £23 lunch and a £26.50 dinner, plus service charge, along with an extensive menu and a specials board. The dishes are prepared fresh and a run on demand at lunchtime can result in some items being unavailable for dinner in the evening.

I opted for a superb starter of grilled tiger prawns, with smoked chicken and bacon salad with honey mustard dressing. A starter of some substance, it really was tasty and thoughtfully created.

My colleague, who is hooked on guacamole and prides herself on her own concoction, raved about the grilled salmon on guacamole and pronounced it the best she had ever tasted. She was surprised and grateful to receive a list of ingredients from the chef.

The whole roasted sea bass was cooked to perfection, falling easily off the bone, enhanced by the roasted fennel. My colleague was again in raptures, this time over the chicken strips in a mustard and tarragon sauce, along with spinach and roast potatoes. This was all augmented by a particularly impressive Ctes du Rhone.

St James set out to become established as a top eatery and it fully deserves its position, providing inventive combinations and assuring a taste experience with every course. It may not be the place to take a partner for an intimate meal or to cement a business deal, but if you enjoy food, this should not be missed.

We did not stop for desserts as my colleague was in need of a nicotine intake and St James is a strictly no smoking restaurant. Our sumptuous repast, including 12.5 per cent service charge and wine, left us with change from £70 representing extremely good value for the quality on offer.

St James is situated in 30 Bushey High Street, opposite the church. For bookings (including a party menu for ten or more) telephone 020 8950 2480.

Rating: four stars.