This champagne and oyster bar – sister restaurant of Due South – puts simplicity and quality of food above all else, sourcing its ingredients locally and serving up fish freshly caught off the shores of Portslade.

Aiming for the style of a New York oyster bar, the restaurant is given a classy edge with its high marble counters, low-backed stools and chandelier lighting.

The staff are friendly and knowledgable about the food they offer, sometimes going to great lengths to offer advice to the novice seafood diner. With its picture windows and open kitchens, diners are able to watch their food being prepared.

The menu consists of a selection of starters, light bites, main courses and platters, and, albeit limited, the choice of desserts have been specially selected to cleanse the palate after a night on the fish.

Starters range from New England clam chowder (£5.50) to hand-carved smoked salmon (£8.95) and a range of salads are also available.

Main courses include a selection of classic seafood dishes, including catch of the day at market price; crab, chilli and rocket linguini (£9.95); and whole grilled lobster with garlic and herb butter (£29.50). There’s a choice of crab or lobster fruits de mer platters to share, which start from £19.95, and caviar is also on the menu at £45 a go.

An extensive selection of wines and champagne – ordered by the glass or the bottle – are on offer, which could be result in a hefty bill. But leave the champagne alone and you could eat well for around £15.

Rock oysters start from £1.90 each, or £10 for six, and seasonal native oysters from £2.30 each, or £12 for six. There’s a range of hot and cold sauces to enchance their salty flavour, including pickled cucumber and smoked bacon; fresh horseradish and vodka; kilpatrick (barbecue sauce and bacon lardons); stour beer batter; and oysters rockefeller (spinach and pernod).

The restaurant features a wet fish display from which you can buy either prepared or whole seafood to take home.

■ Open from Sunday to Thursday, noon until midnight and Fridays and Saturdays, noon until 1.30am, the restaurant has special two-course lunchtime and pre-theatre offers for just £9.95, suiting all pockets and occasions.

■ Riddle & Finns has now launched a take-away service and opened a second branch in Church Road, Hove.