Dining Out: Seafront restaurant is The Venue to visit for special occasions - and great value children's meals

Do three-year-olds really eat the same amount as a nine-year-old?

One size fits all children’s meals when eating out; it’s a real bugbear.

It must lead to so much excessive waste when there are tiny tots trying to polish off a huge plateful of food that would fill a much older child.

So, I must applaud The Venue Beachfront Bar and Grill for their savvy menu and giving families the choice between a Little Kids or Bigger Kids option.

I wish more eateries would do the same.

It was a pleasant surprise to see the choice on the menu as we settled down for a Sunday lunch date overlooking the Irish Sea.

The Venue is an independently-run bar, restaurant and function suite on North Promenade in Cleveleys just a stone’s throw away from Mary’s Shell.

It’s witnessed many a historic moment: the ever-popular Cleveleys car show, an inter-galactic transformation of the prom and invasion of sandtroopers for the filming of Disney series Star Wars: Andor, and... the hubby and I having our wedding celebration there 11 years ago (gulp).

So as Lionel Richie played our wedding song – All Night Long – at Lytham Festival (yes, we couldn’t resist a dance on the Green) on Saturday, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit a venue that brings back such happy memories.

It’s got a fresh, clean look inside with huge windows and beautiful views making the perfect backdrop for a special meal.

So back to the excellent value children’s menu.

The Little Kids menu costs £5.95 and offers a choice of chicken strips, fish goujons or sausages served with chips and green peas or beans while the Bigger Kids selection (£6.95) gives some more grown-up options like Mac & Cheese or a cheese burger.

Both come with a vanilla ice cream pot for dessert.

Our youngest who joined us for the dinner date chose the chicken strips, chips and peas which was a great sized portion for a three-year-old and quickly devoured.

The little and large options are mirrored in the main menu so adults who have a smaller appetite can still enjoy popular classic dishes like cheese and onion pie, gammon steak and lasagne.

I decided to go for the seabass fillets with herb roasted potatoes, stir fried vegetables, with a black garlic and shallot coulis.

At £19.95 it’s one of the more expensive dishes, but when you consider there are two perfectly cooked fillets and a mountain of delicious potatoes and vegetables then it’s worth splashing out as a treat. And what a treat it was.

The hubby equally enjoyed his minted lamb cutlets main course. Three fairly chunky and tasty cutlets were served with a mint and cumin sauce, crushed potatoes and spring greens.

Our meal, which cost £60.30 with drinks, was really enjoyable with flavoursome food, friendly staff and a lovely, relaxed atmosphere. It’s clear The Venue is real hub of the community where people can gather for special family events, pop by while on the promenade or make a date at some of their events – like this weekend at the Cleveleys Annual Beer Festival with cask ales, ciders, perry, world beers and live music.

Sounds like a return visit might be soon!