IT'S back to Kempsey sampling what is on offer at another of the village's seemingly endless list of restaurants, which cover cuisines ranging from Indian to French and English to Nepalese.

The Jade Palace cannot be said to live up to its name, being a dining room seating about 30 people and housed in one of the village's many pubs.

However, while it may be low on ambience, its Cantonese and Thai cuisines, coupled with welcoming staff and very reasonable prices, more than compensate.

I had sampled its takeaway service and was anxious to see how the in-house menu compared.

There are some slight variations, but the quality and generous portions apply to both.

In common with similar establishments the menu is extensive, covering several soups and starters, a large number of seafood, beef, chicken and duck dishes, satays, sweet and sour, egg foo yung and vegetarian specialities, plus, of course, a range of rice dishes.

There is also a two-course pick-and-mix special at £5.99.

I took a £4.50 starter of six crispy won tons - savoury meat in crispy pastry with a sweet and sour dip. There was rather more pastry than filling, but it was quite tasty. My companion chose butterfly king prawns at the same price and I think she got the better deal, although it might have been enjoyed all the more had they come with a dip.

Our main courses were both accompanied by egg fried rice. Mine, at £7.50, was sizzling duck with vegetables in a spicy satay sauce and proved to be a very tasty and satisfying dish.

My companion opted for king prawn with pickled ginger and pineapple, having switched from her first choice of steamed scallops in a garlic and white wine sauce. It was, she said, £7.50 well spent. We also had two portions of egg fried rice.

When it came to the sweet course, we both went for the less-filling ice cream selection. My companion had coconut ice cream with a chocolate leaf at £3.50, while I settled for a very tasty honeypot at the same price.

Add to the bill a £10.50 bottle of house white - a medium dry Marechal vin de pays - and both of us voted our visit to the Jade Palace a satisfying value-for-money experience at a total cost of £45.20.

JADE PALACE, CROWN INN, MAIN ROAD, KEMPSEY

Tel: 01905 828382Service ****Food ***Value **** Ambience ***