One of the scruffiest pubs in Wallingford has been transformed at a stroke into the smartest - and certainly the best - restaurant in town. Those who knew the Royal Standard (latterly just the Royal), in St Mary's Street, will be amazed by the transformation achieved under new owner and chef José Cau. Now renamed the Partridge, the place has been revamped outside and in, creating a delightful ambiance for discerning diners. Not quite three months old, it has already built up a flourishing trade. Every table was full when we visited on a Wednesday evening. This happy situation for José and his team looks set to continue; this article will no doubt play a part in further boosting business.

José, who was born in Perpignan, comes to Wallingford after a successful period as head chef at Forbury's in Reading. During his time there, the restaurant was judged one of the best French establishments in London and the South East by The Times. It also gained two AA Rosettes and recommendation in Harden's Restaurant Guide. Earlier in his career, he worked with some of Britain's leading chefs, including the Roux brothers and Raymond Blanc. After working at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, he moved to take charge of the kitchen when Raymond opened the first Petit Blanc in Walton Street, Oxford. He also spent a period working for the Aga Khan who, as can be imagined, never allowed anything to be less than perfect.

Our visit began a little inauspiciously when I couldn't find my way to the public car park which I'd been told was "round the back". I asked for directions from a husband and wife who were making their way into a restaurant, thereby provoking disagreement between them over which road I should take. We laughed about this with them later on at the end of what was for them, as for us, an excellent meal. I never did find the car park, incidentally, so I squeezed in on the street.

Rosemarie and her mum were comfortably ensconced in the bar by the time I arrived, though they had resisted the temptation to have one of the range of cocktails offered by manager Thomas Palauqui. This young Frenchman went on to give an admirable demonstration of Gallic unflappability, waiting single handed on the steadily-filling restaurant until José's partner Jane arrived to ease the strain.

Our table was at the far end of the building, and far from being the best. Besides the visual delight of what was on her plate, Rosemarie had nothing to look at save Olive, me and a wall. From a tiny speaker in the corner above us came a slightly irritating clatter of piped music. We at first assumed its source to be the Coachmaker's Arms pub opposite, where a live band was performing. The matter was settled when the percussion continued after the pub drummer could be seen to lay aside his sticks.

A choice of two menus is available except on weekend evenings when the cheaper Market Menu is suspended. This offers a choice of four or five main courses and starters, and a couple of puds. Two courses cost £12.95, three £15.95. Dishes on the night we visited included starters of white bean hummus with wood pigeon and rillette of mackerel, and clam and mussel tagliatelle and confit duck leg among the mains. Puddings were chocolate brownie and strawberries with Chantilly cream.

We went for the carte, which featured eight starters, including fresh oysters and pan-fried scallops, ten mains (half a lobster, grilled sea bass and mushroom risotto, for instance), and six puddings, including mango panna cotta, rum baba and vanilla crème brûlée.

I started with Devon monkfish "à la plancha", three juicy pieces of griddle-cooked fish, prettily presented with red pepper coulis and a garnish of courgette 'shavings' and samphire. Olive ate steamed asparagus with delicious hollandaise sauce, while Rosemarie had crab and tomato tian, with white crabmeat and mayonnaise sandwiched between the slices of tomato rather in the fashion of a burger. We all had warm home-made rolls with first-classic Normandy butter, the same, I fancy, as went into the hollandaise.

I stayed with fish for my main course, so tempting were the trio on offer. My choice was the aptly named "pavé" (slab) of halibut, cooked to a pearly shiny white and flaking appealingly beneath the skin. (I was not surprised to discover later that the supplier is the excellent Hayman's, of Oxford's Covered Market, whom I have to thank for so much of the best fish I eat in local restaurants.) It came with casseroled artichoke hearts and puréed aubergines (styled 'caviar') with virgin olive oil. I also ordered new potatoes, green beans and buttery, lightly cooked spinach (£2.50 each) to share with my companions.

Rosemarie remained with the sea, too, and enjoyed a poached Dover sole fillet with saffron potatoes and courgettes. There was so much rich, herby juice that the dish was served in a bowl, with a spoon. For Olive there was a tender rump of English lamb, with fondant potatoes and a sweet thyme jus.

She finished her meal with an impeccably made apricot tart (no soggy pastry here) with an intriguing basil sorbet (much nicer than it sounded), while her daughter had chocolate fondant with chocolate ice cream.

Don't get killed in the rush . . .