Fast forward to the present day and it’s now a smart stylish South London gastropub with a reputation that’s very much on the up. The child-friendly bar boasts a menu that would have most people salivating and looked pleasingly busy, when we arrived. But we were there to sample the main attraction and first impressions didn’t disappoint.

The dining area is super-sleek with lovely large dark tables, dark brown leather banquettes and sturdy, yet comfortable dining chairs to accompany.

The menu itself is no less impressive, proudly proclaiming that the meat is hung in its own cool room for up to five weeks, while the fish comes fresh and line-caught from Cornwall every day. If that wasn’t enough, the bread is made in-house, they smoke their own fish and churn their own butter.

So does the food live up to the hype? Well, pretty much, yes. I had the foie gras mousse, served with a pomegranate jelly and pan brioche for starters, while my girlfriend had the previously mentioned home smoked and cured fish.

The fish - swordfish and two different treatments of salmon - were all subtly different and tasted divine, while the foie gras mousse was reassuringly rich and velvety - in fact, there was so much, I couldn’t eat it all.

Could it get any better? Well, yes it could. On being told the head chef is South African, I plumped for the Ostrich fillet, complete with sweet potato puree and beef bobotie - a sort of spiced mince and one of South Africa’s national dishes. The ostrich practically melted in the mouth and was both rich, yet lean - possibly some of the most delightful meat I’ve ever eaten.

My girfriend opted for the Gloucester Old Spot pork belly and loin which came with remoulade and pea puree. The only slight negative with this was the remoulade, which she didn’t think quite passed muster.

Amazingly, we just about had room to squeeze in some pudding - pineapple and coconut cake, with a rhubarb chiboust (a flavoured cream) and cardomom yoghurt sorbet for me and Opera cake with kirsch cream for her. Neither quite managed to reach the heights of the main courses, but were pretty darned tasty and a fitting way to round off a quite superb meal.

We drank a wonderfully smooth and fruity Viognier with the meal - chosen from a massive wine list that apparently takes up the entire cellar of the Rosendale.

At around £35 a head plus wine, The Rosendale’s dining experience doesn’t come cheap, but it’s well worth making the journey to West Dulwich and splashing out - I’m going back very soon and I suggest you do!