IT’S not easy trying to please a group of women who have had a hard day at work.

Especially when two of them have got specific dietary requirements that mean we’re going to be asking lots of questions about the food at L ‘n’ Os Bistro in Weston Road, Portland.

We were eating with a pescetarian and a coeliac and had put a call in to the proprietors of this little bistro to see if they could accommodate our needs.

They said they already had three gluten-free customers and were happy to advise on menu choices.

From the outside L ‘n’ Os Bistro isn’t particularly memorable. Many of our party of five had driven past it but hadn’t noticed this small restaurant.

But inside, it seems to resemble more of a Greek taverna or an Italian trattoria.

A colleague and I opted to try the bistro’s World Cruise menu, which offers a different cuisine from around the globe every month. The set three course menu costs £15.50 a head and with this month being the US we tucked into delicious jambalaya, spare ribs, curly fries and coleslaw.

I enjoyed my clam chowder starter, which came with a generous amount of shellfish.

Where L ‘n’ Os excelled was in its treatment of our coeliac friend.

She opted for Duck, Duck and Duck – a confit duck leg which was crisply roasted and served with thinly sliced cured duck breast and a crispy fried devilled duck liver parcel, made from a crispy duck pancake parcel and served with a redcurrant and balsamic sauce.

Attention to detail by Lin and Ozzie – hence the bistro’s name – was so precise that they even bought the after dinner chocolate box out to check the choccies were suitable for our friend.

As for our pescetarian friend, she chose to have a seafood crumble – mixed seafood served in a scallop shell with leeks, carrots and shallots and a buttery lemon and herb crumble.

Our accommodating hosts agreed to serve the seafood crumble as a main portion size.

We left the bistro feeling as though we had just let ourselves in on one of Portland’s best kept secrets – with its creative menu, attention to detail and intimate welcome, L ‘n’ Os is a dining experience that leaves you with a warm glow inside.

• L ‘n’ Os is open in the evenings on Wednesdays to Sundays from 6.30pm with a Sunday carvery and grill from 12.30pm and evening carvery and grill from 5.30pm. Call 01305 820222 or see lnosbistro.eclipse.co.uk

My Bill

2x Blue Vinney mushrooms: £9.70

1x pear, walnut and goats cheese tart: £4.80

2x cruise dinners: £31.00

1x confit duck leg: £14.25

2x seafood crumble: £19.80

1x ice cream: £4.60

1x coffee: £2

1x wobbly coffee: £3.50

1x tea: £1

3x red wine: £11.85

2x lime and soda: £3

1x rose wine: £3.95

TOTAL: £109.45