A three-course meal with live music and wine on a glorious evening in Folkestone is hardly something to be sniffed at.

With the first week of sunshine of the year lifting my spirits, I was in a fantastic mood when stepping into the delightfully decorated The Tasting Rooms at the end of the ever-popular harbour arm.

I’d heard about the weekly Sunset Session via Instagram, the brainchild of nearby The Lighthouse Champagne Bar.

Held on Friday nights, the evening offers live music in an intimate setting, with diners sitting almost elbow to elbow engrossed in deep conversation over wine and other sophisticated matters, which I’m sure went well over my head.

The aesthetic felt very much like a brasserie with nautical undertones – very fitting for the area and tastefully done.

As I’m sure was the intention, it felt like entering a supper club – boasting warmth, character and soul from the off.

As I had been asked to pre-order my food a few days ahead of time, it was a welcome surprise to see the waiting staff roll out of the kitchen in near unison to serve the 30-or-so patrons for the evening.

I’d opted for a chilli prawn and mango bruschetta starter. Other options included wild mushroom soup for the vegans, baked brie with cranberry jam or baked fig with gorgonzola.

This was an interesting dish to begin with, and one which seemed to accept its role as a warming up act rather than the star attraction.

The chunks of mango matched well with the garnish, but I had hoped to see the prawns offer more flavour; I was expecting more chilli.

I felt like I had made the right choice though, with the other three options not appealing to me in the slightest.

With the talented Stephen Bridgeland Trio triumphantly playing in the background, it was only a short wait to see plates cleared and a second round of drinks arrive in their place.

Opting for a glass of red wine upon entry, I then decided to indulge in a Biddenden cider – and was delighted I had done so.

The Biddies Berries wasn’t too sweet but still boasted the flavours a good beverage of this nature should.

While I am partial to a ratatouille and the pistachio crusted salmon sounded lovely, it was only really ever going to be the Catalonia meatballs and creamed potatoes for me.

And what a choice it was. The chefs nailed it.

The meatballs melted in my mouth, with the hearty tomato sauce and small chunks of black olive contributing to the success, thanks to its subtlety in flavour and combination of textures.

Green beans and broccoli on the side were cooked to perfection and, as the name would suggest, the potatoes were superbly creamy.

They were light, well-seasoned and went down a treat.

I could have eaten this all over again, and the only complaint would be that there wasn’t more.

Simply called chef gourmand, I had been left to speculate what dessert would be for the two hours I spent at The Tasting Rooms.

But it turned out a chocolate berry mousse with tiramisu liqueur and a Madeleine cake was the final course of the day.

But for me, it did not match up to the previous two plates, though whether or not this is a matter of taste could be argued.

The mousse was rich but a bit stodgy. I had wanted it to be fluffier and overall, I didn’t really enjoy it.

While I had found the environment captivating, with the musicians in top form, the food had been a little hit and miss.

With the menu changing every week, both to reflect the exclusivity of the event and make use of seasonal ingredients, it seems to me it could very much be down to luck of the draw.

Out of five:

Food: The main was a triumph, and the starter was decent – though it didn’t pack the punch I had wanted it to. The dessert was a disappointing end to a lovely evening ***

Drink: As a champagne bar, a lot of its cocktails rely on that key ingredient. There’s a decent array of alternatives if you're not into that ****

Decor: I absolutely adore the way this place looks and feels. It has taken a lot of effort to cultivate such atmosphere *****

Staff: Very on the ball, with smiles worn all round – they’re a big reason as to why events like the Sunset Session can flow so freely *****

Price: £29.50 per person for a three-course meal, welcome drink and live music is very good value, even if the food wasn’t always to my taste ****