Many years back this floating restaurant was one of the best places in town to eat fine (and very expensive) French inspired cuisine. Slowly the venue declined in popularity and eventually closed. And then recently rising out of the waters came a new restaurant with a new concept, prices that have been halfed, but the same stunning views and romantic riverside location.

Steered away by the sweet waitress to the deck next to the water, we were handed blankets and our menu and settled in to try and pick something from the wide ranging menu which is split into pan-Asian, Italian and Russian/Georgian cuisines. Tempted by various favourites the cluttered menu became very difficult to choose from, but in the end in an attempt to get an all round selection we took an option from each area.

On the starters side I took a khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread) which is more a puff pastry pie here and is not as heavy a starter as I had imagined with the cheese given an extra unusual twist with the addition of some unusual herbs, one of which I believe was sorrel. My guest was pleased with her Thai soup which was filled with various seafoods and actually turned out to be bigger than it looked and the bread basket with hummous, which was helpfully suggested to us by our charming and efficient English speaking waiter Nikita, kept us tiding over till the mains arrived.

As we had arrived very late (as is usual during the white nights season) we were by this point pushing on to midnight and the decorative bridge lights were starting to be switched on and were reflecting on the water as a white night half sunset began – it is really the chance to enjoy this river side spectacle from the calm of the restaurant, that is the highlight of dining here, although as we were informed, later on it’s more of a dancing place. The experience was especially complimented by the ‘barzha’ fruit lemonade which was made with frozen fruits and berries, a very refreshing and healthy drink on a warm summer evening.

For mains I took the sea bass in a Thai style sauce that had slightly too much soy for my tastes, although the fish itself was perfectly cooked. My guest also continued with the fish and went for the seafood tagliatelle, which she found completely satisfying although for a glutton like me it would probably have been too light a main course.

All of which had us decided about what we would be doing on our next visit here – ordering a huge selection of the cheap and interesting starters and salads, sharing them out and enjoying with a litre of the ‘Barzha’ drink. Oh and keeping a close eye on that bridge of course, which the staff also helpfully reminded us would be opening before we might get to polish off our desserts.

Okean, PS, Dobrolyubova pr .14a (next to Birzhevoy bridge), Metro station: Sportivnaya, tel. (+7) 812 986 86 00, www.okean.spb.ru.

Open 12:00 - 05:00