There will be a heaven-sent opportunity for sweet-tooths to indulge their passion when one of the highlights of Kendal's eating-out scene makes a welcome return at the end of this month. The woman behind the rise of the town's New Moon restaurant says she is re-launching the pudding club' in response to public demand. On the other hand, Tina Dulson just happens to be a chocaholic. I think you can guess who was chief taster for the chocolate and raspberry tart with vanilla crme anglaise!...

Tina Dulson and her mum were on the phone having a jolly good chinwag about a name for her new restaurant.

Blue moon? Blue can be a bit of a cold colour and then you can't get that song out of your head. Full moon? Might imply being bloated. New moon?

"Perfect," said Tina. "New moon, new beginning, new journey."

Her travels' thus far its been six months since the restaurant re-opened have not been without their ups (the appointment just before Christmas of former Old Vicarage chef Chris Foley) and tragic downs (the sad death of sous chef Ed Canavan).

However, Tina and the New Moon team are rightly proud of what they have achieved thus far and are looking forward to some exciting challenges ahead.

There's the pudding club for one it will be launched on February 28 and from then on will meet the last Monday of every month; there's talk of a book club and a dining circle. Tina is brim full of ideas and can't wait to put them into practice.

Indeed, it was because she wanted to put into practice what she preaches that Tina bought the renowned Moon restaurant six months ago.

Tina is an international business coach for Acorn her husband Colin's coaching and development company based on Windermere Road, in Kendal. They met seven years ago "At a divorce party' at Upper Cumberworth, near Holmfirth, of all places," recalled Tina who, at that time, was living in Leeds. Colin lived in Cockermouth so after the couple married they moved to Kendal "a sort of middle ground".

"We are what they now call co-preneurs' - a couple that works together, sharing their experience."

It was because of her experience' that Tina started looking for a business opportunity of her own.

"To put into practice what I preach. Even if you don't know about the subject matter, you can apply the generic skills to any business. I don't know how to run a kitchen but my skill is enabling those people who do."

When she heard about the Moon being on the market, Tina decided to take a look around.

"I went upstairs and just thought wow'," said Tina. "It is such a wonderful building."

And made all the more wonderful by Alison Tordoff, of Ambleside-based interior architects Fidget UK, who went so far as to keep the New Moon's heavenly body theme by designing a chandelier she's dubbed the Milky Way.

For her part, Tina wanted modern, clean lines, but keeping the essence of the building "because that was what had drawn me to it in the first place."

The restaurant also came with quite a reputation.

"It's so well known," said Tina, "especially for vegetarian food."

However, The New Moon isn't solely vegetarian. "But it is important to provide a good selection of vegetarian food, and I don't just mean a token offering," added Tina.

Risotto of vegetables with cheese & herbs & truffle vinaigrette dressed leaves, for example; or grilled stuffed aubergines with couscous and Mediterranean vegetables in a balsamic wine dressing.

For meat and fish eaters, head chef Chris Foley formerly of the Old Vicarage hotel and restaurant at Witherslack has created a veritable feast Pan-seared sea bass on curried mussels and vegetables.

Grilled honey marinated duck breast on sauted cabbage & bacon finished with a light olive & port jus.

And Cumberland sausage on peppered mash with port red wine & onion gravy.

As for Chris's puddings check out the delights he's designed for the Pudding Club. As well as the chocolate and raspberry tart mentioned above, there will also be a saffron & orange crme brulee; sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce & vanilla ice cream; fruits set in a basil & vodka jelly with sorbet & lime syrup; and white mousse torte with Amaretti biscuits & a coffee cream.

Tina and rightly so if patronage is anything to go by says the menu now lives up to the restaurant thanks to Chris.

"We had envisaged a welcoming environment with good quality, value for money food; comfort food I suppose. But, I think because of the look of the restaurant, people were expecting a higher standard. We listened to what people were saying to us. Consistency is key, the quality of ingredients, stocks, sauces and preparation."

And that's down to Chris, who boasts 18 years experience and a passion for Classic French, New English and Italian food. He's travelled extensively but while working in the UK he studied under two Master Chefs of Great Britain producing food to two AA rosette standard.

As for Tina, she says The New Moon is a representation' of her.

"And so it is important to me that we have a level of service and standard."

Part of that standard' was Tina's determination to ban smoking in the restaurant. The decision was as much a reflection of customers' opinions as her personal view. Such resolve, however, has resulted in a National Clean Air Gold Award.

Open every day for lunch and dinner, the past six months have proved a jolly hard slog. Tina said: "There have been some very difficult times but what we have done is such an achievement. I am very proud of The New Moon."

Long may it shine!