AS the waiter approached our table, he quietly practised what he was about to say to us.

Judging by the clientele in the restaurant tonight, he was probably more used to talking to customers in his native tongue – Maru seems to be a home away from home for many Koreans. “Hello, nice to meet you,” he beamed, before taking our drinks order – a bottle of Asahi and a bottle of the fruity Korean lager, Hite.

Although the waiter was still learning the basics of English, as we perused the menu he gave us brief descriptions of the dishes that were unfamiliar to us.

“Very spicy,” he laughed, when we ordered the deep fried chilli chicken as an appetiser.

To follow, my girlfriend ordered Doen Jang Jji Gae (tofu and vegetables in bean paste soup with rice) and I ordered the Yook Gae Jang (beef and vegetable soup with rice).

“Very spicy,” he enthused again, before jotting down my order and scurrying off to the kitchen.

While we waited for our food we slipped into the easygoing Maru groove, listening to the quirky and eclectic mix of songs that flowed from the speakers and admiring the retro chic décor.

We didn’t wait long for our food, which all came out together.

The feast looked impressive, as did the metal chop sticks and kooky crockery it arrived on.

The chilli chicken was accompanied by three small dishes of pickled vegetables, which we weren’t particularly fond of. However, the succulent chilli chicken pieces were delicious and the chilli marinade packed a punch without being too fiery.

Our waiter was right about the “very spicy” beef and vegetable soup – halfway through the dish I was mopping my brow. Yet the spices hadn’t spoilt the delicious flavours and I really enjoyed the dish, particularly the tender and tasty slices of beef.

The tofu and vegetable soup wasn’t so popular with us – we felt the flavours were slightly insipid and the dish lacked character.

That said, we both agreed we would return to this quirky Korean restaurant. The food is tasty and unusual, the service is welcoming and at just £24.70 for our meal and three beers, the restaurant represents great value for money.