I WAS dubious when I heard the Chinese restaurant I was going to was called Ricky’s – the name hardly oozed with authentic Asian roots.

However, my friends, who have lived in the area all their lives, assured me this place was worth a visit.

Upon arrival I soon realised I should never judge a restaurant by its name. The atmosphere and mood of China could be felt, smelt and seen as soon as I entered.

The owner has gone to extreme efforts to make sure the eatery looks the part with dragons, lanterns and a red and green colour code.

A huge fish tank lay in the bar area to entertain diners while they waited for their table.

Chopsticks were on offer so I tried by very best to use them throughout my meal. My starter, vegetable spring rolls (around £3.50), was quite an easy course to develop my skills.

While the spring rolls themselves were tasty – with a crispy outside filled with a wide selection of stringy vegetables and with a side salad – the overall dish was a tad dry and in my opinion could have done with a sauce to accompany it.

Both the starter and the main course, a vegetable satay, were served with a metal mini heater for my food to sit on to keep it warm, which I feel was a really nice added touch.

The satay (around £6 plus £2.50 for fried rice) itself was delicious. A host of vegetables, ranging from peas in a pod, cauliflower and onions, were served in a slightly spicy thick sauce.

Other meals on offer included duck with plum sauce, stir fries, sweet and sour dishes plus an extensive list of starters.

The service was very friendly with the owner making time to come over and have a chat with us- making it an all round excellent evening out.