From the outside, it may not look like much – but Pivaz is a charming and classy restaurant in the heart of Epping High Street.

As a huge fan of anything from the Med, I couldn’t wait to sample the best of what the menu had to offer.

The food is mainly inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine, but also includes less traditional staples such as steak, prawns and a Caesar salad.

Straight away, my guest and I were drawn to the cocktail menu, which boasted a range of homemade of unusual drinks.

We chose the marmarinha (£9), a blend of passion fruit, strawberry and pisco and the Epping’s Ex (£8.90), which is made with lychee liquor, ginger ale and lemon juice.

When we finally turned our attention to the food menu, we were spoilt for choice.

With flavoursome starter choices such as baba ganoush (£5), roasted goats cheese with walnuts (£7) and grilled hellim cheese (£6.75), we couldn’t pick.

Luckily, we were able to go for a bit of everything with the Pivaz mixed mezze (£10 for a small, £18 for a large).

The small portion is more than enough for two people and comes with the usuals – hummus and vine leaves – as well as more exotic choices such as beetroot yoghurt and deep fried aubergine.

Although they may seem like simple items, they were like nothing I had ever tasted before. I am not usually a fan of vine leaves (they remind me too much of sushi, but that’s for another day) but these were simply exquisite.

The hummus had a distinct, unique flavour we couldn’t quite put our finger on and the beetroot yoghurt was smooth without being too strong.

I can never resist steak and so for my main, I went for the 8oz fillet mignon (£27). I asked for it rare and it was cooked to perfection, topped with a béarnaise sauce.

My guest couldn’t decide what to have, but luckily, Pivaz have it covered. The mixed kebab (£18) features a bit of everything – chicken shish, lamb shish, chicken wings and a lamb chop.

But if meat isn’t your thing, the vegetarian and fish options look exquisite. Lobster in garlic butter (£36), grilled halibut (£22), and well as the artichoke mushroom and asparagus gratin (£22) and vegetable moussaka (£12) are some of the favourites.

We finished our meal with the orange crème brulee (£6.50) and the Turkish baklava (£6).

Pivaz definitely the place to go for a special occasion or just a quiet meal with friends or family in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

Pivaz, Epping High Street, Essex, CM16 4AP, details: 01992 571 440, pivaz.co.uk/epping