Chinese food is usually a good bet for us non-meat eaters and The Real China, in the Oxford Castle complex, proved no exception.

After a cheerful greeting from a waitress, we slid into one of the booths around the edge of the restaurant and husband Mike began to study the drinks menu while I pretended disinterest, knowing I was driving home.

There was much head-scratching while we struggled to remember what had been there before The Real China opened three months ago. Eventually, the ebullient and charming Romanian manager Sergio put us out of our misery by reminding us it was where Tootsies had been.

This gives it a huge advantage in that the interior is light and airy with exposed stone walls, spotlighting and a gleaming bar. One side of the room is lined with floor-to-ceiling picture windows which Sergio explained can be opened onto the street in warm weather.

The Real China centres on a help-yourself-style buffet which allows you to choose from more than 50 Cantonese, Mandarin and Szechuan dishes.

The set-price menu, which ranges from between £5.99 to £13.99 per person depending on the time of day and day of the week, is ideal for anyone on a budget.

You can fill up your plate as many times as you like but be warned, if your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you end up leaving excessive amounts, you could be charged for the extra food.

I’ve never been a huge fan of buffet-style restaurants because half the fun of eating out is being able to sit back and relax while someone else brings you your food.

But in this instance, I was pleasantly surprised as the selection on offer was impressive and it was fun to go up and see the dishes before deciding what to eat.

Also, the fact that we saw the food being regularly replaced was extremely reassuring.

Starters included sesame prawn on toast, vegetable spring rolls and crab claws and two types of soup.

For main course, we chose from Singapore noodles; special fried rice; King prawns in butter; mussels in black bean and chilli sauce; stir-fried white mushrooms; mixed vegetables; mo po tofu and my all-time favourite, crispy seaweed.

Meat-eaters were tempted with sweet and sour chicken; shredded smoked chicken; crispy duck, crispy pork and chicken curry.

Mike and I agreed the food was extremely tasty and the brasserie-style atmosphere is perfect for a casual meal out with family or friends, or a quick pit stop before or after a trip to the cinema or theatre.

I couldn’t fault the service, either, which is rapid and very friendly, the two qualities you want most when you eat out. The star of the show is, undoubtedly, Sergio who runs the place with impressive efficiency and great charm.

Under his eagle eye, dirty plates were whisked away and drinks, loaded with ice, were brought promptly. Mike worked his way through a couple of bottles of oriental beer, Tsingtao.

According to Sergio, a set-price house speciality is Huo guo (literally ‘fire pot’), where customers are presented with a pot and small flame underneath that cooks 14 dishes at the table, is very popular.

Sergio urged us to go and choose a desert from the chiller cabinet and we found a selection of rather random items including fresh fruit, cheesecake, ice cream and jelly.

Mike managed a large slice of chocolate cake. My comment that chocolate cake was a bit of a strange way to end a Chinese meal fell on deaf ears. . .

We left having enjoyed a really relaxing evening. And, if I ever open a restaurant, Chinese or otherwise, I want Sergio running it.

The Real China, offers an ‘Eat As Much As You Like Oriental Buffet’ for £5.99 per person on weekday lunch and £11.99 in the evening. At weekends, it’s £6.99 for lunch and £13.99 in the evening. On Sundays, the buffet costs £10.99 per head all day. For more information, contact The Real China, Oxford Castle, New Road, Oxford on 01865 721888 or visit www.therealchina.co.uk