Flamboyant tycoon and one-time Oxford United owner Robert Maxwell was dubbed the Bouncing Czech by Private Eye magazine.

But the notorious publisher and former MP actually hailed from further east than the Czech provinces of Bohemia and Moravia. Maxwell was born Jn Ludvk Hoch in Carparthian Ruthenia - much of which is now Slovak territory, though the entrepreneur's home town has been swallowed up by Ukraine.

Folk in these parts like their grub on the hearty side. Anyone who eats regularly at Moya is in danger of becoming as tubby as old Cap'n Bob.

The restaurant is a curious combo of suave cocktail bar and buckle-bustin' carbohydrate station.

Its decor is restrained, but debonair - pale tones, prints of city and coastal scenes, fairy lights and an atrium. The odd mammoth spirits bottle and tourist poster, on the way to the toilets, serve as concessions to kitsch fans.

It's open until the wee hours, which I believe is when the glamorous people hang out, enjoying 'contemporary' tipples such as Ginger Toms (Plymouth gin, soda, lime, mint, ginger and lemongrass). When my friend and I visited, on a damp Monday night, easy jazz warbled in the background, but this later yielded to what sounded like Bratislava's answer to Simon and Garfunkel (I learned, from one of the friendly staff, that the singers were in fact Czech).

SO WHAT DID YOU CHOOSE?

Picking starters and main courses both proved awkward, as several got my juices flowing.

Fasirka (minced venison and pork, served with horseradish and cream) sounded tasty, as did marinated trout. The only thing that stopped me ordering kapustnica (a soup of pork shank, sauerkraut, root vegetables, prunes and mushrooms) was the suspicion the flavours might blur too much.

So I had devil's toast - sourdough topped with smoked sausage, tomatoes, chillies and melted goat's cheese, with a salad garnish.

For mains, I ordered the venison medallions with knedla dumplings, from the specials board.

My friend was keen to try the rum battered aubergine, which also came with goat's cheese and a light salad. She also requested segedin, a pork and sauerkraut goulash that was served with - surprise, surprise - dumplings.

WHAT DID YOU THINK?

There was more cheese in my starter than I'd anticipated, making it very rich, while the chilli 'kick' was most welcome. The tender venison, which must have been slow-cooked, was coated in an aromatic jus that included redcurrant jelly, juniper berries, port and mushrooms.

In fact, the sauce almost overwhelmed what is normally a very gamey meat, but seemed milder than usual here.

The dish's hefty flavours were offset by a malty Czech lager, which was served in a frosted glass.

My friend was pleased with her thick aubergine fritter, which was extremely tender. Her goulash was creamy and gently seasoned with paprika, nutmeg, and caraway. We both enjoyed the slices of soft dumplings.

WAS THERE ROOM FOR DESSERT?

Strictly speaking, no. But we shared a wedge of apple cake with icecream anyway. The pudding was moist, spicy and not too sweet.

ANY NEGATIVE POINTS?

A few of the Moya website's prices appeared to be out of date.

VERDICT: A no-go zone for slimmers, but if you fancy central European fare, a visit is obligatory.