DARKEST Hackney and darkest Peru might not seem like the most obvious of combinations, but somehow, South American eatery El Aguajal has carved a niche for itself on the mean streets of Dalston Kingsland.

The family-run, cantina-style restaurant, which takes its name from the juice of an exotic tropical fruit, is nestled among the takeaways and long-established drinking holes of Kingsland Road, and it’s not easy to miss.

Its near-luminous green paintwork announced its presence in no uncertain terms, which proved useful - being a lone female diner in an unfamiliar area at 9 o’clock on a Friday night, I had no desire to get lost.

I arrived a few minutes earlier than planned but managed to get seated straight away, and there followed possibly the fastest dinner in history.

The service was excellent - attentive, courteous and not, as I had feared, disdainful of my lone-diner status - and I managed to order, eat, pay and leave in the space of half an hour.

I went straight for the vegetarian menu, which, while it wasn’t vast, was sufficiently varied, and chose the locro de zapallo (pumpkin cooked with non-specific cheese, onion and mixed veg, with rice, salad and grilled “mature banana”).

Like the restaurant itself, the meal was a medley of rather alarmingly bright colours, neatly presented, though somewhat smaller than I was expecting.

Nonetheless, it was tasty, wholesome fare with savoury-sweet pumpkin and fluffy, snowy-white rice, complemented surprisingly well by the banana.

From the drinks menu, there were a number of tempting-looking South American cocktails on offer, but being on a budget, I opted for a bottle of Cusqueña, which is a light, refreshing lager and worked well with the food.

I couldn’t possibly comment on how authentic it was, having no prior knowledge of Peruvian cuisine, but since its owner is actually from Peru, it seems likely to be fairly close to the real thing.

The final bill came to exactly £11 (main course £8.50, drink £2.50), which was within my budget, although it was perhaps a bit expensive considering the size of the portion.

El Aguajal is decorated using a colour scheme that makes heavy use of yellow and green, with what I assume is a Peruvian jungle theme, and there’s something rather kitsch about it.

Still, kitsch though it may be, it has a friendly, homely atmosphere and I’d certainly be willing to go back to sample a few more of the dishes. CLAIRE HACK