WHEN reviewing a restaurant it is not uncustomary to take away the menu for future reference. “Not a problem,” most restaurateurs say. With Inamo, however, this simple request would certainly be met with bemused looks, for the menus are projected onto the tables and operated by touch screen by the diner. To be honest, I can’t say the prospect of negotiating Friday night punters in the busy streets of Soho with an interactive table in tow really appealed to me either.

What certainly did appeal was the fun, contemporary look of this slick establishment in Soho's Wardour Street. Sort of like how you might have imagined the inside of a spaceship to look like if we were still living in the ‘70s, it’s all funky motifs, bucket chairs and pod-like projectors, hanging from the ceiling. But the main pull of this innovative eatery, is of course the aforementioned tables.

At the core of this pioneering dining experience is the interactive ordering system which renders the need for a waiter’s pad defunct. Being one of those people who seem to have an uncanny ability to break technology (although I insist computers are working against me), I am understandably apprehensive about this new-fangled notion, but under the careful watch of a regular Inamo diner manage to order a glass of wine via the touch screen buttons.

Feeling rather pleased with myself I tackle the illustrated Oriental fusion menu, which matches the restaurant’s pioneering outlook with an exciting combination of Japanese, Chinese and Thai influences. After a shaky start, (I accidentally order an extra starter of Spinach and Mushroom Parcels), I soon get to grips with the system and happily whizz through the selection, with an image of each dish appearing on your designated white ‘plate space’.

Never a fan of the illustrated menu, it conjures up images of late-night Kebab shops, I make an exception here and get swept up in the novelty of it all.

On top of ordering your meal, diners can also adapt the mood of their visit, with a regularly changing selection of up to 60 pictures and patterns (you can even bring your own photograph in) which will be projected onto your table. You can also check out what is going on behind the scenes with Chef Cam, play battleships, order a taxi and even explore the area with google map offering suggestions of where to visit next, from cinemas to bars.

With so much gadgetry, I have almost forgotten what I am here for, and it’s something of a bonus when the food arrives. An even bigger bonus is the food is good - really good!

The last time I had ceviche I was sitting in a coastal restaurant in Peru and it was a very simple, traditional dish of raw fish in tangy citrus juice. Inamo’s salmon and avocado ceviche (£6) was just as delicious, if not better, with the added bonus of a healthy injection of chilli and coriander.

The wagyu bavette (£14.95), was succulent, tender and beautifully complemented with shitake mushrooms and hijiki seaweed. The only sore point was the crunchy greens salad (£5), which was somewhat over-doused in sesame dressing, but the wagyu (often described as the world’s best beef) with its subtle char-grilled flavour more than made up for that slight indiscrepancy.

In short, Inamo is the perfect first date location, with talking points galore to fill those awkward silences, not least the food. I’ll definately be going back for seconds, plus I have a battleships title to defend!

Small dishes range from £4.50-£9.50; large dishes from £7.50-£14.95. Details: www.inamo-restaurant.com