When former Cherwell School pupil Sami Mahfouz announced he was opening an American-style diner in George Street in Oxford, I wondered if he was wise to embark on such a costly venture in an increasingly competitive market.

But six weeks after opening there are encouraging signs for Glut, where the decor features wallpaper themed on Seven Deadly Sins.

The reviews on TripAdvisor have been overwhelming positive - the vast majority are five-star and Glut soon rose to the top of the website's chart for the city.

Oxford Mail:

Mr Mahfouz was happy to accommodate me - over two visits - and insisted I try first the Plant Burger, accompanied with house fries.

Oxford Mail:

The Plant Burger (£9) is bang on trend and diners can't get enough of them.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I found the vegan burger patty from Beyond Meat to be mouth-wateringly succulent.

Accompanied with lettuce, tomato, Glut's burger spread and cheese - vegan cheese is available on request - I was impressed by the taste.

Curiously the vegan patty resembled steak cooked medium rare so I didn't feel I was missing out on meat at all. 

Oxford Mail:

While the Plant Burger was perfect for my slightly unadventurous palate - think pasta and pesto as a starting point - the Buffalo Wings (£5.50) took me right out of my comfort zone.

Sami has travelled extensively in the United States and has been determined to perfect his buttermilk buffalo chicken wings.

Oxford Mail:

These are served up with a spicy orange sauce - the heat can be adjusted - offset only by the offering of blue cheese sauce on the side.

More to my taste were the Chicken Poppers (£4), fried chicken pieces tossed in honey mustard or buffalo sauce for an extra 50p.

Oxford Mail:

Washing down my meal with repeat refills of coffee - the first cup costs £1.50 - I dithered over which dessert to choose.

Jo's Banoffee Pie (£4.50) with hob nobs, caramel, cream and fresh banana looked seriously tempting.

But in the end I knew I had to try the Oreo Filled Pancakes, (£5.50) as the dish was referenced so many times by TripAdvisor reviewers.

Oxford Mail:

I wasn't disappointed. The Oreo stuffed chocolate pancakes were served with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce.

For some reason my host insists on a triple stack of pancakes and I felt something of glutton when I left.

If you pay a visit to this new diner you will see instantly why it is already so popular.

The food is cooked on the premises to order and the owner ensures that each dish is as close to perfection as he can make it. And prices are pretty reasonable.

Oxford Mail:

As word-of-mouth recommendations grow, Mr Mahfouz may have to take on more staff.

There's a cheerful, upbeat trendy ambience at Glut - think soul and R&B classics - the portions are generous, and it's a stone's throw away from the fabulous Gloucester Green market. What's not to like?