Marouf Abouzaki arrived in London as a twenty-one year old in 1975, and worked as a chef in a Lebanese eatery until he opened the first Maroush restaurant in 1981. The group now has over ten outlets in London under the names of Maroush and Ranoush, with plans of expanding further.

They combine healthy ingredients of Mediterranean cuisine and the warm hospitality of the region to present fresh juices and Lebanese fast food. When asked about the secret of running a successful restaurant, Marouf simply says, "Good food, good service and full attention to the customers" - exactly what each branch offers.

As Lebanese cuisine is more about sharing and trying a number of small dishes rather than having fixed courses, most items on the menu can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Starters consist of a list of hot and cold mezze - these include the popular humous Beiruty - crushed chickpeas mixed with hot pepper, parsley, sesame oil, lemon juice and an olive oil dressing - a vegetarian dish of okra boiled with tomatoes, onion, coriander and olive oil as well as soujouk sausages.

They also have baked dishes with the highlight being a local version of pizza - pastry topped with minced meat, tomato, onion, red and green pepper and pine nuts. Mains include the famous chicken or lamb shawarma and a mixture of aubergines and beans served with vermicelli rice.

While the dessert list consists primarily of Arabian sweets and does not offer much variety, the list of fresh fruit juices and beverages more than compensates. Maroush and Ranoush restaurants are open seven days a week, and it is quite common to see people queuing up outside from noon until late into the night.