Living in Glengormley has its perks – it’s only a short drive away from Belfast and for a relatively small village, it isn’t lacking in things to do. But one area in which Glengormley falls flat is in its selection of eateries. Aside from a couple of Indian and Chinese restaurants, the only culinary options you’ll find here are takeaways. If you love takeaways, you’re in for a treat. But for me, a vegetarian who’s watching her weight, they aren’t exactly an ideal choice!

So last Tuesday afternoon, I caught a bus to Slim’s Healthy Kitchen on the Lisburn Road with the hope of finding delicious food that wouldn’t negatively impact my waistline. After hearing dozens of glowing reviews, I couldn’t wait to try the restaurant for myself, and I’m pleased to say it definitely lived up to the hype.

Owner Slim decided to open the restaurant after managing to shed a whopping eight stone and fulfil his personal goal of completing the New York Marathon. He believes that maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet is the key factor to achieving a healthy lifestyle.

By his own admission, Slim is all too familiar with the temptation of reaching for the biscuit tin instead of the fruit bowl, referring to himself as ‘an explorer of food… mainly cake’. But this is exactly the mindset that Slim’s Healthy Kitchen aims to change, by providing convenient, healthy food that will deter us from stopping at the closest KFC on the drive home from work.

The exterior of Slim’s is rustic, and this welcoming feel is continued indoors: think sanded wooden booths, faux tree trunks and a neutral, yet inviting colour scheme.

Once my friend and I were shown to our table, we had our drinks order taken almost immediately by friendly and attentive staff. The restaurant was surprisingly bustling for 3.30pm on a Tuesday afternoon, but this didn’t faze our waitresses, who remained extremely pleasant throughout the visit.

The variety on Slim’s lunch and dinner menu is excellent. There’s a range of wok dishes like stir fries and green curries, grilled dishes, a burger bar (burgers can be served with an aubergine slider instead of bread, for the carb-conscious among us), and also plenty of options from the deli counter. Even the fussiest eater would be pressed to find something they didn’t like!

After careful consideration I eventually opted for the Spicy Mexican bean burger served on a flatbread (£5.95), with a side dish of sweet potato fries (£3.50).

My meal proved that eating healthily doesn’t always have to mean a compromise in taste! The bean burger was packed with spices which were complemented very well by the accompanying salsa. In my opinion, the best thing about Slim’s was the sweet potato fries – they were delicious and melted in the mouth.

My friend chose the chicken grill with skinny fries (£6.95) and assured me that her meal was equally delicious.

So to sum up, Slim’s Healthy Kitchen is a restaurant that serves healthy, delicious food which although low in calories, isn’t low in flavour. Oh, and to top it off, it’s reasonably priced too: the bill for our lunch totalled just under £20.

What’s that I hear? It’s the sound of Belfast’s dieters and health conscious singing ‘hallelujah’!