Due to the huge success of their first restaurant in Edward Street, husband and wife team Magid Benslimane and Georgina Gilpin have opened a second Blue Man at the original Momma Cherri’s site.

Serving up a selection of traditional, full flavoured North African cuisine, everything from the bread to the baklava is cooked from scratch using fresh, natural ingredients.

Half Moroccan and half Algerian, Magid is a former professional footballer who came to Brighton more than 15 years ago. The youngest of 13 children, he learned how to cook traditional North African food from watching his mother, who also ran a restaurant.

Magid is proud of his heritage and says he named the restaurant in honour of his grandfather, who belonged to the nomadic Tuareg tribe. The Tuaregs used indigo dye on their clothes, which stains the skin blue, hence the restaurant’s name.

Traditional dishes on the menu include starters, such as teguella bread from the Saharan Berber, served with home-made baba ganoush and Jerusalem artichoke dip (£4.25); B’stilla-roast fennel, butternut squash and almond cous cous wrapped in filo pastry, served with roast pepper sauce and sprinkled with icing sugar (£11.50).

The main course menu features Khrouf, a rich lamb tagine, cooked slowly in the oven with prunes, chickpeas and plenty of ginger and cinnamon, served with home-made bread and cous cous (£9.75).

On the dessert menu is the delicious Hhobz Tunsi, orange semolina cake served warm with vanilla ice cream, for £4.25, and for those who wish to follow their meal with a smoke, The Blue Man offers apple or strawberry flavoured tobacco.

The Blue Man is a fully-licensed venue, offering a wide range of North African, French and Spanish wines and beers.

Already an Aladdin’s Cave of decorative artefacts, such as Moroccan lanterns, mosaic tables and an abundance of rugs, a further dose of authenticity comes from the occasional live performance by a kora player.

Staff from all over Europe dress in colourful sarongs, helping to further the exotic mood. Speaking of the intoxicating atmosphere and friendly service, Magid says: “Where I come from, hospitality is everything. I hope that comes across in my restaurant.”

■ Open daily from noon until midnight. The Edward Street branch is open daily until 10pm.