Frontline Club, London W.2.

The area around Paddington Station in London is not famous for its good restaurants, but this one is the exception and continues to be very successful.  Returning after several years, I was delighted to see that it was as nice as ever.

The background to the restaurant is quite unusual as it was set up in 2003 as a media club to honor journalists from Frontline News Television who died pursuing their work.  The club itself is private and has seven bedrooms available to members and activities include debates and film screenings.  The Board of Trustees is a very impressive list of people, including BBC executives,  journalists from  the New Yorker Magazine, the Vice-President of Getty Images and a Professor of Journalism from Cardiff University,  amongst others.

Happily though  the restaurant is open to the public and the traditional dining room, which is decorated with large photographs of newsworthy events, is comfortable and welcoming.  Starched white tablecloths and napkins, brass rails and a big bar complete the décor.

The food is very classic British cuisine and of excellent quality, most of it coming from a farm in Norfolk.  If you llike grouse, venison, steaks, roast cod, skate with capers, fishcakes and roast chicken, followed by bread and butter pudding, chocolate pudding  or honeycomb pavlova,  then this is place for you.

At lunchtime there is a special 2 or 3 course menu at £15 and £18 and this is a very good deal.  A la carte the dishes range in price from £16 to £26. The wine list is wide-ranging and fairly expensive, but also offers carafes varying in price from £14 to £22.

Certainly not an “in” restaurant but a very satisfying one.