A la Colthard / William Drabble at the St James Club, St James

The St James Club is an elegant 5 star boutique hotel in a London townhouse in the St. James area.

It has adopted the relatively modern trend of a high profile chef – in this case William Drabble whose restaurant Seven Park Place exists separately from the hotel.

I went there yesterday as a guest of an old friend, a former headmaster and was impressed. The main dining room was being renovated and we ate in the Library.

It has a fixed price lunch menu. This was £30 and had a relatively wide selection.

We both went for ravioli with a carrot and pumpkin filling followed by a succulent cod on a bed of spinach. There was room for dessert, mine a lemon meringue.

The advantages of hotel dining are space and better service. The disadvantage is they rarely have the atmosphere and buzz of a well-known restaurant like Langans or the Ivy.

The service for all its professionalism can be intrusive to our conversation but at least we were spared the lengthy explanation of each dish.

Comfort levels are higher and unlike some hotels you do not have to set off on a hiking expedition for the loo!!!

I never saw the final bill but without alcohol, except for a campari and orange, I would think it would be round the £100 mark for two which I thought good for excellent and original cuisine which thoroughly deserves its one Michelin star and 4 AA rosettes.