A slice of Polish history

For people like me who grew up in the Seventies, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe were always shrouded in mystery.

They featured in spy films such as Funeral in Berlin which gave us a fictional look at East Germany and emphasised the paranoia and fear of the Cold War. But, to be honest, we knew little about them, and certainly didn't get much chance to visit. (Who'd have wanted a mini break in Krakow?)

We knew they were full of brave people who'd suffered terribly under the Nazis and then under the arguably even worse depredations of Communism. (It's hard to believe that the Berlin Wall fell as recently as 1989.) To all intents and purposes, half our continent was closed off from business and tourism, the two activities that so powerfully break down barriers.

Yet these countries are now an intimate part of our European family. At weekends, we crowd into their chocolate-box cities, from Ljubljana to Prague. And we're an eager recipient of their ambitious workforce: the Polish plumber has become an iconic figure - and a good thing, too.

The influx of East Europeans has not only boosted us economically, but is adding a new lustre to the diversity of our capital, helping us become true Europeans. But some things still divide us, and one is food - since Central and Eastern European food doesn't usually feature on a culinary wish-list.

Ognisko Polskie is to Polish dining in London what the Gay Hussar is to Hungarian. This South Kensington restaurant has been going for over 50 years and is known as the Polish Club - which makes it sound cosy. It served as one of the main meeting places for Polish immigrants in the years immediately after the Second World War.

The crowd now appear to be the staff of the Royal College of Art. Indeed, it could have been the RCA's dining room, such were the number of confidently quirky people there the evening we went. The real disappointment was the chairs, which were straight out of a country house marquee.

The sense of greying style is rammed home by huge portraits of the Kents: the Duke of Kent, Prince Michael of Kent, and the lovely Princess Alexandra. What on earth were these tributes doing on the walls of this shrine to Poland? I gather it was once proposed that a former Duke of Kent be King of Poland in a move to restore the Polish monarchy, much as the Greek monarchy was restored by importing Royals. But it never happened because of the Second World War. One for the pub quiz.

Service was enthusiastic and warm. On fine days, there's a terrace where you can enjoy stunning views over the private gardens - always a plus in a London restaurant. And the food was... well, it was Polish. I mean, cold beetroot soup sounds like something you'd eat for a dare, doesn't it? And very few things surprise the palate in our new, shrunken planet.

We had two kinds of shellfish to start (marinated shrimps and cooked prawns with bacon), both excellent, but not unlike what I've had many times in other restaurants - but I guess it wasn't the most traditional choice.