Starry, starry night

The owners of The Gay Hussar also run a quite different, though no-less-intimate, restaurant, just up the road. Elena's L'Etoile, in Charlotte Street, has a delightful French ambience.

Here the décor is supplemented by photographs of theatre, film and television celebrities, signed and dedicated to 84-year-old Elena, who has inspired the restaurant's revival.

Elena is a character. Without her there wouldn't be a star. And without the star, there wouldn't be Elena's L'Etoile.

The bell rings - I thought for a moment that it was the division bell in the House of Lords - but it turned out to be the call to the kitchen. The service is friendly and efficient, although on very busy nights it can be over-stretched.

Despite being in a little alcove just inside the door, I could still hear from across the room my name being taken in vain. There are people who equate not being able to see with not being able to hear terribly well. A grave error.

This restaurant, like The Gay Hussar, has staff who care about it. Andreas and Costas have been here for about 10 years and it shines through in the quality of the food.

We started with a glass of white wine (on promotion that evening). It was all right, but I am not a great fan of Argentinian Bodega Norton. The red, however, was a different matter.

As I wasn't paying, I had to moderate ambition for the best with my ingrained childhood thrift as regards other people's money. You would expect nothing less from a custodian of a substantial chunk of the public purse.

The Chassagne Montrachet Vieilles Vignes 1999 (a substantial £43.50 but par for the course for the mark-up that many London restaurants impose) went very well with the meal.

I started with warm, crispy duck with soy dressing and pickled ginger. It was fresh and flavoursome but a trifle on the cold side for a "warm" dish.