Georgetown is a Malay hotel restaurant on the London Bridge station approach, so within walking distance. They recommend you start with a Singapore Sling (we didn°t) and make much of the colonial atmosphere, which means artificial fig trees and Kentia palm and loads of (real) white flowers, bentwood furniture and a baby grand, which filled the room both physically and musically.

You can smoke and the service is immediate and attentive, sometimes too attentive, but, in terms of the food actually arriving, sometimes slow. The menu left us nonplussed, so we began by deciding on the house wine: one red, one white. The threequarter-bodied, red Vin de Pays d°Oc was reported as pleasant and the Gascon white was definitely okay. Otherwise there was a medium length list of mainly French and New World wine and four or five beers to choose from.

Choice in the menu is Malay Straits food, whether Malaysian Malay, Malaysian Chinese or Malaysian Indian. There were a number of vegetarian dishes. An offer of nibbles led to Kueh Pie Tee, or top hats filled with chicken paste, and potato skin filled bowls, which were pleasant. Richard chose an Ikan Goreng first course of fried fish and chilli pickle which was slightly chilled and pronounced good. Lesley chose a Madras Kol of dry chicken with iceberg lettuce and unripe mango, which was definitely not appreciated.

Main courses included Laksa Lemak of noodles with chicken, prawns, bean sprouts, and tofu in a spicy coconut sauce, which was enjoyed. Helen and I chose the one dish we recognised from the menu, Nasi Goreng. This Malay variety was piquant and light, stir fried rice with clods of yummy omelette, prawns, chicken and veg bits. A couple of us had desserts. Nanas JB is pineapple made interesting with rum, maple syrup and vanilla ice cream.

Verdicts were: ´I would think about coming again°, said Lesley; ´Most enjoyable°, said Richard; ´I was a bit tired but I was not at all keen on the ambiance and the food was not special enough to overcome that°, said Ali. We spent £38 per head including wine and service with no gin slings or spirits. There°s a £12.50 London lunch menu. Decent hotel restaurant is my verdict, worth a visit.

Robert Holden