A lot of effort has gone into decorating the dining rooms, of which there are three. There’s an amazing collection of historic memorabilia: old maps, signs and plaques, antique telephones, scales and sewing machines, even a couple of brass musical instruments, and a wooden dressmaker’s dummy, which combine to create a very pleasant space to dine. The many well-cared-for potted plants especially help to give an atmosphere of freshness that’s very reassuring if you’re ordering lamb that has come from the other side of the world or salmon that has travelled thousands of kilometres to reach your plate. I sat in the sunroom at the rear of the restaurant, which is filled with light from the transparent ceiling and overlooks the park from its east-facing windows.

The service was very attentive, but that may have had something to do with the facts that there were very few other diners at the time and that the waitresses were trainees apparently yet to lose their enthusiasm for the job. The older waitress hovering around in the background wore the usual air of grumpiness like a veil.

At first glance, the meals might seem quite expensive, but closer inspection of the menu reveals value for money. The menu includes many things that are not readily available elsewhere in town, such as New Zealand roast lamb or salmon caviar, and it’s these things that attract the higher prices. The New Zealand lamb is 198Kc, salmon pasta with broccoli and cheese is 116Kc, and 200grams of beef steak is 200Kc and 300grams goes for 300Kc. Some of the other expensive dishes are listed as being suitable for two people. There are also a lot of standard dishes on the menu for prices comparable to other restaurants in the city (that is, 85-130kc for a main course and 20-25 for a side dish). I was there today in time to catch the lunch specials and had the chicken mix with fried onions, mushroom sauce, and rice for 65Kc. Other dishes on the lunch menu were fried cheese with boiled potatoes, Mexican chicken with rice, and a simple chicken fillet with potatoes. All the lunch specials were between 65 and 70Kc and came with a starter of the soup of the day.

They offer an excellent value, especially when you consider that small "value" meals at a certain international fast-food chain are 85Kc.

Open daily 11am to 10pm,
Friday and Saturday until 11pm