Whilst the Irish diaspora means you will find people of Irish descent in the furthest reaches of the planet, it is London that still has a magnetic appeal as a home from home. Fittingly, London is the location of this private members' club, which celebrates being Irish.

The Venue
The Irish Club is a private members’ club. You need to be of Irish birth, descent or the spouse of someone who is to qualify. Alternatively, you will be required to have a special interest in Ireland or the Irish Club to join. With a one-off joining fee of £150 and an annual charge of £450 for residents local to London, it's not an expensive option for a members' club.

It is situated minutes from Fleet Street, Victoria Embankment and Blackfriars tube (which is unfortunately shut until 2011). This club was originally founded in the 1950s at a previous site in Eaton Square, where it stood for 48 years. Now, after a few years’ hiatus, they have chosen this site as the new home of the Irish Club in London. It is housed in a grand period building on Tudor Street just off the manically busy New Bridge Street. You can easily spot it by looking for the huge tricolour proudly hanging at the entrance.

Through the doors, you’ll be warmly greeted by one of the members of staff at the front desk. From here, there are two routes: one, to the left, leads into the bar area; the other, to the right, takes you into the formal Leinster Restaurant. Take your time to admire the artwork on the walls, it is provided courtesy of the Barbara Stanley Gallery of Irish Contemporary Art. Alongside more progressive art there are stunning watercolours of the tumultuous and majestic west coast of Ireland, which are sure to be popular with patrons. The bar is very bright and would benefit from subtler lighting, especially as the night draws in. There are typical Irish bar paraphernalia in glass frames, including a signed Irish rugby shirt and a picture of a classic Guinness advert; in contrast there is a more unusual darker painting of an elderly man looking ill at ease.

Switch through to the restaurant and you will find a room decked out with chandeliers, heavy long curtains, red carpet, and pale green walls. This is the sort of decor that might be considered slightly old fashioned but it is in keeping with the style of the building. The venue offers more space upwards (it has several levels in total) than it is does in girth. A sturdy internal wooden staircase provides access to the various floors, although there’s a lift. Upstairs there are several versatile spaces for business meetings and private functions. Named after the provinces of Connaught, Munster and Ulster, they are geared towards providing a London base for business people and in this respect they should do a brisk trade.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The staff are enthusiastic about the club, from the front of house to the management and the head chef, who even comes out from the kitchen to explain lesser known dishes and to get feedback from diners.

The Food
The food served at The Irish Club is of a very high standard and is great value. Starters cost around the £5 mark, mains range from £9.50-£18 and desserts are available for as little as £3.50. They also offer a set menu of two courses for £15 and three courses for £18. Considering the location and the quality of the food this generous pricing scheme is a big selling point. The menu has been well crafted for its target audience. There are plenty of skilfully-produced comforting dishes with modern flourishes, and nods to the likes of Ireland and France but, crucially, it is not too fussy or over elaborate.

A starter of finely grated crab and a thin slice of smoked salmon (£5.90) sits atop a dark, malty slice of bread. The fresh crab and delicate salmon are nicely offset by a drizzle of avocado puree and a tart citrus dressing, whilst the bread underpins the sweetness with a dense sour flavour. An artichoke salad with rocket, salad leaves, sundried tomatoes, parmesan and aged balsamic may appear a fairly simple dish, but it is well presented and simple things are often the most satisfying.

Mains include the most expensive option of an 8oz sirloin with house chips and the famous Cashel Blue in butter form (£18). However, for great value and quality you should head straight for the honey roasted pork belly, spring greens, champ and caramelised apple puree - an absolute steal at £11.25. The pork arrives in glistening rectangle shapes that have the sweet crackling on top of wonderfully yielding pork. The champ is a smooth blend of creamy mash potato. In addition to this there is buttery diced cabbage, and the caramelised apple puree adds an extra layer of excitement to what is a superb dish. In comparison, the sea bass is a perfectly good dish but doesn’t spark the same enthusiastic response as the pork. That’s not a reflection on the sea bass, more an indication of how good the pork is.

To round things off, the chocolate brownie with caramel ice cream and sugared pistachio nuts is divine. At £4 it’s excellent value for money and will leave you purring about its qualities way after you finish your meal.

The Drink
High on the list of many people’s reasons for joining a private members’ club is so that they can enjoy a late night drink. This will, on special occasions, be the case here. However, the bar is only open 11am-11pm, Monday to Friday, showing that it is primarily geared to provide for the business community during the working day and for after work food and drinks.

The Italian beer Moretti (£3) is the highlight from the draught lagers. Guinness is, naturally, a house specialty, and there’s a wealth of whiskys if members are in need of a stronger hit after a hard day at the office. Their wine list is expansive and has many enticing options. A Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Roccastella represents everything that is good about Italian wine making: it is robust, rich and has a long, lingering finish.

The Last Word
The Irish Club offers the opportunity to mix business with pleasure, and is a stately port of call for those of Irish heritage in London.

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