26 MARCH 1988, Page 23

Siege rations

THE besieging hordes of Lord Forte's army are beginning to rattle the defenders in the Savoy camp. So I inferred when lunching in that camp's venerable bastion, Simpson's in the Strand ('When are we going to let women in? When we get nicked, sir.') To my table was brought a dish which elsewhere would be in the forefront of the new cookery: baked trea- cle roll and sauce bearnaise. I wonder who got the well-done rump steak and custard.