India, June 5 -- Now that the Delhi Gymkhana is in the news, perhaps it is time to talk a little about club food; not just the Delhi Gym cuisine but club food in general.

A vast mythology has grown up around club food, and Marut Sikka has even created a successful restaurant, Delhi Club House, around the great dishes of clubland. I don't go to too many clubs (never have, never will), but people who regularly eat the real thing always tell me that Marut's delicious versions of club dishes are far better than the originals.

This is not entirely surprising, because I suspect that club food is more a state of mind than a specific cuisine of any great quality. To really enjoy it, you have to eat it in the club and even then, the idea of the ...