This is one of the nicest non-Thai restaurants in Fairbanks. It wouldn’t last three weeks in London, but then it’s not in London, so that’s OK, and if you’re ever in Fairbanks, try it. The interior is small and quirky with vintage mis-matched furniture, and probably feels nice and cosy on an Alaskan winter night. Service is friendly and laid back, and – for Alaska – the menu is quite adventurous. We were with a group who had all eaten there before, and they ordered mains to share between two, or one had the soup and the other the main – wait a minute – I’d better explain.

On the menu it says “All entrees are served with your choice of a Wolf Run Special Salad, garden salad or a cup of soup” This offer is almost universal in Alaska, and it’s quite acceptable for two diners to share this one meal. Soup in a cup is also pretty standard, although Wolf Run also offers a bowl for an extra $2. And as usual, when you order a salad, you’re asked “Blue Cheese, Ranch, Thousand Island, French or Italian?” No restaurant here would ever dream of making their own fresh salad dressing – that would really confuse the customers.

Somebody offered to share a Chicken Kiev with me, but – call me greedy - I wanted my own meal. I went for Surf and Turf and L had Alaskan Halibut Imperial. At $22 each these were the most expensive items on the menu, and they were both fine, although L found the cheese sauce on his halibut a bit heavy. We could have chosen "Merchant Wine Steak & Shrooms" or "Pork Scaloppini" - you get the idea. The thing that really struck me about the menu was how formulaic it all was, there was absolutely nothing which prompted you to ask the waiter “What’s that ?” A great joy of travelling is finding new foods, or new ways to eat or serve familiar foods, so it’s a bit of a let down to travel so far, only to find a menu straight out of a suburban grill the 1970s. Abigail could have had her party right here.

In fact, there was a wonderful Abigail’s Party moment at the end of the evening, as we tried to settle up and leave. Having rung the bell at the unstaffed reception desk, we hung around chatting, waiting for someone to come and take our money. Somebody yelled up the stairs, and a voice replied “I’ll be right down” so we carried on chatting. As we were all paying separately, we all had to wait, and one person was anxious to get off, so we rang the bell again. And yelled up the stairs again. “I’ll be right down” came the breathless young man’s voice. What was he doing up there ? What do you think ?

Eventually he came down, flushed and apologetic, and took our money. We told him we could have walked out without paying, but he didn’t seem fazed by the idea. He must have thought it was a joke. Fairbanks – it’s a different world. I’m giving it Approved, because in Fairbanks, you’re not going to do much better.