⦿ Jay Rayner of The Observer reviewed Bundobust in Manchester, a “vibrant and cheap” combination of Indian veggie streetfood and craft beer that opened in December — and “by God, it works“. “Right now, the large, echoey basement space off the city’s Piccadilly feels like a big fat link in a chain, only one that hasn’t quite been […]
Allan Pickett, whose well-regarded Fitzrovia restaurant Piquet closed last year after just 12 months in business, has been hired as executive chef by the Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre overlooking the Thames in Southwark. The Swan, a couple of minutes’ walk from the Borough Market foodies hub, was refurbished a year ago and has wonderful views across the river to the […]
Chef, singer, broadcaster and supper club host Andi Oliver is to open her first restaurant next month in Stoke Newington – her home turf. Andi’s will serve brunch classics by day – baked eggs, French toast bacon sandwiches and Reubens with home-cured salt-beef – and transform into a more formal brasserie in the evening. She will be […]
⦿ The Observer’s Jay Rayner reviewed Chop Chop in Edinburgh, which confirmed his view that dumplings are the ultimate comfort food – “While you are eating dumplings nothing bad can happen.” Opened in 2006 by Jian Wang, from Dongbei in northeast China, Chop Chop excels in its dumplings, although its other dishes were more variable […]
The Brighton-based Giggling Squid group of Thai restaurants has announced its first London opening, in Wimbledon village this summer. The group plans to expand rapidly in the capital, having taken a £6.4million investment to accelerate growth plans. The Wimbledon venue will seat 110, with potential to double in size by extending upstairs. It launched a branch […]
Pembrokeshire-born chef Tom Simmons is opening his first restaurant in London this spring, with a focus on the best Welsh ingredients. Simmons, 28, appeared on MasterChef – The Professionals in 2011 and has worked with Tom Aikens and Mark Sargeant. His new self-named venue, with partner Lois Thomas running the front of house, is in the […]
Chef Matt Gillan will open his all-day café and evening restaurant in Brighton later this month — and has launched a kickstarter campaign to fund an ambitious extension. Gillan, who ran the Pass restaurant at South Lodge Hotel near Horsham for five successful years until last April, took over the Red Roaster café and roastery in Kemptown […]
⦿ The Observer’s Jay Rayner reviewed The Salt Room, Brighton, overlooking the beach from the unpromising ground floor of the Hilton Metropole. “Good things are sometimes found where you least expect them, and this restaurant is a very good thing indeed.” “Most pleasing of the starters is the fish soup. A bowl arrives containing a soft, […]
⦿ Jay Rayner of The Observer reviewed Louie Louie in Camberwell, a daytime cafe that becomes a restaurant in the evening under chef Oded Oren, originally from Tel Aviv, who is “an absolute corker”. “Lamb sweetbreads come skewered and grilled over charcoal. There is a wedge of lemon to squeeze over them and a tidy pile of za’atar, […]
Lympstone Manor, the new hotel and restaurant from distinguished chef Michael Caines, who ran the kitchen at Gidleigh Park for 21 years, opens for business on April 3 and is taking bookings now. Formerly know as Courtlands House, Lympstone Manor is on the Exe estuary near Exmouth, and has been refurbished at a cost of more than £7million. It has […]
