London Restaurant & Bar News

Louis Roederer tasting at Prism

Evenings don’t get much more indulgent than a tasting of Champagnes from Louis Roederer, including Cristal, in the impressive surrounds of Harvey Nichols’s Prism restaurant in the City. This unique experience, which takes place this Tuesday evening, will be hosted by head sommelier Alain Lee, accompanied by representatives of the prestigious Champagne house. Tickets are £95 per person, which includes a selection of canapes to accompany the tasting.

Taste of Barbados, until 11 October 2008

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (October 2008)... If you’ve sensibly decided to cock a snook at the miserable weather and booked yourself onto a flight to sunny Barbados, you’re in for a real treat. One of the most glamorous celebrations in the Bajan calendar, www.tasteofbarbados.com, is currently in full swing, with a host of culinary events taking place across the island right through until 11 October. If you haven’t bought your plane ticket yet, what better excuse do you need?

All Star Lanes, Brick Lane

COMING SOON... The third in the line of boutique all-American bowling alleys, All Star Lanes, opens this November in Brick Lane. It’s the biggest of the bunch with nine lanes, plus a 20ft copper bar dispensing classic US cocktails, beers and a wide range of bourbons. There’s also a 200-seat diner named Luncheonette dishing out Louisiana crab cakes, jambalaya risotto and smoked bourbon baby-back ribs. The design will feature trademark cherry-red banquettes, timber floors and white walls, while the 100-person private room with its own three bowling lanes should come in handy for parties. The Old Truman Brewery, 87 Brick Lane, E1 6QR, 020 7426 9200.

River Cafe, Hammersmith

RECENTLY REOPENED (October 2008)... It was back in 1987 that Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers (picture left to right) opened the River Cafe, and it didn’t taken long for their simple Italian cooking to build up a cult following. Twenty one years later the restaurant closed following a fire but now it has risen phoenix-like from the ashes, looking better than ever and with the same much-loved gusty food as before.

Avista, Mayfair

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Londoners can’t complain of being deprived of new fine-dining Italians. In recent months we’ve been graced with Apsleys, L'Anima and Murano, and now it’s the turn of Avista. The Grosvenor Square newcomer is presided over by a Zafferano alumnus, who's serving up a menu that brings together traditional and more modern Italian dishes: think steamed prawn and green apple salad (pictured) followed by pumpkin tortelloni with butter and sage.

Bel Canto, Tower Hill

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Covent Garden’s opera-themed restaurants have never scored highly on our radar, so Londoners in search of musical accompaniment to their meal should head to City newcomer Bel Canto where the offering is a little more fine-tuned. Diners are serenaded with the arias of Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and Rossini while dining on food that takes its cue from south-western France.

Corrigan's, Mayfair

COMING SOON... You can’t call Richard Corrigan’s success at Bentley's – or his eponymous eatery at Lindsay House – the luck of the Irish. The acclaimed chef clearly knows how to work a restaurant. So we have no doubt that he’ll come up trumps with his next venue Corrigan’s which opens in Mayfair in early November. Once again he’ll be working prime British and Irish produce into refined dishes (with plenty of choice for veggies), while also offering the option of a 20-seat private dining room, a 10-person chef’s table and a snazzy bar area. 28 Upper Grosvenor Street, W1.

York & Albany, Camden

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Is there no end to Gordon Ramsay's talents? No sooner has the dust settled on posh Mayfair Italian Murano than he and leading lady Angela Hartnett have opened up another gaff, this time a refurbished coaching inn on the edge of Regent's Park. There are 10 bedrooms, a deli and a relaxed dining room serving seasonal dishes such as grilled mackerel or partridge with curly kale.

Sophie's Steakhouse, Covent Garden

COMING SOON... If it ain’t broke don’t fix it: that’s the thinking behind the second branch of Sophie's Steakhouse, due to open in Covent Garden this November. Both the look and the menu will be similar to its Fulham sibling, the highlight being the top-class steaks (28-day aged, naturally) pepped up with a tomato-based ‘special sauce’. Again there will be no bookings, but this time the bar will be much bigger, meaning more space to sample the sassy cocktail list. 29-31 Wellington Street, WC2E 7DB, 020 7836 8836.

Giaconda Dining Room, Bloomsbury

They say good things come in small packages and it certainly rings true at the Giaconda Dining Room, which opened recently on Denmark Street (aka Tin Pan Alley) – in its heyday a home-from-home for many a British rock star, now a fairly grim thoroughfare around the corner from Tottenham Court Road tube. It’s a tiny, unpretentious spot defined by no-frills furnishings, solid cooking & welcoming service – no wonder it has already garnered plenty of praise.

Wine and dine at Vivat Bacchus, London Bridge

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (September 2008)... For a taste of South Africa this Tuesday, head to the new London Bridge branch of Vivat Bacchus, where a special food and drink event will be taking place. Gems from acclaimed winemaker Martin Meinert – who will be on hand to guide diners through the pairings – will be matched to a five-course menu from chef Stuart Ferguson, with dishes such as grilled springbok alongside an array of cheeses.

The Victoria, Sheen

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Paul Merrett proved himself as a gastro-whizz when he headed up the kitchen at Michelin-starred The Greenhouse, but for his latest venture he’s traded the hurly-burly of central London for a leafy gastropub near Richmond. The food at The Victoria demonstrates he’s lost none of his flair: flavours are bold and well balanced. There’s also an excellent range of wines by the glass, and smiling service to boot.

Beer Exposed, Islington

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (September 2008)... Forget Phileas Fogg – this weekend, why not go around the world with 80 brewers? Beer Exposed will be bringing together the likes of Anchor Steam from San Francisco, Poland’s Perla and Kombolcha from Ethiopia along with Shepherd Neame, Harviestoun and the Freedom Brewery. There'll be expert advice on everything from micro-breweries to matching beer with food, plus guided beer walks and even female-only tasting tutorials. For more info or to buy tickets visit www.beerexposed.com

Vivat Bacchus, London Bridge

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Calling all oenophiles, a second branch of South-African accented food and wine emporium, Vivat Bacchus, has just opened in London Bridge. Once you’ve toured the separate white and red cellars and selected your bottle you can snack on tapas-sized plates in the ground-floor bar or go more adventurous with crocodile spring rolls or ostrich tartare in the downstairs dining room.

An evening at Home (House) with Bridge & Wickers, Marylebone

DATE FOR THE DIARY (September 2008)... On Wednesday 24 September, Jerry Bridge and David Wickers (of luxury holiday specialists Bridge & Wickers) are inviting Square Meal readers for an evening of wine, canapes and travel tips at fashionable members club Home House. Many of their travel partners (such as Quantas, Tourism Far North Queensland and Voyages Resorts) will also be on hand to give advice and details of exclusive offers to anyone planning a trip to ANZ. Please email their events department to request a place.

20% off at Obika, Trafalgar Square

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (September 1008)... A second branch of mozzarella bar Obika opened in early September in a smart building just off Trafalgar Square. The idea is that diners select their chosen mozzarella, be it buffalo, smoked or burrata (the creamy version typical of Puglia) and then team it with Sicilian vegetables, smoked salmon or a range of charcuterie, plus a good glass on vino Italiano.

To celebrate the new arrival the owners are offering Square Meal readers 20% off the a la carte menu and wine list until 26 October. All you need to do is quote "Square Meal offer" when you arrive.

Tierra Brindisa, Soho

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... We’re absolutely over the moon to hear that a second branch of Borough’s acclaimed Tapas Brindisa (pictured left), called Tierra Brindisa, has just opened in Soho… and it takes reservations. So that means no more hour-long waits for the absolutely knock-out food. Top of the list are the Iberico ham croquetas, prawns cooked with garlic and chilli and Leon chorizo with piquillo pepper on country toast. 46 Broadwick Street. W1F 7AF, 020 7534 1690.

Re-corking clinic for vintage Penfolds reds, Strand

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (September 2008)... On 1 October 2008, Penfolds will be running a re-corking clinic at Somerset House. Anyone owning a bottle of Penfolds red over 15 years old can have its condition assessed both for opportune drinking time and continued cellaring potential by chief winemaker Peter Gago. Christie’s will also be on hand for market appraisals. Register by Friday 19 September at www.penfolds.com

Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, Knightsbridge

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... 'If it aint broke, why fix it?'. So says Marcus Wareing on reopening the restaurant formerly known as Petrus, this time with his own name above the door. The Petrus brand has stayed with Gordon Ramsay Holdings (and is expected to be relaunched elsewhere) but over at The Berkeley, it's business at usual: the vast majority of the team have stayed put and the decor remains unchanged, as does Wareing's exceptional cooking.

Square Meal's Award-Winning Exhibition Returns

DATE FOR THE DIARY (September 2008)... If you organise events as part of your job, make sure you visit our exhibition in the City next week, on 17th & 18th September. With over 240 exhibitors including restaurants, bars, London & UK venues, events suppliers, corporate gifts and hospitality, you can pick up event ideas to last you the next 12 months. Tickets are FREE so click here to register or for more information visit the Square Meal's Venues & Events website.

The Connaught Bar, Mayfair

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Want to go out drinking in style? You can’t get more chic than the new Connaught Bar, recently reopened as part of the Mayfair hotels extensive refurbishment. Furnishing are wrought from leather and marble, while drinks are similarly luxurious: think premium spirits, fine wines and Champagnes kicking off from £60 a bottle. There are great bar bites too, courtesy of in-house chef Helene Darroze.

Restaurant Tristan, West Sussex

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Leaving London to take over a restaurant in the centre of Horsham takes guts, but young star Tristan Mason (ex-Orrery), has come up trumps with his latest opening, Restaurant Tristan. Expect pitch-perfect cooking at fair prices in an attractive wooden-beamed dining room.

Just St James, St James's

RECENTLY REOPENED (September 2008)... With double-height ceilings, a spiral staircase and marble columns, Just St James was always a rather grand spot. But the restaurant, housed in a former Edwardian banking hall has just bounced back from a major refurb and looks every bit the better following a fresh lick of paint. A new chef has upped the ante on the food front too.

Min Jiang, Kensington

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)...The restaurant on the tenth floor of the Royal Garden Hotel has just been reborn as Min Jiang. It’s a top-end Chinese destination serving up the house speciality of Beijing duck cooked in wood-fired ovens & carved at the table. Other offerings include dim sum such Shanghai steamed buns filled with stewed meat & larger dishes of pan-fried soft-shell crab with salt, pepper & chilli. Newly designed interiors now feature contemporary Chinese flourishes, but the magnificent views are unchanged: from the dining room you can gaze out over Kensington Gardens towards the South Bank & take in most major London landmarks.

Kazan City, Liverpool Street

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... If you're feeling the pinch after the holidays but need something to ease you back into the daily grind, check out Kazan City. Recently opened a stone's throw from Liverpool Street, the original Victoria branch has a reputation for offering 'great food at great prices' and the new outpost firmly follows suit. Mezze is king here, with all the classics featuring alongside more unexpected dishes.

Inamo, Soho

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Pioneering a new approach to service, Inamo hopes to take the frustration out of ordering & paying. The concept is simple: the tables double up as 'computer screens' with the menus projected onto a touch pad enabling you to send your orders straight through to the kitchen/bar and request your bill at the end. More than just a gimmick, the food comes courtesy of chef Anthony Sousa Tam (ex-Nobu & Hakkasan), so expect top-notch pan-Asian dishes.

Ceviche Masterclasses at Gaucho

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (September 2008)... Try your hand at making South America’s take on sashimi this month at any of the 11 Gaucho restaurants across the capital. One of Gaucho’s specialities (after the steaks of course), the dish is known as ceviche and is made by curing the seafood or fish in citrus juices and herbs. To celebrate the UK’s Seafood Fortnight (5-21 September), the branches will be holding masterclasses to show guests how to recreate them at home.

The London Restaurant Awards

INDUSTRY NEWS (September 2008)... The London Restaurant Awards, sponsored by aAim Group, returned last night (1 September 2008) after a three year absence. A night of accolades highlighted the fabulous diversity of London's restaurant scene but it was The Greenhouse (pictured left) and Rowley Leigh's Le Cafe Anglais who stole the show with two awards each: Outstanding Restaurant Service and an Award of Excellence (for special occasion dining) for the former, Restaurant of the Year and New Restaurant of the Year for the latter.

Other winners included: Great Queen Street (Best British restaurant), Galvin Bistrot De Luxe (Best French), Theo Randall at the Intercontinental (Best Italian), Barrafina (Best Iberian), Aaya (Best Oriental), Tayyabs (Best Indian) and Market in Camden (Best Local).

Further awards went to: The Wolseley (Best Business Lunch), Sam's Brasserie & Bar (Under £60 for two), Jason Atherton of Maze (Outstanding London Chef), Carluccio's (Restaurant Chain) and Eagle owner Mike Belben (Restaurateur of the Year). Mark Hix was also recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to London Restaurants.

St Pancras Grand, King's Cross

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... Joining the Champagne Bar on the Eurostar concourse is St Pancras Grand. Acclaimed Irish chef Richard Corrigan (pictured left) has been consulting on the menu, so whether you’re heading off across the Channel, or returning back to good old Blighty, you can fill up on the good, sturdy fare our nation is proud of: Cornish oysters, grilled English lobster, roast leg of Welsh lamb with mint jelly and rice pudding with strawberry jam for afters.

Andaman, St James's

RECENTLY OPENED (September 2008)... London is home to one of the world’s most exciting restaurant scenes, so it’s no surprise that so many top-tier European chefs have made their way here. Recently we’ve seen French chefs JC Ansanay-Alex (Ambassade de L'ile) and Helene Darroze at The Connaught open their doors, and now it’s the turn Dieter Muller, the Austrian head chef of the three Michelin-starred restaurant at Schlosshotel Lerbach in Germany. He’s just opened Andaman at the newly refurbished and revamped St James’s Hotel and Club

Mint Leaf Lounge, Bank

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... Why did Mint Leaf choose Bank for the site of its second restaurant? According to an insider, regular guests kept asking when the modern Indian was going to open in the City. The constant questioning worked, and fans of the Haymarket original will be pleased to hear that Mint Leaf Lounge recently opened offering a similar combination of refined food, slick surroundings and a large mezzanine-level Champagne bar.

Baozi Inn, Soho

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... If you believe that small is beautiful, then Chinatown newcomer Baozi Inn might just float your boat. From the team behind Bar Shu, it combines tight surrounds with a compact menu of Beijing and Chengdu street snacks and miniscule prices to boot. There are noodles, salads and dumplings, not forgetting the baozi themselves - steamed buns filled with chive, radish or pork, at £1.20 a pop.

The Modern Pantry, Clerkenwell

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... Ever get the feeling that many of the capital's eateries are dishing out grub we could knock up at home, if only we could be bothered? Well there's no risk of this at kiwi chef Anna Hansen's new gaff, The Modern Pantry. The co-founder of The Providores is once again championing funky fusion cooking: slow-cooked octopus with lemon and parsley or miso-marinated onglet with cassava chips, say.

Murano, Mayfair

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... Since leaving The Connaught last year Angela Hartnett has been a busy lady. She’s just opened her new Italian, Murano, in Mayfair where the finely wrought food goes hand in hand with swish surrounds. Then in late September she’ll oversee another Gordon Ramsay Holdings project, the York & Albany, a less formal Italian restaurant with rooms in Primrose Hill.

Buddha Bar, Victoria Embankment

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... Brush off those glad rags as chic Parisian outfit, Buddha Bar, has transported its glamour to London in a two-storey site just below Waterloo Bridge. Amber-hued lighting, mahogany furniture & luxurious gold & red fabrics create a sexy backdrop for exotic cocktails & top-name DJs. The dining room is presided over by a huge statue of Buddha & serves up pan-Asian plates including grilled sea bass with tamarind sauce. There's a sushi bar & several private rooms, too.

Ruinart and the City, locations across London

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (August 2008)... If the current state of the weather is getting you down, what better way to cheer yourself up than with a glass of lovely bubbly? Seven of the swankiest spots around town are serving the supremely summery Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, just the thing for convincing yourself that the sun may eventually come out. The participating venues are: Blakes, Daylesford Organic, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe, Geales, Roka, Zuma and The Ritz.

Viva Verdi, Southwark

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... Over 100 years since Verdi's death, this stylish Southwark newcomer celebrates his music alongside the food of Parma (where a number of his operas were composed). Visiting sopranos serenade evening diners with much-loved arias while friendly staff serve up pastas and traditional wooden platters of cured meats (hand-sliced by a 1940s Berkel, pictured left) or full-flavoured cheeses.

Charity Dinner at The Cinnamon Club, Westminster

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (August 2008)... For fans of modern Indian cuisine with an altruistic side, The Cinnamon Club's charity dinner on 29 September could be just the ticket. Diners can look forward to a Champagne reception, three-course dinner with matched wines and post-dinner auction, all in aid of the NSPCC. Places cost £100 each.

The Lawn at Fulham Palace, Fulham

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... Alfresco dining in London always carries a certain element of risk, but if you're going to take your chances, there are few better places to do it than at Oliver Peyton's new gaff, The Lawn at Fulham Palace. Quintessentially English, the seasonal menu offers the likes of chargrilled Cornish sardines, barbecued marinated chicken, watercress and red onion salad and Eton mess to finish.

25% off on Saturdays at Bleeding Heart Bistro, Farringdon

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (August 2008)... For the first time in 25 years, Number Seven Bleeding Heart Yard is opening for lunch and dinner on Saturdays and to celebrate, it's offering Square Meal readers 25% off the food bill. This much-loved, romantic bistro serves rustic French cooking in a buzzy double-height dining room and on a lovely patio terrace. Valid until end of August, please quote Square Meal when booking.

Gaucho 02, North Greenwich

RECENTLY OPENED (August 2008)... Ah, the 02. Once a white elephant that haunted many a government minister, its rebirth as a concert venue has been one of the most spectacular successes of recent times. What's more, this classy, well-organised site has spawned a host of quality restaurants and bars, including a stunning new Gaucho. Slinkier and sexier than its siblings, this Argentine steakhouse offers three floors for dining, drinking, wine tasting and private parties.

Jimmy's Food and Wine Tasting at Vinopolis, London Bridge

FOOD AND DRINK EVENT (August 2008)... On 14 September, Jimmy Doherty will be at Vinopolis showcasing top British produce. Best known for his successful BBC2 series Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes, the man himself will be hosting two special two-hour tasting sessions. Food from Doherty's farm as well as Kelly's Turkeys of Essex and Cornerways Nursery of East Anglia will be paired with beer and wine by a Vinopolis wine expert.

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