Break out the champagne – or at least the cava – this is a good news week as far as London's restaurateurs are concerned. It seems as if bookings are on the up. The newly revamped Evening Standard kicked off a week of positive buzz, pointing out a host of restaurants opening in the city over the next six months. ‘Without doubt since February we’ve seen a modest improvement, ‘ they were told by Des Gunewaredera, chairman of D&D restaurants – who own Le Pont de la Tour and the Almeida. 'It may be something temporary but...we are ahead of our expectations.’ Des’s comments were echoed by Boisdale owner Ranald Macdonald who told The Independent ‘we are all doing rather well’.
It’s also been a busy week for Aldo Zilli, who after opening his first Zilli cafe in Center Parcs, is also hoping that diners will do the right thing by launching a ‘pay what you like’ menu at Signor Zilli in aid of the Abruzzo Earthquake Fund.
Other spring shoots we harvested this week:
- That making marmalade, bottling fruit or even baking cakes can spell disaster for your potential love life.
- If you’re going to try and rig the Eurovision Song Contest, it’s not wise to do what looks like a deal in a high-profile caviar restaurant where all of Moscow can see you
- You need to give your restaurant designer a better brief if you don't want them to come up with a design which involves 2000 swords hanging point down from your restaurant ceiling
- And Raymond Blanc has a real thing for Kit Kats
