Christmas has come early for Mark Hix and Richard Corrigan as they scooped two of Fork Magazine’s awards for 2009 today. Hix’s Brewer Street restaurant picked up the gong for Best Restaurant, while Richard Corrigan won Best Chef. Another London restaurant, Polpo, picked up an award for the city’s Best New Opening.
It’s not such good news for The Connaught’s Helene Darroze whose restaurant came under fire today for – how shall we put it – fuzziness over the origin of the veal they serve. Waiters apparently claimed it was baby British cow on the menu, while food rights campaigners traced the veal to nearby Mayfair butchers Allens who said they supplied the restaurant with non-British veal. If you wanted to taste the meat in question you’re out of luck – it’s been taken off the menu while waiters are re-educated.
Keeping Busy: Atul Kutcher, fresh from re-opening Benares in the New Year, will follow it up with another new mid-market restaurant called the Colony Bar and Grill. Apparently it’ll feature mainly Indian street-style tapas and will open in February.
And finally...as the first snow flurries of the season hit London - it's worth remembering what happened last time the city had a white out - tables at usually impossible to get into London restuarants were suddenly available for those with snow shoes and a willingness to use them.
