Overview
Comptoir Libanais opens at Gatwick and Bluewater
The House Collection relaunch iconic Paddocks House, Newmarket
Salt’n Pepper opens first overseas restaurant in London
Fancy a Spanish? New look La Tasca for Cardiff
Madhu’s Heathrow: new Indian dining concept lands at Sheraton Skyline Hotel
Comptoir Libanais opens at Gatwick and Bluewater
Contemporary Lebanese canteen Comptoir Libanais opened last year at Gatwick’s North Terminal (pictured above), the first for any airport, and the sixth London spot for the brand as the fresh, healthy and tasty Lebanese cuisine becomes increasingly popular.
The Gatwick restaurant offers an extensive, varied and affordable menu including new Lebanese hot breakfasts for the early birds and a take-away service (with easy-to-carry packaging) that means time-pressured travellers can pick up tasty bites to take on board. There is also a large range of low calorie, vegetarian and Halal dishes plus a children’s menu.
In addition to the dining experience, passengers will be able to take a bit of the Middle East with them with a range of products and ingredients available for purchase from hand embroidered bags and Marrakesh to cookbooks, Harissa tins and silver mint tea pots.
The 1800 square foot restaurant is run by TRG Concessions and located on level three of the North Terminal. Light, bright and effortlessly cool, it boasts a buzzy, informal, cafe culture and a modern Middle Eastern ambiance.
Tony Kitous, Founder and Creative Director at Comptoir Libanais says: “We’ve long dreamt of bringing Beirut design, culture and cuisine to people across the UK and coming to Gatwick is a major step towards achieving that. Our healthy mezze platters, dips and bowls are perfect for people wanting to kick-start their holiday enjoying a meal with friends and family or for those that need to pick up food at speed for the plane.”
Pictured here is the Comptoir Libanais operating at the Bluewater Shopping Centre:
The House Collection relaunch iconic Paddocks House, Newmarket
Boutique hotel group The House Collection has opened its second venue, Paddocks House, following a full refurbishment of the hotel formerly known as Swynford Paddocks.
Following hot on the heels of sister hotel, Poets House in Ely, which opened in April 2013, Paddocks House will create a new local landmark for high-quality hospitality, fine dining and special events.
The impressive 18th-century country house stands in beautifully landscaped grounds between Newmarket and Cambridge. It has been refurbished in The House Collection’s signature style, to create an ambience of intimate luxury and comfort with a stylish modern edge.
Each of the 15 guest rooms is a spacious suite with high ceilings, garden views, elegant freestanding copper bath and all the latest technology. For an especially indulgent experience, the penthouse suite offers stunning views and its own private screening room.
Dining
Food and drink is an all-consuming passion at The House Collection. With 46 covers, the elegant Dining Room restaurant features an exciting choice of seasonal dishes prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and served with a contemporary twist.
Events
For special celebrations, weddings and corporate events catering for up to 150 guests, the Garden Room has been completely transformed and extended to create a stunning conservatory-style venue that opens onto a Venetian garden. For smaller events, the Reading Room has capacity for up to 80 people and is close to the historic Brigadier Bar. For a more intimate occasion, the Drawing Room can be set up as a stylish private dining or meeting room with capacity of up to 30.
Location
Situated in the village of Six Mile Bottom, Paddocks House is only six miles from Newmarket, home of some of the world’s best horseracing. Every year a major programme of flat race meetings is hosted nearby, including the popular Newmarket Nights season when guests can enjoy an evening of racing topped off with chart-topping live music.
For more information click here
Salt’n Pepper opens first overseas restaurant in London
It is generally accepted that London has the best curry and Tandoor cuisine outside Asia and most recommendations direct tourists towards the city’s Brick Lane. This can no longer be considered the case, with a number of quality pan-Asian establishments popping up across the city in recent years.
Now, Salt’n Pepper London has opened, the first overseas restaurant of Pakistan’s revered Salt’n Pepper Group. The group was established over 30 years ago by the renowned hotelier, restaurateur and food writer Mr. Mahmood Akbar, with the first restaurant launch in Lahore in 1983. The restaurant group is considered Pakistan’s most recognised and distinguished hospitality brand.
The bona fide tastes and traditions of Pakistani dining
Salt’n Pepper takes as its mission statement the desire to bring the authentic flavours and culinary sensibilities of traditional Pakistani cuisine to the UK, with the aim being to re-educate both locals and visitors to London about the bona fide tastes and traditions of Pakistani dining. The restaurant aims to set this unique cuisine apart from its Indian neighbours, to project its own identity within the world’s culinary landscape.
The new, modern restaurant offers diners a choice of much-loved classic Pakistani dishes with traditional influences from the Punjab, Sindh, Turkish, and Persian regions, by presenting these time honoured dishes in a contemporary setting.
Pakistani chefs, including BBQ, Tandoor and even Biryani specialists deliver rich, vibrant yet healthy dishes that truly reflect the nation’s ethnic and cultural diversity.
Salt’n Pepper adapts historic and traditional cooking methods and presents these delectable dishes with simplicity, combining the freshest ingredients with all natural flavours and spices to bring diners a truly authentic feast for the senses. Some of the acclaimed regional specialities include kebabs, karahis and biryanis, prepared to Mr Mahmood Akbar’s secret, signature recipes.
Salt’n Pepper, 32 Orange Street, Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7HQ
For more information click here
Fancy a Spanish? New look La Tasca for Cardiff
Popular Cardiff Spanish tapas bar and restaurant La Tasca has re-opened its doors following a full refurbishment of the lively Mediterranean restaurant situated in The Old Brewery Quarter.
The restaurant has been refurbished throughout in keeping with the authentic Spanish charm, with the addition of a new Chupitos Bar, which means La Tasca is set to become a must-visit venue for the surrounding area.
Gluten-free (GF) accreditation
The investment and refurbishment comes hot on the heels of an exciting new menu launch, which also saw La Tasca named as the latest organisation to join an elite group of 11 establishments to gain full gluten-free (GF) accreditation from Coeliac UK, the national charity for people with coeliac disease
The menu has more than 60 dishes and features new dishes designed by acclaimed executive chef Antony Bennett who has taken inspiration from traditional Spanish tapas from his various trips to Spain
Madhu’s Heathrow: new Indian dining concept lands at Sheraton Skyline Hotel
The Sheraton Skyline Hotel London Heathrow has unveiled its innovative new Indian restaurant. Offering authentic Punjabi cuisine with a Kenyan twist, Madhu’s Heathrow is the first new restaurant from the distinguished Madhu’s brand since the opening of its renowned Indian restaurant in Southall, West London, over 33 years ago.
Hundreds of guests enjoyed the official opening of the restaurant by The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, who spoke in praise of Madhu’s and his experiences of their catering. Guests then sampled and certainly enjoyed some of the dishes that are now offered at the restaurant.
Indian cuisine for both international and local guests
Indian cuisine is today recognised and appreciated by customers all over the world. Whilst Madhu’s original restaurant in Southall has flourished for over 30 years, so too has the cuisine – worldwide. As a result, the international guests of the Sheraton will not be surprised or discouraged by Madhu’s when they stay at the hotel. Indeed, the reverse is expected: guests will welcome the ease and opportunity of sampling Madhu’s menu.
Secret recipes + Robata grill
The menu at Madhu’s Heathrow has been developed by the restaurant’s two Indian Head Chefs, Harash Narang and Gurmeet Singh Daul, and includes secret recipes handed down over four generations of the Kenyan Anand family, owners of the Madhu’s brand. With a focus on dishes prepared using the restaurant’s live Robata grill (above), the menu demonstrates a delicate balance between the flavours of the different meats, vegetables and spices and the distinctive char grill taste.
Robata dishes on the menu include: Bharwan Calamari, baby calamari with aromatic spiced salmon rillettes; Madhu’s Machi, whole seabass in onion and carom seed marinade; Malai Murg, char grilled mascarpone and cardamom infused chicken cubes; and Nyamah Choma, succulent prime cut lamb ribs, marinated in chilli and lemon charred on the grill.
Design
The Madhu’s Heathrow launch follows a complete redesign of the restaurant space at the Sheraton Skyline with the introduction of stylish new furnishings in the Madhu’s colours of black, red and gold; and the creation of two Chivas private dining rooms (see below) which can seat up to 10 or 12 people; and the installation of the Robata grill at the heart of the dining area.
About Madhu’s
Established for over 33 years, the first Madhu’s restaurant is an institution in Southall. Madhu’s is also renowned as being exclusive caterer for Indian weddings and events across many of London’s most luxurious hotels, as well catering for Indian events hosted by the Royal Family at Clarence House and Windsor Castle. Madhu’s speciality foods are also exclusively available in Harrods’ and Harvey Nichols’ food courts.
For more information about Madhu’s click here
For more information about Sheraton Skyline click here
About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Sheraton helps guests make connections at more than 400 hotels in nearly 70 countries around the world and recently completed a $6 billion global revitalization and is now in the midst of an $8 billion global expansion over the next three years.
Sheraton is owned by and is the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with nearly 1,200 properties in 100 countries, and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and Element®.
For more information about Sheraton Hotels & Resorts click here
John Bercow MP and Speaker of the House of Commons cuts the opening ribbon – left to right: Sanjay Anand, Keith Vaz MP, Arjun Anand, Reena Anand,, Rt Hon John Bercow MP