The London Restaurant Review

Regatta Restaurant, London - Press Release

Enter a Venetian world of romance and style within a chic crisp Italian décor. Pass through highly polished brass door furniture and be confronted by carnival masks and imagery infusing old values and fashionable consciousness rarely appreciated outside Italy. You have arrived in the newly anointed legendary restaurateur Beata Ferrarese’s newly refurbished restaurant Regatta.

With secluded “sassi” (cave) booths diners can have a romantic or risqué dinner in sheltered seclusion. Traditional dining is also available with tables and chairs set out on two main floors leading onto a classical wine and cocktail bar oasis stocked with extensive French and new world wines as well as good quality Italian wines. 

A fine Italian cuisine and best British tradition style menu will satisfy the most discerning palate.  I can do no better than to quote Rob Driscoll, food editor “Regatta is a food and wine treasure chest and the service is like a fluster of happy charming butterflies - let me say how absolutely commendable it is.’ OK Magazine. Starters start at £4.40 Main course £9.50.  The special lunch menu is £12.95 for two courses or £14.95 for three courses - Talk about value!
            
To make your dining experience complete choose from a wide selection of delicious desserts, my personal favourite is home made Warm Heart Chocolate Pudding served with home made vanilla ice cream, the real treat of this dessert is the hot melting fondant which unfolds when you break into it.  All desserts are fresh and home made including Tiramisu, Afforgato Al Torroncino and hot Apple Strudel.

Regatta regularly plays host to stars and VIPs from the world of music, sport, television, politics and entertainment.

Restaurateur Beata’s passion for food, wine and cooking has stemmed from a life driven by flavours from all round the world including Italy, Poland, France, Africa and Spain as she sampled food from the best eateries in Italy to the extreme 3 course lunch in the Cairo desert.  Beata brings her life passion of food exploring to the table every day at Regatta.  The ingredients at Regatta are freshly sourced daily and the quality is incredible and untouchable. Bea’s unswerving attention to detail, sense of quality and natural enthusiasm for hospitality means Regatta’s guests will always have a meticulously faultless orchestrated evening to be remembered. Ciao Ciao!

The Venetian carnival is celebrated at Regatta when guests are invited to enjoy an evening of exquisite food and live music from a fine Italian mini string orchestra and with popular Italian vocalists known as “The Region”.  Every 3 months Regatta plays host to an evening of food from a selected region of Italy so guests can enjoy Neapolitan dishes, wine and music.  To find out more about special evenings contact Regatta on 0208 886 5471.

Regatta opened for the first time 15 years ago and has grown to be a monument in its own right in Winchmore Hill, a land mark for the North London region.  Beata has brought the spot light to Winchmore Hill, and the surrounding area by excelling in a business which is a challenge to perfect.  She has raised the profile of the region and as a direct result will attract new business and fresh energy to people who work and live there.  A positive achievement for North London!

The restaurant is available for hire for special events such as Small Weddings, Private Parties, Bar/ Bat Mitzvahs, Christenings, Anniversaries, Christmas Parties and Corporate Events. 

Regatta Restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday – Friday 12 – 2.30pm Sunday 12 – 2.30pm.  It is open for dinner Monday – Thursday 7-11pm Friday-Saturday 7-11.30pm.

Regatta   10 – 12 The Green   Winchmore Hill   London  N21 1 AY
Reservations Tel 0208 886 5471

Org-E

22 Wellington St, Covent Garden

Org-e is a new notion – a place to eat for busy people, which brings together superbly healthy and delicious organic food with complete ecological and social integrity.   Soil Association-certified Org-e opens its first place in Covent Garden in April and promises to change the way people think about eating.   All the food can be eaten in situ, or for those on the run, carried away. 

First and foremost Org-e will make you feel good.  Where possible it will use and promote UK seasonally produced and organically certified ingredients.  It will also ensure that ingredients sourced elsewhere will not be flown in, minimising the impact on the environment and reducing ‘food miles’.   Org-e, which stands for Organic Excellence, will create seasonally changing menus using ethically produced organic food, in an environment which treats everyone and everything from customers and staff to food suppliers with respect.  Org-e believes in using the freshest ingredients, farmed and produced in an environmentally sustainable way, freshly delivered every day and hand-made in their own kitchens.   

Org-e applies the same ethos to everything from packaging, which is biodegradable, to electricity which is derived from 100% renewable sources.  As far as possible, all the building materials used in the shop fit-out was recycled, reused or derived from renewable resources.

Green cuisine
Television chef Daniel Green, a pioneer of healthy eating, has designed a delicious, ethnically diverse menu using the best seasonal organic ingredients for full-on flavour.  Daniel has kept fats and sugars to a minimum while he focuses on creating broad range of mouth-watering hot and cold dishes designed to appeal to every palette.

According to The Soil Association, organic food makes sense.  You get more of the good things you need – vitamins and minerals, and less of the bad things you don't – pesticides and additives.  A recent government test showed that pesticides were present in 80% of non-organic apple samples – not surprising when a non-organic apple might be sprayed 16 times with 36 different chemicals, many of which can't be washed off.

Lord Peter Melchett, Policy Director of the Soil Association is full of praise that Org-e has brought fast and healthy food together.  “Organic food is a whole system approach,” explains Lord Melchett, “It is about encouraging wildlife, reducing pollution, improving animal welfare, nurturing human health and supporting local and traditional farmers.  We know that organic food generally has higher levels of minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids than non-organic food.  But now, the health of the whole planet is threatened by climate change.  One of the most important things any of us can do to reduce that threat is to eat climate friendly food – seasonal, local and organic.  The Soil Association is delighted that Org-e is providing consumers with a climate-friendly, organic choice.”

New Rhodes Restaurant

Rhodes launches a new eatery this month. Rhodes W1 Restaurant will open on 18 May. A mix of classic French and modern British dishes will be on the menu. You'll find all the favourites such as foie gras, scallops and langoustines, steamed turbot, and salt-roast squab. The head chef Brian Hughson has worked previously at The Savoy and 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin).

When: Opens 18 May
Where: Great Cumberland Place, W1

Awana Malaysia Festival

Awana, London’s leading fine dining Malaysian restaurant is proud to host Tourism Malaysia’s ‘Taste of Malaysia’ this May. This gastronomic festival fortnight (14th – 26th May 2007) celebrates the variety and depth of Malaysian food, revealing all the spectacular colours and flavours of one of the world’s most overlooked cuisines.

Coinciding with Vegetarian Week* an exclusive garden menu of 12 decadent dishes showcase traditional delicacies alongside innovative interpretations by Executive Chef Mark Read and Malaysian-born Head Chef Lee Chin Soon. Committed carnivores will not be disappointed however, with a second festival menu including some of Malaysia’s finest meat offerings. 

Taste of Malaysia Vegetarian Menu

First Course

Tofu Satay – served with our signature spicy peanut sauce
Roti Canai – Malaysian bread made from a traditional family recipe, served with a dahl curry sauce

Second Course

Popiah Sayur Goreng – mixed Asian vegetable spring roll served with sweet chilli sauce
Buahan Kerabu – pomelo and green mango salad

Intermediate Course

Sup Dahl – curried lentil and vegetable flavoured with coriander and mint

Main Course

Sayur Tohu – sautéed organic tofu, fresh mushroom and pak choy
Kari Sayur Bermusim- mixed seasonal vegetables simmered with curry and coconut
Cha Bee Hoon – sugar snaps, bean sprouts, rice vermicelli and egg pancake in soy chilli sauce
Kangkung Goreng – stir fry morning glory with garlic and soy
Nasi Putih – fragrant rice

Dessert

Kuih Buah Biru – fresh blueberry cheese cake served with lime jelly
Ais Krim Buah Kelapa – homemade coconut ice cream

Throughout the festival, food demonstrations unveiling the mysteries that shroud this intoxicating cuisine will take place every evening at the restaurant’s unique Satay bar. Diners will be able to watch as delicious dishes created before their very eyes in spectacular culinary theatre. For those choosing to dine on the 24th May, traditional Malaysian dancers will also be performing for free.

At just £40 per person for each menu there is something to tempt everyone and no better time to celebrate Malaysian food.

www.awana.co.uk