New London opening announced by ex-Duck & Waffle chef Dan Doherty
Dan Doherty, the former executive chef of Duck & Waffle, is launching a new restaurant in London this month. Doherty is teaming up with business partner Andy Ward to open The Royal Oak on York Street, Marylebone, and although the duo haven’t revealed details of the menu, they have indicated that it will continue to run as a pub, albeit with a new wine list and a range of ‘epic beers’. Last month, Doherty also announced that he is opening a new restaurant in New York next year.
Alimentum head chef Mark Poynton leaves to open first solo venture
Mark Poynton, the head chef of Alimentum in Cambridge for the past nine years, has confirmed that he is leaving the restaurant to open his own place in the city. Poynton, who previously worked for Daniel Clifford at Midsummer House, will be replaced at Alimentum by Samira Effa. Although he hasn’t revealed where the new restaurant will be in Cambridge, he has announced a special four-course dinner on June 23, during which he will cook dishes from the forthcoming menu at a ‘secret’ location and talk about the concept. Tickets are available here
Flash foods force London restaurant Lorne to close for the summer
Lorne has suffered a major setback for the summer after flash floods left the Victoria restaurant 3ft under water during a busy lunchtime service. The restaurant, which opened last year, will be closed until August as the kitchen floor and equipment has to be replaced, as well as a refurbishment of the lower ground floor. Other restaurants on Wilton Road, including A Wong, escaped the damage caused by the flash foods.
Harts Group smash crowdfunding target to pave the way for the fourth and biggest Barrafina
The company behind Quo Vadis and El Pastor has smashed its £750,000 crowdfunding target to open a fourth Barrafina restaurant - its biggest site so far. Harts Group hit the target within two hours of the crowdfunding going live and the new restaurant at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, is expected to open in October. The company is also opening two further new openings in the same area - a wine bar called The Drop and Casa Pastor, which will be a larger version of the original Borough Market El Pastor, serving Mexican food.
