Chino Latino for Park Plaza in Leeds
Nottingham's Chino Latino restaurant - which combines Chinese, South-east Asian, Thai and modern Japanese cuisine with a Latino-based drinks menu - is to be joined in August by a second, 65-seat branch in the new Park Plaza hotel in Leeds. Head chef is Shinji Nakamura, who has worked at both Nobu and Tsunami in London.
Rennie brings N20 to Whetstone
New Zealand chef Andrew Rennie has left his fine-dining JDV restaurant in Queenstown to open a modern Italian/Australian restaurant in Whetstone, north London, called N20. Set in a 1930s building, it comprises a 140-seat restaurant on the first floor, a 30-seat indoors caf‚ and a 30-seat pavement café. Average spend per head for dinner is £30 per person (excluding wine).
Authentic Indian in Suffolk Place
Mint Leaf, an authentic Indian restaurant in a modern, contemporary setting, has opened in Suffolk Place, Pall Mall, London. The 1,500sq ft site holds a 144-seat restaurant, a 20-metre bar headed up by leading cocktail mixologists Mark Pratt and Danny Smith, and a private lounge that will hold up to 80 people. Restaurant manager Gerard McCann says average spend per head (including beverages) is £25-£30 for lunch and £45-£50 for dinner.
Double act for Glasgow brigade
Conran Restaurants unveils its second Scottish restaurant on Saturday when the 130-seat Zinc Bar & Grill opens its doors in Glasgow's Queen Street. It will be joined on 11 July by Etain, a 70-seat modern French restaurant located next door served by the same kitchen team. The brigade will be led by head chef Geoffrey Smeddle, who joined Conran from the Four Seasons hotel in Chicago, where he was senior sous chef.
Frankie & Benny's in Stevenage
City Centre Restaurants opens its 79th Frankie & Benny's American/Italian restaurant on 30 June. The 164-seat restaurant is sited in the Stevenage Leisure Park in Hertfordshire. The group plans to open another six Frankie & Benny's this year.
Liverpool is first to get the Cream
Liverpool restaurant and bar operator the Lyceum Group has teamed up with dance club operator Cream to launch a new lounge bar called Cream in Liverpool's Albert Dock in September. The 616sq m site, which can hold 500, includes a main bar divided into male and female areas, a restaurant, and private lounge - seating is to be confirmed. The bars will be rolled out nationally to cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Swansea.