Comings and goings

While the economy may still be shaky, there are still some interesting new names on the London restaurant scene:

In Mayfair, Michelin-starred restaurant Benares in Berkeley Square has just opened following refurbishment caused by fire. New features include a chef’s table, wine theatre and cellar and private dining areas.

On Endell Street in Covent Garden Tom Dixon has created the interior for Circus, combining minimalist chic with sparkling glamour. Adding entertainment to proceedings, the restaurant stages an interactive show each night featuring burlesque, arialists and drag artists.

Going off the beaten track a little, Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes – who has formerly worked with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Ferran Adria and Wolfgang Puck – is to open a new restaurant in Bethnal Green in March 2010. Viajante will be part of the pioneering Town Hall luxury hotel project that is taking place in the former municipal building.

Recent closures include St Alban, the Lower Regent Street restaurant of Rex Restaurants, owned by Chris Corbin and Jeremy King who have said that they intend to concentrate on other projects. These include a new restaurant on top of the Bishopgate Tower in the City, due to open in 2012. It is said that the St Alban property will continue to be run as a restaurant but with a completely different concept.

Pay per view

A storm has blown up in the fashion blogging community following an article about bloggers at the shows that appeared in The Independent newspaper. As if often the case, the smartest analysis of the current situation probably comes from Imran Amed at The Business of Fashion who has presented a balanced and sensible response to the article.

Anything I might say would be largely a reiteration of his points. What I would highlight is that at a time when many glossy magazines are refusing to include editorial/product shots not relating to advertisers it seems unbelievable that editors have the audacity to suggest that it is the bloggers who are in some way in the pockets of the fashion PRs. At least most bloggers are not under pressure from a Publisher standing over them, telling them what to feature.

It is this cynical approach and the increasing number of publications that now represent one large, glorified advertorial that have turned fashion-lovers against the mags and driven them to the blogs – many of which are run by hard working writers with a genuine love and understanding of fashion rather a socialite who complains about having to produce one features page of advertiser-driven content each month.