Latest openings: Canto in Manchester, Big Easy King's Road, Pinion, and more

A look at the latest restaurants, hotels, pubs and bars to open their doors

 

Canto

 

The chef-patron and head chef of El Gato Negro in Manchester have opened Canto in Ancoats in the city, serving simple, modern Portuguese food and wine across brunch, lunch and dinner six days a week.

 

The interior of the restaurant pays homage to Portuguese traditions and culture, with tiled and cork walls, and a feature wall of photographs taken in both Ancoats and Porto, alongside high ceilings, exposed wooden beams and distressed furniture.

 

The open kitchen stands in the centre of the restaurant, with kitchen-side bar stools and floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking Cutting Room Square. The restaurant offers 110 covers with outdoor seating for a further 12 in the square.

 

Head chef Carlos Gomes was formerly a head chef at Koya and Barrafina in London, and chef-patron/creative director Simon Shaw was formerly executive head chef at Harvey Nichols before opening El Gato Negro in 2005.

• Opened: 20 September
• Covers: 110
• Chef-patron: Simon Shaw
• Head chef: Carlos Gomes
• Design: Mark Mason Design
• Typical dishes: Salt cod and onion tempura with tomato broth, grilled aubergine, piso, cottage cheese and sea lettuce; and octopus lagareiro with roasted potatoes, garlic and pickled baby onions
• Website: www.cantorestaurant.com

 

Big Easy King's Road

 

American barbecue brand Big Easy, which launched in 1991, has relaunched its original restaurant on King's Road in London with a new, larger bar. The bar is now partially separated from the dining room, offering a lounge area and larger tables, and more bar bites have been added to the menu.

• Founder: Paul Corrett
• Typical dishes: Pulled pork; deep-fried shrimp; fajitas; steak and lobster; barbecued ribs
• Website: www.bigeasy.co.uk

 

Bluebird London NYC

 

D&D London has opened a second outlet in the US as part of plans to expand overseas. The New York City restaurant comprises an all-day lounge, wine bar and brasserie on the third floor of the retail space at Columbus Circle, overlooking Central Park, with a menu combining British dishes and NYC favourites.

• Operator: D&D London
• Executive chef: Nicolas Houlbert
• Design: CetraRuddy
• Website www.bluebirdlondon.nyc

 

Genuine Liquorette

 

Genuine Liquorette, a New York-inspired bar, has opened in London's Fitzrovia. The bar allows guests to create their own cocktails to take home or to take part in masterclasses. Immersive areas in the ‘stockrooms' offer an array of experiences, including cocktails from well-known mixologists.

• Design: AvroKO
• General manager: Matthew Roberts
• Bar manager: Elliot Davies
• Website: www.liquorette.co.uk

 

Ping Pan-Asian

 

Ping Pan-Asian, a new eatery and delicatessen from BBC MasterChef 2014 winner Ping Coombes and global Malaysian food brand PappaRich, has opened in Selfridges on Oxford Street in London and in Manchester's Trafford Centre.

• Chef-director: Ping Coombes
• Typical dishes: Nasi lemak; Hainanese chicken rice; duck spring rolls; chicken satay; prawn and chive dumplings; beef siu mai
• Website: www.papparich.uk

 

Pinion

 

Gary Usher's fifth restaurant, Pinion, has opened in Prescot, Merseyside, following a record-breaking crowdfunding campaign that raised £50,000 in less than an hour. ‘Pinion' has been named as a nod to the town's watchmaking history. It joins fourt other restaurants in the Elite Bistros of the World group.

• Typical dishes: Chicken liver pâté; battered haddock and chips; braised featherblade of beef
• Website: www.pinionbistro.com

 

Station 169 and Collage

 

The Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted has opened two new restaurants as part of its £6m refurbishment: Station 169 and Collage restaurant. Named after Stansted Airport's history as the base for the US Air Force during WWII, Station 169 serves barbecue-marinated pork rib-eye and chargrilled swordfish. Collage is a British brasserie serving burgers, chargrilled beef and rump of lamb.

• Executive head chef: Ben Nottage
• Website: www.radissonblu.com