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Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Earthmaiden » Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:47 pm

DD is involved in council affairs and I've had interesting conversations about the demise of the high street. It seems to me that the only way forward in places which are really struggling is to make smaller shopping and entertainment hubs and to turn the rest into housing. If course, the council won't get business rents then and would make very little in comparison with housing. It seems fairly obvious that they won't get anything if shop units aren't being rented and whole areas fall into disrepair either. Things will have to really be at rock bottom before they throw in the towel though.

I had one of the most wonderful meals ever in Zizzis in Bath in it's heyday about 15 years ago. At that time it was housed in a beautiful old chapel and the whole presentation very theatrical along with the food being excellent and waiters attentive in a good way. The ones I've seen more recently weren't quite the same!

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Seatallan » Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:50 pm

I miss Pizza Express. Our local one in Reading was splendid. Last time I ate there (just before we moved) I realised I'd been a customer for 38 years.... :)

The branch of Bills in Reading was good too. Had many a pleasant lunch meet there.
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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby herbidacious » Mon Aug 10, 2020 4:00 pm

I actually quite liked Zizzi's. Has it gone under?

We sometimes (used to) go to Beckenham for lunch for a change, and it's pretty chaintastic. Zizzi's seemed the best of the bunch (plus the building has a Bowie connection.) They did a really nice butternut squash, sage and fontina thing last winter

Carulccio's was ok in the early days, and the delis/takeaways were good. I used to treat myself to mozarella and caponata for lunch sometimes. And they did some good sauces and lovely lemon infused olive oil.

The other area where we tend(ed) to go out to eat in is 'Crystal Palace' is the antithesis. But for years they have been struggling to keep independent in spirit, constantly having to fight greedly landlords, often resulting in empty premises. Cafe Nero has now manged to sneak in, and I htink a Costa, and at least one of the numerous fried chicken places that most high streets seem to have at least 4 of in SE London. I wonder how the many indie businesses are coping.

I have never been to Bills. I rarely eat in town and they clearly don't do SE London. Looking at the menu... it's not very inspiring (for vegetarians).

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby KeenCook2 » Mon Aug 10, 2020 4:11 pm

Back in the 70s the Bloomsbury Pizza Express used to hire a string quartet one evening a week, another of those gigs where you got paid and fed :thumbsup The Hampstead one then started it too so if you were lucky you got paid and fed two evenings a week :lol:

I must admit I do have a certain fondness for Pizza Express and used to love their Veneziana, didn't they make a donation to the Venice in Peril fund for each one sold? I also like the ones with a hole in the middle filled with salad.

We also don't eat out a great deal, and the demise of some of the chains won't make any difference to us - but I think it's absolutely tragic for all the people losing their jobs, across the entire hospitality sector.

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon Aug 10, 2020 4:39 pm

Yes, Pizza Express was great back in the day. Especially the flagship Kettners.
We've been there loads of times.

Herbi, you might be lucky to have one of the Zizzi's that can remain open?

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:10 pm

I used to go into the Bloomsbury Pizza Express quite a lot but must have missed you KC2, back then for an edible and affordable meal after the cinema or theatre it was Pizza Express or curry, or Chinatown, and we could park in Bloomsbury back then

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Seatallan » Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:14 pm

KeenCook2 wrote:Back in the 70s the Bloomsbury Pizza Express used to hire a string quartet one evening a week, another of those gigs where you got paid and fed :thumbsup The Hampstead one then started it too so if you were lucky you got paid and fed two evenings a week :lol:

I must admit I do have a certain fondness for Pizza Express and used to love their Veneziana, didn't they make a donation to the Venice in Peril fund for each one sold? I also like the ones with a hole in the middle filled with salad.

We also don't eat out a great deal, and the demise of some of the chains won't make any difference to us - but I think it's absolutely tragic for all the people losing their jobs, across the entire hospitality sector.


KC2, yes- the Veneziana included a donation to the Venice in Peril fund. I liked the Veneziana too. The ones with the hole in the middle were called Legara if I recall correctly. I liked the chicken one (very useful when I was dieting :D ). My favorite ever was the Fiorentina, with the eggie in the middle. I always asked for extra olives. There was another one I used to really like, which included artichokes, but they subbed the artichokes for red peppers in latter years, which spoiled the effect to my mind. Do you remember the days when they did flasks of Chianti? Having a mere bottle wasn't quite the same :wino
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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby slimpersoninside » Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:42 pm

Are you talking about the Pizza Express in Coptic Street?

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Amyw » Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:44 pm

I've never been to a pizza express . Judging by the comments , I should give it a go. I just think pizza is one of those things I don't mind food wise , but I'd never think of going to a pizza restaurant to eat.

I'm always a bit fussy about Italian restaurants, as without sounding big headed , I know i can cook as good if not better at home , so begrudge paying out for it. Saying that my last pre lockdown meal was at Zizzis and had some gorgeous salmon. Ask was good years ago but now just mediocre .

Nando's do an amazing halloumi wrap with sweet chilli jam and I like their spicy rice and macho peas. Ironically I think the things they're most famous for, the chicken and chips are the things that let them down. I do like the fact you can personalise your flavourings/spice level with them though

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Badger's Mate » Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:56 pm

I've been to Nando's twice in Donkey's years. The first time I had chicken which was OK but nothing special. Last time I had the chicken livers with rice and a side of peas. Yes, it was perfectly alright and I'd probably order that again if I were ever to return.

The nieces like Zizzi's and Prezzo's, we've been to them a few times. They're OK, but I don't think we'd go otherwise. They opened a Prezzo's in Ware a couple of years ago, odd given that there's one in Hertford perhaps 3 miles away. We've not been to either, both towns are blessed with nice independents. It's the only chain restaurant here (there are more in Hertford), unless you count a Costa.

We've been to F&B's a few times when we've been to the pictures with the family. Again, it was OK but I shan't miss them.

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby KeenCook2 » Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:06 pm

slimpersoninside wrote:Are you talking about the Pizza Express in Coptic Street?


Yes, that's the one.

Sue, it would have really been a small world if you'd encountered us back then - although I do recall a thread on Wildies ages ago when we were talking about Elaine Paige and several Wildies had been to the original cast production with her and Joss Ackland which was my bread and butter job for more years than I like to remember!

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Lusciouslush » Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:19 pm

I don't do chains - they just don't appeal & besides there's a resto every few feet here so no need to, so I won't miss any of them.

Pepper Pig wrote:You really can keep Bill's.


Quite a few years ago when Bill's started up down here in Lewes it was brilliant & a different concept - we often went there for brunch/lunch, the quality of food was exemplary - haven't been for quite a few years now - the minute he expanded it all started to go downhill......always the way.............

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby herbidacious » Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:34 pm

I think there is a place for moderately cheap and thus moderately good food in a casual environment, which is what most chains promise and sometimes deliver. I suppose they work partly for the same reason that the first branded bread, Hovis, did - you know what to expect as the standards are supposed to be, well, standardized.
I have had terrible service in the PE in Bromley though. But nothing can be as bad as Pizza Hut?!

There are some half decent Middle Eastern meze chains...? e.g. Comptoir Libanais which also owns Yalla Yalla, I think, and possibly others.
Dishoom used to be good.
Only been to Wagamama once and can't really remember the food.
There must be others that are half decent? I don't know if some of these are London only...
My main objection is that they are often large and noisy with dubious service.

This is making me want to eat out, funnily. Mind you, not had dinner yet. A Pret sandwich would probably go down well...

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby slimpersoninside » Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:52 pm

KeenCook2 wrote:
slimpersoninside wrote:Are you talking about the Pizza Express in Coptic Street?


Yes, that's the one.

Sue, it would have really been a small world if you'd encountered us back then - although I do recall a thread on Wildies ages ago when we were talking about Elaine Paige and several Wildies had been to the original cast production with her and Joss Ackland which was my bread and butter job for more years than I like to remember!

Used to go there with my, now, hubby when we worked in Holborn (this would be mid 80's). Been a couple of times in the past year when on day's out.

Hubby has a garlic allergy and we have to be careful with eating out. We tend to eat in a couple of different chain restaurants where we know what he can eat, Pizza Express is one.

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby northleedsbhoy » Mon Aug 10, 2020 10:20 pm

Not been for a while as some bug or other has been trying to ruin my life :cry: , but in Leeds there is a relatively small Italian chain called Gusto and the food and service there was far better than Carluccios and others of the same ilk, including I’ve been told Gino’s. I think Gusto is a mainly Northern based chain.

Cheers
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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Aug 10, 2020 10:47 pm

I rember going to an “Italian“ restaurant in Yorkshire that had a huge local following

It was run by the second and third generation of the family

I ordered pizza - it was a bizarre hybrid of pizza and cheese on toast, around 109g of cheddar involved

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Badger's Mate » Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:40 pm

There are some half decent Middle Eastern meze chains...? e.g. Comptoir Libanais which also owns Yalla Yalla, I think, and possibly others.
Dishoom used to be good.
Only been to Wagamama once and can't really remember the food.


I think we've been to each of those once and quite liked them, just never gone back. I've also been to Wahaca a few times, last time I got the feeling they were reining in their ambitions somewhat. We have been to Yo Sushi a few times, the one in Cambridge.

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Pampy » Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:52 pm

Amyw wrote: and macho peas.

Do they pump iron and have big muscles? :lol: :lol:

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue Aug 11, 2020 12:01 am

I used to love the original Wagamama off Charing Cross Road, still like Yalla Yalla

Only eaten at Comptoir Libanais a couple of times, think they’ve become less interesting since they decided they were the sort of chain that belongs in malls and airports. Was disappointed they didn’t stick with the original concept of deli + cafe, think the deli lasted about 10 minutes

The TAS group of Turkish restaurants aren’t bade, though they vary from branch to branch, Bloomsbury being by far the best of those I’ve tried. Less keen on their sister chain Ev though it’s aimed at a younger more club and cocktail market

Cote seems to be riding the storm, and the demise of Café Rouge probably helps

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Re: Restaurant Chains Closing - sad or not?

Postby Lokelani » Tue Aug 11, 2020 1:16 pm

Cote selling food online has probably really helped them survive.

We don't have any chains that near us, so don't tend to use them. More local good foodie pubs for lunches every now & then.

Pizza Express in Truro is in a lovely old building, we've been there over the years when on holiday in Cornwall. I've always really enjoyed the pizzas there.

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