Latest news with #Oma
Belfast Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Belfast eatery named ‘best restaurant in NI' and ranked among top 100 in UK awards
©Evening Standard The Muddlers Club in Belfast has been named one of the UK's 100 best restaurants – for the second year running. The restaurant in the Cathedral Quarter was placed number 76 on the list of the best places to dine in the UK in the National Restaurant Awards (NRAs). It was also named as the Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland. The Michelin starred restaurant led by chef Gareth McCaughey, is tucked away between Waring Street & Exchange Place in the city with a focus on modern dining using local produce. Meanwhile, The Ritz in London was named the UK's best restaurant at the National Restaurant Awards. Four months after executive chef John Williams steered the restaurant to two Michelin stars — many believed the accolade to be long overdue — the glamorous Mayfair dining room has climbed to the top of the list for the first time. Founded in 1906, the restaurant predates the title behind the awards, Restaurant magazine, by almost a century. It is arguably London's most glamorous place to dine and serves a menu of French haute cuisine, inspired in part by the dishes of the legendary Auguste Escoffier. It is also now the only one where men must wear a jacket and tie, while women are asked to arrive in evening wear. 'As a bastion of fine French food served in unashamedly refined surroundings, the Ritz stands alone in the UK,' said Restaurant editor Stefan Chomka. 'The top 100 restaurants list reflects the diverse nature of our eating out scene and the changing trends within it, whether they be less formality, more farm to fork menus, or embracing new cuisines, but it's also wonderful to see a restaurant unwavering in its focus finally get the recognition it merits. The Ritz is an exemplary restaurant.' Watch: Popular Belfast entry gets insta-worthy summer makeover In second place this year is Mark Birchall's Moor Hall in Lancashire, the most recent restaurant in the UK to be awarded three Michelin stars. In third place is the Ledbury, which was last year's winner. The list shows the continuation of the capital's dominance in the country's dining scene, with a total of 56 restaurants from London in the top 100 list. Other big London winners include Trinity (4), Bouchon Racine (5), Oma (6), Anglothai (7) and Dorian (10). The restaurateur of the year was named as David Carter, the man behind Oma, 2025's highest new entry, and Agora, the more casual restaurant below it, which is at 51. Restaurant group Super8's continued success is reflected in the list, with Mountain at number 11, Kiln at 13, and Brat at 54 — meaning only one of their operations, Smoking Goat, did not make the cut. Claude Bosi, meanwhile, achieved similar success with Bibendum re-entering the list at 39; his restaurant at the Peninsula hotel, Brooklands, made 20, and Chelsea's Josephine — formerly Josephine Bouchon — was announced at number 23. Bosi owns the latter with his wife Lucy. A restaurant now closed also features on the list: Lyle's, James Lowe's former restaurant in Shoreditch that ran for 11 years, sits in 21st place. Skye Gyngell, the Aussie chef behind Spring at Somerset House, was given the lifetime achievement award, recognising her contribution not just to the British culinary scene but also her work tapping into the confluence of food and culture, all the while overcoming a battle with rare skin cancer. The winners were announced at a lively ceremony at Magazine London in Greenwich on June 9. The National Restaurant Awards is Restaurant's annual countdown of the top 100 restaurants in the UK as voted for by the UK's leading chefs, restaurateurs, critics and food writers. Awards in full The full list of the UK's top 100 restaurants The Ritz Moor Hall The Ledbury Trinity Bouchon Racine OMA AngloThai Osip Ynyshir Dorian Mountain The Devonshire Kiln Restaurant Gordon Ramsay Woven by Adam Smith Ikoyi Lyla A Wong Da Terra Brooklands by Claude Bosi Lyle's Kitchen Table Josephine Bouchon Endo at the Rotunda Paul Ainsworth at No.6 Restaurant Pine Canteen The Unruly Pig Sabor Row on 5 Restaurant Sat Bains BiBi Kolae The Sportsman L'Enclume Higher Ground Camille Core by Clare Smith Claude Bosi at Bibendum Chishuru The Glenturret Lalique Frog by Adam Handling JÖRO Grace & Savour Updown Farmhouse Dongnae Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Opheem Restaurant Interlude KOL AGORA Akoko Chez Bruce Brat The Forest Side Gorse Humble Chicken Cornus Morchella Skof Sollip Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai Starling Plates Wilson's The Kinneuchar Inn Solstice Annwn The Clove Club Wildflowers The French House Mýse Restaurant Hjem Sola The Angel at Hetton The Muddlers Club Heft Inver The Little Chartroom The Fordwich Arms The Black Swan at Oldstead Upstairs by Tom Shepherd The Grill by Tom Booton Hide The Parkers Arms Solo Fallow Forge at Middleton Lodge Lita The Quality Chophouse Planque Gymkhana Lisboeta Crocadon Luca The Seahorse The Palmerston Trivet St. John Maison François
Time Out
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The Ritz has been named the UK's best restaurant at the National Restaurant Awards
Congratulations are in order for a little spot known as The Ritz. Maybe you've heard of it? Yes, this plucky up-and-comer has been named Best Restaurant in the UK 2025 at this year's National Restaurant Awards. We jest, of course. The Ritz Restaurant is world-famous, but seems to be having something of a second wind. Earlier this year, their executive chef John Williams secured the Mayfair spot's second Michelin star (after getting the first in 2016). The Ritz Restaurant has been open since 1906 (when the hotel itself opened), and Williams has ruled the roost since 2004. Speaking about the win for The Ritz, restaurant editor Stefan Chomka commented: 'As a bastion of fine French food served in unashamedly refined surroundings, The Ritz stands alone in the UK. 'The top 100 restaurants list reflects the diverse nature of our eating out scene and the changing trends within it, whether they be less formality, more farm to fork menus, or embracing new cuisines, but it's also wonderful to see a restaurant unwavering in its focus finally get the recognition it merits. The Ritz is an exemplary restaurant, one fully deserving of the title National Restaurant of the Year.' We had similar thoughts when we last visited the restaurant, awarding it a glowing five star review. 'It's a performance worthy of any world-beating theatre down the road, and it's all we can do not to burst into applause after each dish,' we wrote. The awards - which were held on June 9 in London - also saw another local win, with David Carter named Restaurateur of the Year 2025. Carter has two restaurants on the winning list of 100 UK restaurants, including the Highest New Entry, Oma (in at number six!), and Agora at 51, both in Borough Market. Oma also features highly in Time Out's very own Best Restaurants of 2025 list, which you can read here. Other London wins included Opening of the Year, which went to AngloThai in Marylebone. The newly opened One Club Row in Shoreditch was named 'One to Watch', while 'Gastropub of the Year' went to The Devonshire in Soho and 'Lifetime Achievement Award' went to Skye Gyngell of Spring in Somerset House. Other London restaurants to make the top 10 included Notting Hill's The Ledbury at number 3, Trinity in Clapham at number 4, Bouchon Racine in Farringdon at number five, Oma at number six, AngloThai at number seven, and Notting Hill's Dorian at number 10.
Time Out
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Tatar Bunar
Tatar Bunar is a very nice place for a meal. Tall, spindly trees grow out of huge pots and the branches drape over tables. Tall windows are hung with elegant white curtains. A buzzing open kitchen sits at the centre and there's a little shaded courtyard out the back. But more than that, it's got a 'this new restaurant is a big deal' feel to it, like joining the three-hour queue for Oma for the first time. Waiters are rushed off of their feet (but handling it), and the place is packed. For many excited guests, this is their first time trying Ukrainian food, and amid a Ukrainian food boom in London (Sino, another Ukrainian restaurant, has just opened in Notting Hill) – things feel exciting. Very exciting. Tartare comes with elderberry capers, pickled cucumbers, and my new favourite discovery, sprats mayo The clientele is, expectedly, a bit posh – we're in Shoreditch after all, and at a restaurant everybody is talking about – but prices here are genuinely reasonable, the food rich and decadent, and the portions generous. We sit up at the bar facing the kitchen, where watch chefs sear meat on the grill and drizzle oil over starters. They are performing a rather serious operation here; the arrival of food is rapid, and you get the feeling waiters have you on a two-hour timer, ready to slap down the bill and greet the next customer. But like I said, it's exciting. My first starter is pickled cherry tomatoes on a bed of lemon yoghurt, and pretty much a mandatory order, noted as Tatar Bunar's 'best dish' on its own menu. It's a lovely, glossy thing, punchy, vinegary and covered in fresh herbs. Before I can catch my breath, the tartare is here too. It was at this point that I began to wish I could slow the whole process down, and spend an hour with each of these lovely little meals, giving them my undying attention. The tartare is served in a whopping great wooden bowl with soft onion bread. It's made from both lamb and beef, and not totally raw as it's seared ever so slightly on the grill. It comes with a tangy hit of tiny elderberry capers, pickled cucumbers, and my new favourite discovery, sprats mayo, which is exactly what it sounds like. And get this – it's topped with bryndza, a mellow sheep's cheese, meaning each bite hits the back of your throat with salty, savoury flavour. Our next starter is mellow and smooth. It's sprats and potatoes, and each element is served in its own little dish – the silky sprats, laid flat, smooth and boneless like a piece of art – the boiled potatoes, naked and buttered and scattered with dill – and the bright pink pickled onions. As a trio they're things of simplicity and beauty, soft and delicate. We're recommended the lamb chops, deeply smoky and tender, and the cheburek, a deep-fried pastry filled with tender minced lamb, similar to a Turkish börek, which is huge, and the perfect crispy, puffy vessel for sour cream and ajika, a spicy, red peppery chill sauce. For dessert, we tried the texturally confusing, but wonderful crepes with cottage cheese and jam, and the soft cheese-filled varenyk, a Ukrainian dumpling, with a crème brûlée top. Speaking of dumplings, there were three different kinds of savoury ones we couldn't squeeze in. Despite the amount of dishes we tried, it's almost unimaginable there's still half a menu here I'm yet to try. I honestly can't wait to come back. The vibe A buzzy Shoreditch restaurant that looks set to become one of London's hardest-to-secure reservations. The food A Ukrainian menu where tomatoes, potatoes, dumplings and grill-fired meats are the stars of the show. The drink Ukrainian wines, vodkas and cocktails, and a beer or two thrown in with the soft drinks.
Time Out
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The best restaurant in London in 2025 has been crowned by Time Out
Over the past 12 months, Time Out's legion of expert food critics have eaten their way through the capital – trying gastropub roasts, sinking into sustainable menus, checking out exciting newcomers and discovering the best of its Vietnamese, Mexican, Italian and Chinese cuisine. Now, all of that hard work has culminated in the creation of Time Out's list of the 50 best restaurants in London for 2025. As Time Out's food and drink editor Leonie Cooper puts it, this is 'your indispensable guide to where you'll find the best food right at this moment in one of the world's most exciting places to eat'. And after countless dishes and a lot of deliberation, one restaurant rose above the rest to be named the best of the best. Our new number one London restaurant for 2025 is Hackney 's modern Korean joint, Miga. The restaurant moved to east London from New Malden in 2024 and has since become one of the city's most in demand spots. Leonie said: 'Miga is all about exhilarating dishes that smash your tastebuds with integrity and panache.' She added: 'Their landmark dish is yughwe, a ballsy beef tartare accessorised with skinny, crisp batons of Asian pear and a near-neon egg yolk. The soy braised short ribs and slices of pan-fried pork belly delivered in a glowing apple-and-mustard sauce are also must-orders.' For obvious reasons, securing a table at Miga is no easy feat. If you don't have a booking, your best bet is to turn up for lunch when walk-ins are more likely. Or, in the meantime you can check out one Time Out's other top 50 eateries. Our second best restaurant in the city for 2025 was Greek(ish) spot Oma in Borough Market and in third place was the UK's first ever Michelin-star vegan restaurant, Plates.
Observer
04-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
HM's visit a major milestone in Oman-Algeria ties
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's state visit to Algeria marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between Oman and Algeria. This visit is not only historic as it is the first bilateral state visit by His Majesty to Algeria, but it also serves as a catalyst for enhancing cooperation across various sectors. The backdrop of this visit is characterised by a shared commitment to Arab solidarity and mutual respect between the two nations. Both Oman and Algeria have long-standing ties that span over 50 years, rooted in common stances on regional and global issues. The recent increase in bilateral trade — evidenced by a 48-per cent rise from RO 41.417 million in 2023 to RO 62.988 million in 2024 — highlights the growing economic interdependence that this visit aims to further solidify. This underscores the immense significance of this visit, which comes amid exceptional progress in bilateral relations. It will yield fruitful outcomes for future cooperation, guided by the vision and directives of both countries' leaderships. Oman has expressed strong commitment to strengthening ties at all levels through decisions made during President Tebboune's state visit to Muscat last year, with efforts on to elevate collaboration to match the historical political relations between the two nations. During his stay, His Majesty will hold talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to discuss key areas of cooperation including renewable energy, petrochemicals, agriculture, technology and tourism. These discussions are anticipated to yield new agreements and initiatives that will enhance investment opportunities between the two countries. Moreover, this visit comes on the heels of President Tebboune's successful trip to Oman in October last year, during which eight memoranda of understanding were signed. This reciprocal engagement underscores a mutual desire for deeper collaboration and sets a positive tone for future interactions. The significance of His Majesty's visit extends beyond economic interests; it embodies a strategic approach towards strengthening diplomatic ties within Africa. As Oman seeks to expand its influence on the continent, fostering relationships with key nations like Algeria becomes paramount. The Sultanate of Oman and Algeria are working to elevate the fraternal relations between the two nations, which have spanned over half a century and continue to witness remarkable growth across political, economic and cultural spheres. This includes renewable energy projects, petrochemicals, desert agriculture, technology, tourism and other promising sectors. To boost collaboration, there is a clear road map and ongoing negotiations between Omani and Algerian companies in promising sectors, with advanced discussions on partnerships under way. The number of registered companies with Algerian contributions reached 423 by the end of 2023, up from 251 in 2022 — a growth rate of 68.5 per cent. In regards to trade relations between Oman and Algeria, both countries have seen significant growth in recent years and this visit represents a new phase of close and sustainable cooperation between the two nations, enabling both sides to explore further joint investment opportunities. One such example is Suhar-based SOGEX Oman, an Omani company specialising in electricity and water, which became the first Omani firm to invest in Algeria through the development of power and desalination plants. This included the implementation of Algeria's first power station, the Arzew Electricity and Water Plant, in 2004. His Majesty's visit is poised to boost Omani-Algerian relations significantly, paving the way for enhanced cooperation across multiple domains while reinforcing their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region. The outcomes of this visit are likely to resonate well into the future, establishing a framework for sustained collaboration that benefits both nations.
