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The restaurants that do us proud

SUPERB: awards recognise excellence in dining

SHORTLISTED - Gulshan owner Mr Raja just missed out on an award

THEY may not have clinched a Pride of Reading award this year, but the shortlisted eateries in the Restaurant of the Year categories have every reason to feel proud.

The London Street Brasserie and Chronicles ended up with the coveted gongs in the City and Casual dining categories of the awards respectively at last week's grand ceremony at the Renaissance Hotel.

But the four runners-up chosen from a long list of nominations the Shoulder of Mutton, the Fox and Horn, Gulshan and LSQ2 gave super chefs turned judges Daniel Galmiche and Anthony Worrall Thompsaon food for thought, awards insider Inga Rose revealed yesterday.

Ms Rose, of Air Marketing, which sponsored the awards' Restaurant of the Year categories, said the high level of nominations - and the superstar judges - had seriously raised the game of the competition this year. "This year was fantastic, we really raised the game, we had a much better awareness of the awards and a higher number of nominations," she said.

"We were delighted with the effort that the nominees went to submit their nominations because we asked them much more this year."

All the restaurants nominated were asked to give evidence they sourced their produce locally and had to fill in a questionnaire asking for information about about customer retention rate and other factors for a chance to be shortlisted.

Ms Rose added: "We were really impressed and for us to have secured Daniel and Anthony it showed how seriously we take the level of dining in Reading.

"We wanted to really shout about it and that's why we wanted to get them to judge, it added a level of gravitas to the competition. The day itself was very emotional. It meant so much to the winners, they are so proud of it."

HERE'S what the judges said about the four shortlisted restaurants:

LSQ2 located on the bank of a lake in the middle of Green Park, got Michelin Star cuisinier Galmiche going with its contemporary and inviting setting. The head chef at eatery extraordinaire Cliveden House found the food an interesting mix of Asian influences. He also declared the service excellent and the staff welcoming and knowledgeable. Nominated in the City Dining subdivision of the award, it ended up a very close runner-up to Paul Clerehugh's supreme London Street Brasserie.

Galmiche also visited Alan Oxlade's The Shoulder of Mutton, based in picturesque Playhatch, and was smitten by its friendly atmosphere. "The owners were inviting and clearly sourced their produce well," he added in his feedback statement of the eaterie, which made it into the Casual Dining shortlist.

The popular Gulshan, which was also shortlisted in the Casual Dining category, impressed the Gallic chef with its "very nice welcome" and good service. Another plus for the Station Hill Indian eatery was its food, which was clearly freshly prepared and to a good standard, Galmiche added.

Galmiche teamed up with fellow judge Worral-Thompson to inspect the Fox and Horn, which is based in Mortimer's High Street and was another contender in the City Dining shorthand. "The staff were very welcoming and the food was cooked to a good level," was the pair's final comments on the restaurant. "Their use of local produce especially the cheese board - was excellent."

MARCETEAU, Franck, "The Restaurants that do us proud", Reading Evening Post, November 9, 2006. pp.15.