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Rankin ressurrects Roscoff


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Caterer reports that Paul Rankin is to brinbg back the Roscoff name to Belfast with a new 100 seater brasserie, where he will cook alongside head chef Andy Rea.

On a personal note, I'm very pleased to see what was one of my favourite restaurants make a come back, albeit in an altered form and new location (Rankin's Cayenne is on the original Shaftesbury Square site). Andy Rea was head chef at the original Roscoff and is now group executive chef for the Rankin organisation. I had the opportunity of meeting Rea a few years back and watching him at work. He is a truly talented and dedicated individual, and a nice guy to boot. This is the best excuse can think of for a trip back to Belfast.

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I spoke to Andy Rea this afternoon who told me that the date of 17 September quoted by Caterer was not correct as "we won't even have a kitchen by then". They are aiming for a soft opening on 27 September which I will try to confirm nearer the time.

Rea said that the restaurant will probably be called Roscoff Braserie and will "keep everything we liked about Roscoff and get rid of the stuff we didn't". According to the chef, that will translate into very polished but not stuffy service, fine linen, crockery and stemware of the sort you might see at somewhere like The French Laundry.

The menu, which is currently being draw up by Paul Rankin will be very "product driven" and will include the likes of the best local dover sole simply garnished. Rea likened the style to that of the classic French 2 or 3 Michelin star restaurants "which everyone thinks is complicated but is in fact very very simple" and is designed to appeal partly to diners who eat out regularly and have "seen all the tricks and are tired of them."

I'll certainly be paying them a visit in early October and will report back. I'll be sure to pack a digital camera.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I can confirm, that barring a major disaster, Roscoff Brasserie will have its soft opening on 27 September. I'm going to give them a couple of weeks to get settled and will pay them a visit on 14 October. I hope to be able to check out a few other restaurants and possibly a bar or 2 during during my stay.

BTW - flights are ridiculously inexpensive to Belfast at the moment. By travelling at slightly inconvienient times, I have managed to get a return ticket on Easy Jet from Gatwick for 35.98. A centrally located guest house is going to set me back £64.00 for two nights.

The first Belfast restaurant week takes place between 10 and 17 October, so it could be the ideal time to visit the city.

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Andy,

Do you know the address of the new Roscoff?

I'm a bit concerned that Rankin is spreading himself too thinly. I've made two visits recently to his latest cafe and both were very disappointing. Grubby surroundings (this in a recently opened venue), stressed staff, 1 loo for the whole cafe, careless food. The coffee was bitter, the scone was inedible and the brownie was hard and dry. I filled in comment card but no response. Why am I surprised? I fill these things in all the time and no-one has ever responded.

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Its on the site of the former Christies restaurant in Linenhall Street .

I have a feeling that even if his cafes are suffering a little from neglect as your recent experience could indicate, Rankin and his team will be focusing very hard on getting Roscoff right. I don't think he would revive the name for a half-hearted venture.

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Andy,

If you're in Belfast on a Saturday, I believe the food market at St Georges is worth a visit. There's a free bus service from the centre of Belfast or take a taxi -it's not far.

Edited to add: or you could visit my local butcher: www.mccartneysofmoira.co.uk

I take your point about Rankin et al putting a lot of work into getting the new Roscoff right. But his name is very closely identified with the cafes and I think if I were in his position (ha! fat chance!) I'd want everything I did to be of a good standard. There isn't a strict division between people who eat only at Cafe Rankin and those who eat at the pricier restaurants - I've eaten at Cayenne and know it's good. I think you've got to value all your customers. Someone who's having a £1.50 cup of coffee today might be willing to spend a lot more in a restaurant next week. Or not.

Edited by Flossie (log)
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I've stopped going to the Rankin Cafes because I just don't think their baked goods are that great. In a country where most of us grew up on great homemade bread and cakes, those big hard numbers won't cut it.

Moreover, Rain City at junction 1 is an absolute nightmare. The food is disappointing and the waiting staff are clueless. They cleared my plate away while my companions were still eating. Of course I wasn't expecting Roscoff, but I expected better than I got...lukewarm ribs and wings and the worst coleslaw ever. There are tons of wee cafes in N.I making better food than this for far less money.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

The Paul Rankin Group have advised us of the following new openings:

Wine, a new wine and light appetiser outlet is scheduled to open in the departure lounge of Belfast International Airport on Friday 12th November. The Rankin Group is investing over £200,000 in the venture, which will create 10 new jobs at the airport.

Paul Rankin commented, “I am delighted that we have been able to strengthen our partnership with Belfast International Airport and I am looking forward to a continued successful working relationship and to helping offer passengers within Northern Ireland an enjoyable and memorable travelling experience.”

This new wine bar will offer an additional 45 seats to the current Café Paul Rankin at the airport. There will be a range of quality wines, fine Irish & continental cheeses, fresh smoked salmon on Roscoff wheaten bread and a selection of antipasti. Hot daily specials and fresh homemade soups can also be ordered from the Café Paul Rankin menu.

The latest Café Paul Rankin has opened in Bow Street in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. The Café seats 82 people and employs 30 staff.

Paul Rankin commented, “We are delighted to be opening a new café in Lisburn and this will bring our portfolio of cafes to seven. We are eager to expand our number of outlets and Lisburn was the perfect choice; a thriving city and a popular shopping destination."

The cafe offers a healthy selection of breakfasts, snacks and lunch with everything from scrambled eggs and the special Café Paul Rankin breakfast to penne a la romana, paninis, quiche, deserts and coffee.

Information courtesy of Chris Love at The Paul Rankin Group

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, I have to say that I took a bunch of hospitality folks to Roscoff Brasserie just last week and the all-round impression was one of supreme non-plussedness.

Service was lukewarm, at best, which was a minor improvement on the food, and the menu offered little which could indulge a curious palate.

I personally feel that Paul and the lovely Jeannie are far too dependent on the Rankin name at this stage and far too often, the function just ain't being matched by the form. Whilst Cayenne remains one of my favourite restaurants in Belfarce, the subsequent outlets generally tend to suffer from complacency. However, with the Northern Irish palate being as conservative as it is (different discussion, I appreciate), can we really blame Paul for playing it safe?

Well, yes, as it happens, we can. And I will, dammit.

From now on, I shall mostly be popping round the corner to Zen for sushi and the best Sazeracs in Belshaft.

I miss Christies. :sad:

irony doesn't mean "kinda like iron".

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