Bellota, in Churchgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, receives more than 1,000 enquiries after Grace Dent review in The Guardian
A town’s chef’s table restaurant has received more than 1,000 booking enquiries after it was visited by a national newspaper critic.
Grace Dent’s review of Bellota, in Churchgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, was published on The Guardian’s website on Sunday.
She praised the venue’s cosiness, well-honed service and unique Thai green curry ice cream.
The restaurant, in the former Ben’s unit, opened at the end of April fronted by husband-and-wife chef duo Ruben Aguilar Bel and Gabriella Fogarasi, and backed by well-known hospitality investor Linda Keenan.
Linda said both she and the team were delighted with the review and the impact it has had.
“They (the Bellota team) were thrilled,” she said. “Obviously they knew who she (Dent) was as she has such a high profile, and they were proud to show off to her.
“It’s been an unbelievable boost, the team didn’t have their feet on the ground for a couple of days.
“She wrote some wonderful things – it’s amazing, absolutely amazing.
“We’ve had over 1,000 enquiries, it’s just wonderful. We’re just now trying to dig in and find out where people are coming from – it has to be much wider than the immediate catchment.”
At Bellota, guests can watch their food being prepared and talk to the chefs, and each other, something which Dent heaped praise on the restaurant for.
She highlighted Bel’s explanation of the ‘txakoli he’d paired with his hake in salsa verde and escalivada vegetable raviolo’.
Linda said Dent appreciated the things the Bellota team were striving to achieve – to have ‘not only good food’ but a ‘comfortable, friendly and professional environment, something more than just excellent food’.
She said, since opening, all the staff had ‘worked their socks off’ with a lot of blood, sweat and tears going into the restaurant, and it was lovely to have their efforts recognised.
Linda paid tribute to Bury, it’s ‘foodie capital’ nature and its business community in the wake of the review, and said the team felt they made the right choice to set up in the town.
“Bury is a very receptive town,” she said. “I really feel like we picked the right place.
“We’re grateful for all the support from the people of Bury and the business community, they’ve been truly amazing.
“We’re very, very happy this is the backdrop that we had to launch our restaurant. We’re hoping it will do great for Bury as well, as hopefully they (Bellota guests) will spend some time in the town.”
Towards the end of her review, Dent said Bellota will ‘most likely’ win a Michelin star very soon, which is something Linda said the restaurant would love to have, but as that sort of thing cannot be counted on, the team will be ‘keeping their heads down and doing their best’.