SCOTS ITALIAN RESTAURANTS BEAT ENGLISH FOR TOP HONOURS

Two Scots Italian Restaurants have beaten their English counterparts by being nominated for the Italian food Oscars. 
Glasgow’s own Oro restaurant in Kilmarnock Road joins Edinburgh’s Locanda De Gusti in being nominated for a trophy at the Melius Ristorante awards -rewarding the top 100 restaurants outside of Italy. 
And while Scotland has two nominations, England only has one - in the form of restaurant Beck at Brown’s in London. 
Scots chef Domenico Crolla said: “Every time I’ve competed in the U.K. for the past ten years Scotland has always done better than England whether it’s a pizza or restaurant contest. Scotland has always beaten England.”
Domenico reckons Scots restaurants are better rated because they are owner run.  
He said: “We have a culture of owner run restaurants here including Indian, Chinese and Italian which are all operated by the owners who offer an authentic experience. 
Other restaurants from Dubai and China are one the list so to be on the same list as them is quite an honour.”
Domenico can’t wait to represent Scotland when he visits Rome on October 29 for the awards ceremony. 
He said: “I don’t have the legs for a kilt but I’m looking forward to it. All the restaurants are of a high standard and it’s going to be close competition.”

GLASGOW PIZZA RESTAURANT WINS AWARD FROM ITALIAN GOVERNMENT

Scots Italian restaurant ORO has been named as one of the top seventy restaurants with pizzeria in the world by the Italian Government.
The stylish South side restaurant at 85 Kilmarnock Road is owned by Glasgow restaurateur Domenico Crolla. 

The name means Gold in Italian and it’s particularly fitting now that Domenico and his wife have been awarded a gold True Italian Taste award by the authorities in Rome. 

Domenico who has hit the headlines around the globe with his pizza portraits and use of gold leaf in his cooking, always planned to set the gold standard in Scots Italian food and he’s thrilled to make the list alongside some of the world’s top Michelin starred restaurants. 

Domenico who has just returned to Scotland after picking up his award at a prestigious ceremony in Rome’s three Star Michelin restaurant Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria over the weekend said: “We are now officially recognised by the authority and ministers of economic development in Italy and are in the top seventy pizzeria restaurants in the world out of an incredible 32 countries.  I’d like to thank all our customers, staff and chefs. Without them we wouldn’t have made it.”

Restauranteurs from as far afield as New York to Tokyo, from Dubai to Oslo were presented with their prize by Italian TV presenter Fabrizio Nonis while Michelin  Three-Star Chef Heinz Beck prepared the winners meal.

Domenico said: "Gold plays a large part in our interior design and of course we use some gold leaf in pizza toppings and other dishes but the name choice is more because our food is to a gold standard.”

The difference is our ingredients. Our chefs are brilliant but I do the buying of ingredients like the chicken and veal so I can guarantee the quality of our meat and that it's additive free.
ORO is my baby and I eat here, and my children and family eat here. If it's good for my family it's good for your family.  That's the definition of a family restaurant."

VAPIANO FINALLY COMES TO EDINBURGH WITH MORE CHOICE FOR DINERS

WE love it when a new restaurant opens up in Scotland and theshowbizlion.com is going wild about the launch of Edinburgh's Vapiano.
                                                                     
 The global restaurant biz is set to open its latest slice of the Italian dining phenomenon in the Scottish capital this October, bringing its relaxed and easy-going approach to Italian food to the heart of the capital, and creating around 50 jobs for the city.
 St Andrews Square is the location of the restaurants first Scottish venue, in an 8,770sq ft. space over three floors, with Finkernagel Ross the lead architects using the classic Vapiano design.

If you've not tried it,  the restaurant offers you the chance to order directly from chefs while they make up your meal right in front of you.
For control freaks and fussy eaters like theshowbizlion.com this is the perfect thing and it means customers get the freshest range of pizzas, pastas, antipasti and salads at the made fresh in front of them.

Founded on a love of honest, good and supremely fresh food; Vapiano presents a laid-back vibe, with large, long oak tables, each with their own herb garden. Classic favourites join new takes on the irresistible Italian menu, and the bar area is a natural place to enjoy the company of friends.

At the end of each diner’s visit, payment is made via the smart-card system, which sees everything added to your card as you order. Before you leave the restaurant, you’ll also be treated to a spoonful of yummy gummy bears, a sweet treat to round off your visit to Vapiano.

Phil Sermon, Managing Director at Vapiano, said: “Edinburgh has one of the greatest restaurant scenes in Europe so we’re thrilled to be joining it. This is a city that enjoys eating out and we can’t wait to welcome new customers through the door. We’re also delighted that our opening will be creating 50 new opportunities for people to develop great careers in hospitality.

“According to an Italian proverb, ‘If you have an easy-going and relaxed approach to life, you’ll live more healthily and longer.’ This is the attitude that Vapiano lives and breathes. We hope our new customers relax into our new home and enjoy the abundance of delicious Italian dishes.”

The first Vapiano restaurant opened in Hamburg, Germany in 2002. Since then, the business has developed a portfolio of 186 Vapianos in 31 countries on 5 continents, and is popular with young workers, students and celebrities alike. The new opening in Edinburgh will be the first in Scotland and the fifth in the UK, following London and Manchester.