Award-winning chef Dermot Regan gave a much-needed boost to the local economy when he opened the first restaurant in St Anne’s Square, Belfast on Saturday night.
The Potted Hen – sister restaurant to the prestigious Oregano in Newtownabbey – has created 18 full-time and part-time jobs.
Dermot and wife Catherine, have opened a chic bistro style restaurant that will be a haven for the city’s growing population of food lovers.
It is the first restaurant to open in this beautiful new square and Dermot is planning to blaze a trail of gastronomic excellence for others to follow.
He said: “I am very excited about the Potted Hen and I hope that our new customers love it as much as Oregano. Our philosophy will remain the same – making tasty innovative dishes using fresh local ingredients, but with the urban setting, there will be plenty of surprises.
“The Cathedral Quarter is full of restaurants and cafes but we feel privileged to be the first to set up in what will become one of Belfast’s most sought after night time destinations.”
Catherine Regan has worked painstakingly with the restaurant’s designers to come up with the perfect look for the restaurant.
She said: “The interior is a modern, bistro style with plain wooden furniture, iron columns, cream panelled walls and exposed duct work on the ceilings. The floor is dark, slate grey, designed to echo the floor outside in the courtyard.
“It is quite simple and stripped down because we want the food to be the main focus – to speak for itself. We think the image of The Potted Hen will complement the modern, urban atmosphere of the Cathedral Quarter.”
The restaurant seats 70 people and has an intimate, friendly feel like its sister restaurant. It will be the perfect place to go to enjoy great food, fantastic service and good conversation.
During the week, The Potted Hen will open at 10.30am, serving luxury pastries, muffins with deliciously creamy hot chocolate, flavoured coffees and speciality teas. It will be the perfect place to enjoy a well deserved mid-morning break or hold an informal meeting.
Lunch will begin at 12 noon and end at 3pm, while dinner will be from 5pm to 10pm. Appropriately, one of the signature starters will be Dermot’s delicious ‘Potted Hen’ Chicken Liver terrine served in stylish glass Kilner jars.
For more information visit www.thepottedhen.com
