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San Carlo boss Gail Ganney believes she is winning over Highgate locals |
The key changes at treasured San Carlo
When Gail Ganney revealed plans to introduce a pianist at one of Highgate’s favourite restaurants, she faced a battle to win over regulars, writes Sara Newman
WHEN neighbours discovered the new owner of San Carlo had applied for a licence to play music three times a week, a number vehemently opposed the idea.
Restaurateur Gail Ganney had a task convincing residents her vision did not include a disco and karaoke hall.
San Carlo had for 30 years been seen as Highgate’s equivalent to the West End’s high-end Italian restaurants and the regulars were keen to keep it that way.
An expensive refurbishment disposed of the traditional Goodfellas-esque interior and its assortment of art, and replaced it with sections of carpeted wall, Victorian motif glass screens and padded brown leather chairs.
Above the orchids, carefully arranged in tall elegant vases, hang chandeliers of miniature black lampshades.
A year on, and a pianist is happily tinkling away on the shiny black baby piano, while children belonging to a wedding party try to distract him.
Gail has a laminated book of thank-you letters sitting on the coffee table beside her.
She said: “I’ve really had to earn my stripes here. People don’t like change and I really changed it. People were a bit wary but now they come in and say ‘Gosh, we really like it here’.”
The glamorous single mother of four, who spent five years in America as an internet programmer before setting up her first restaurant in Radlett, Hertfordshire, also trained in civil engineering and designed the restaurant herself.
For Gail, the restaurant business has allowed her the freedom to be a mother to her children (the youngest is nine years old), as well as run her own business and do what she loves best – entertaining.
“To me, running a restaurant is about entertaining, not just providing a fantastic meal,” she said. “To have a business like this you have to love people. I love coming in and chatting. It’s not something I think I have to do. I genuinely enjoy people.”
In terms of the service, Gail says she tries to lead by example, but relies on her two French chefs for the food, which is described as “Modern European”.
I had a starter of spicy fish cakes and deep-fried cayenne chilli pepper (£8.95) followed by fresh, lemony halibut steak marinated in coriander pesto, which came with creamy garlic mash (£18.95).
The mixed vegetables (mange tout and broccoli) were a deep green, buttery crunchy delight.
My friend’s choice of wine, Chablis Premier Cru (£29.95 a bottle) was spot on and her courgette and aubergine “cheesecake” (£9.95) was quite quiche-like but sufficiently like a cheesecake to warrant the title and came with mixed pepper couscous.
Given the chefs’ affection for the crumbly crusted cheese-based dessert, I thought it only polite to try their cheesecake of the day – Bailey and nougat (£5.95).
Needless to say my impeccable manners paid off.
All the food was presented immaculately.
Not only does San Carlo now offer round-the-clock service (noon-midnight and 10.30am-midnight on Sundays), at £30 a head for three courses (without wine), it’s reasonably priced too.
Our hostess is there every evening and most lunchtimes, meeting and greeting and sprinkling her surroundings with a certain Nigella Lawson- meets-Rachel Hunter sparkle.
The regulars can rest assured that for all the changes, San Carlo is still an independently run, good old-fashioned high-end restaurant that trades on providing a dining experience as well as quality food.
• San Carlo,
2 Highgate High Street, N6.
020 8340 5823 |
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