Interim post

I’ve written before, while we dreamed of the new KOTO restaurant, that I fantasised about the opening night.

When everything was going horrifically wrong it was the thought that kept me going.

Specifically it was about putting on the event, watching as everyone cooed over the new place and then, once they had gone, enjoying a beer with the wonderful people who had made it possible. We’d all be wearing goofy smug smiles and someone would voice what we were thinking.  They’d say: “We ****ing did it!”

Well that is only a couple of weeks away.  The official opening is coming soon.
In the meantime, I am back in Hanoi after a month long break in the UK (pics).  I then returned via Bangkok – touching down on New Year’s Eve and sleeping through both the new year celebrations and, I found out later, bombs going off.

My jetlag also meant I got up obscenely early the next morning (pics).

Then, late on January 3rd I returned “home” to Hanoi.

You may recall that when I left, the new KOTO restaurant wasn’t quite open. Well it is now and I couldn’t wait.  I was there for breakfast the very next day and it’s looking incredible.

It’s in the middle of what they call, in the industry, a soft opening.  In other words they are ironing out problems and getting feedback.  Once everyone is content, they’ll extend the opening and have that fabled opening do.

Sure, there are some little things that need sorting and in a strange way, it’s yet to really feel like home.  But it does look beautiful.  I particularly like the new Temple Bar area.

So, one more post to go. I’ve spent Christmas vaguely mulling over any conclusions I can take from all of this.

In the meantime I am meeting an old KOTO colleague for lunch today – seeing as I don’t actually work there any more she can tell me the plans for the opening hours.
However, in the meantime, it is open for breakfast and lunch (and evenings at weekends).  Make sure you get down there if you’re in town.

All the new KOTO pics here.