THE UK's first Californian-themed restaurant has expanded with a second branch in the Capital after securing a city centre site from award-winning chef Tony Singh.
Bosses at Southside restaurant Calistoga decided to expand after record revenues in each month of this year so far.
Now they have secured the former Rose Street North Lane site where Mr Singh built up the Roti brand before it moved to larger premi
ses on Morrison Street.
Despite their largely hidden location off the main Rose Street thoroughfare, the premises were also previously home to Edinburgh food institution Martin's for 20 years.
The new restaurant, which opened this week, will offer around 100 different Californian red wines, as well as food influenced by the west coast state.
Calistoga owner Gordon Minnis said: "Even in these times, our last seven or eight months have all been record months for us, so we see it as a good time to expand.
"People are looking for something unique and we can offer that. Our food is unique because nowhere else is doing the same thing in the UK. Our wine list is very strong, so we get a lot of wine-ophiles, which helps as well."
It will be a return to the restaurant for Mr Minnis, who previously worked in Martin's when it was in the same building.
The 56-seat Rose Street North Lane restaurant will be double the size of the St Leonard's Street branch, which was opened in 2004 and is to continue operating.
The new space is also to allow Mr Minnis to put on more special events, with a Californian wine-maker visiting Edinburgh in September to present a tasting.
The opening of the new restaurant comes a week after restaurateurs told the Evening News customer numbers had not dropped despite the credit crunch, but average spend per customer had reduced.
Mr Minnis said: "I am confident in the site. We hear a lot about the credit crunch and we have been waiting to be hit by it over the last eight or nine months but each one has been a record month, and we believe that can continue.
"We try to offer an affordable product, with only a five per cent mark-up on shop prices on wine, and we believe that is what people are looking for."
Alan Goldie, associate director of restaurant letting agent Christie & Co, said:
"Most restaurants are holding their own but they are finding costs are increasing and that is the main challenge."
The full article contains 423 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
