Alan Yau's Naamyaa closes to become new Busaba site
Alan Yau's Islington site Naamyaa is to become part of the casual dining brand Busaba Eathai, it was confirmed this week.
It had been suggested that the Thai-style Naamyaa Café, which only opened last year, would be Yau's next roll-out project. However, the site has now closed ahead of the Busaba renovation, and is expected to re-open later this year.
Hong-Kong born Yau is also the founder of high-end Michelin-starred sites Hakkasan and Yauatcha, and high-street staple Wagamama, all of which he has now sold. He also owns a restaurant in Hong Kong named St Betty.
The Busaba Eathai chain has nine locations across London, including at Westfield Shepherd's Bush and Westfield Stratford, plus another site at Oxfordshire's Bicester Village.
It serves Thai food including chicken with rice noodles, beansprouts and lime; prawns with squid and fish cake; butternut squash and cashew nut stir-fry; egg-fried rice with crabmeat; and Mussaman duck curry.
Original drinks include fresh iced tamarind tea; passion fruit, banana, natural yoghurt and jasmine smoothie; and mango lassi with rosewater.
The first Busaba Eathai opened in London's Wardour Street in 1999 and the brand has significantly expanded in the past decade.
Yau's most recently announced project is "Chinese gastropub" Duck & Rice, set to open in Soho early this year.
Former Pied à Terre head chef Shane Osborn to head up Alan Yau's Hong Kong restaurant St Betty >>
