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http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/11615158.Woolwich_cafe_is_London_s_best_restaurant__says_TripAdvisor/
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Woolwich
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cafe is London's best restaurant, says TripAdvisor
Shewa Hagos: "Never give up."
A picture hangs in the restuarant of a tram that crashed into the front of
the shop when it was a butcher's
First published Thursday 20 November 2014 in Newsby Mark Chandler, deputy
news editor
The capital's best restaurant isn't run by a superstar chef in central
London - it's an old Woolwich sandwich bar transformed into an Eritrean
cafe.
Last year, the Salad Bowl on Woolwich New Road looked to be on its last
legs, priced out of the market by cheaper stores and the huge new Tesco
opposite.
But now, transformed into the Blue Nile, business is booming and, this
week, the restaurant was ranked number one in the whole of London on the
TripAdvisor website.
Owner Shewa Hagos explained: "When I set up the sandwich bar in 2008 the
business was good. But after the recession people didn't have much money
and no one was coming to buy sandwiches anymore.
"When I first started I had eight staff. Last year I only had one left so
the business was completely gone.
"I couldn't even get a loan from the high street back because they told me
'come back when you make money'."
Ms Hagos sat down with her architect son and daughter-in-law to trash out a
new business plan and The Blue Nile was born, serving cuisine from her home
country of Eritrea with a mix of Italian classics.
The food - including the ever popular cardamom and cinnamon-infused stews -
is made from local produce, while all the furniture inside was donated by
friends.
By removing one of the old walls, there was also an unexpected find - a
series of beautiful old wall tiles dating back to around 1935, inspiring
one customer to say the restaurant was "lost on its way to Shoreditch".
Also serving Italian coffees, pasta, ice-creams and home-made breads, word
has spread and Blue Nile's reputation has now bagged it top spot online too.
TripAdvisor reviews have variously described it as "one of the most
wonderful dining experiences of my life" and "a beautiful little surprise",
with gushing praise for the service alongside the food.
Ms Hagos said: "The way I look at it, every customer is very important to
us. We treat them like my family."
And she went on: "I say never give up. Last year was the worst year in my
life. It was really, really bad but now, 11 months later, to be in this
position is wonderful.
"I'm very grateful to all my customers and my friends and family. They
supported me, they believed in me and that's also wonderful."
Received on Sun Nov 23 2014 - 08:39:32 EST