I've opened a "restaurant" in Soho

[hoyin]

Are there rules on this part of the forum that don't allow us to promote our own businesses?

I won't go any further until someone can confirm what I am allowed to type.

Thanks

[hoyin]

Cheers I put info in my profile.

It is not your typical "restaurant".

But hopefully people are open to try new things in London.

[hoyin]

KFC said:

The website tells us absolutely nothing about what you're doing or selling :roll eyes:

If you want to say 'serving the best tinned food in the world' then you'd certainly need to elaborate a bit more to get me interested in going.

What are these tins? where do they come from? How are they prepared? Photos?

Actually it is quite interesting as the website tells you all there is to know!

We serve best tinned seafood sourced from all over the world.

Not your usual stuff from the supermarket but red tuna belly, clams, scallops, cold liver etc.

That is it.

[hoyin]

KFC said:

Well in your opinion you sell the best tinned seafood in the world. But since you want me to spend my time and my money going there, I'll want to at least qualify your opinion before deciding if I'm going to or not.

imo your website has so little credibility that it would be better off not existing.

Take the images like this one :



And get them hosted on the website!

Thanks.

Yes you are right. The website is being updated on Monday with photos of the shop. Etc.

[hoyin]

dudleybloke said:

A lot of canned fish gets cooked twice, that's why the tuna you get in tins is nothing like the real thing but the gourmet stuff gets canned raw then only gets heated once.
The two are worlds apart.

Exactly this.

The gourmet tins which we sell are completely different to the general stuff you get in supermarkets.

You really need to try it to be converted. But I can totally understand why tinned fish in the UK has this bad reputation.

In Spain and Portugal tinned seafood is completely different.

There is this cod liver from Iceland that tastes unreal. Its texture is like foie gras.

[hoyin]

lamboman100 said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

lamboman100 said:

It is a cringey rahrah popup copied from NY.

Despite that, it looks worth a visit. Will report back in the next few weeks.

Actually if you read the blurb you'd realise it's Lisbon, not NY

Be interested to hear what people think. Curious idea, but one which has obviously been seen operating successfully elsewhere.

Please tell me you didn't fall for that marketing nonsense?!

Didn't have to travel to check out NY - that is way too far.

Lisbon have them all over the place and it is where we are every couple of weeks. You should definitely seek them out if you go over there. My favourite is this ex fishing tackle shop:

http://www.thelisbonconnection.com/trendy-barcafe-...

This is what we are building in Lisbon a cultural centre for EDP and hence why we are there so often:




As you can tell we are not professional restauranteurs merely architects who are interested in doing something different and having some fun.

I know it probably won't be to everyone's taste, but if you do decide to visit I hope you do enjoy it and have fun.

[hoyin]

shirt said:

the restaurant i have no opinion of. not for me but i've seen pop ups operating on far more tenuous business ideas.

i know several architects. they can never just come out and say 'oh we're going to do this because it sounds/looks cool'. they always have to justofy thigns in the most wky way possible. tits.

Yup sounds like you know us architects well. We always have to try and justify everything. I guess it is because we are always questioned on everything we do and have to justify every move that we make.

[hoyin]

jimbop1 said:

OP is this the first time you have set up a small business? Only asking because I'm looking for advise.

First time I have ever setup a restaurant!

But I run a medium sized architectural practice ... but happy to help you if I can.

Here is another review if you are interested:

http://www.coolhunting.com/food-drink/tincan-londo...

Whilst we opened yesterday we didn't do a launch as such. There is a party on Thursday to coincide with the opening of the London Design Festival. So we will be closed to the public on that day.

[hoyin]

KFC said:

Couldn't you have just told us that when we asked about it in the thread though?

You've came on here and spammed it on PH as you presumably wanted people to come visit. But then it seems like you're trying pretty hard to make us not want to go. Strange really


Anyway, I may try the Lisbon one but like the poster above I think I'll be avoiding the £18 cans

Sorry ... haven't managed to read every single post here ... too busy trying to get a restaurant running!

If you are in Lisbon definitely try the place I spoke about.

You can also check out our Cultural Centre (when it is finished!).

Thanks

[hoyin]

CAPP0 said:

I like the concept of trying something different and applaud you for that.

Unfortunately, a good friend of mine, a London worker and dweller, who is something of an amateur foodie and is usually to be found elbowing people out of the way in order to get to the front of the queue for any new restaurant, has just tweeted "no real desire for sardines on toast for £20" in relation to this new place.

Oh well it is a shame your friend hasn't tried it and realised we don't do toast and actually there are only 3 sardines out of 28 cans that we do and it is not £20.

But everyone is entitled to their own opinion whether they are informed or not.
Hop

[hoyin]

dudleybloke said:

I still want to know if they do soft shelled crab in tins there.

Not at the moment. But if anyone knows of anybody tins they want to recommend let me know as we are constantly looking for new ones to add to the menu.

[hoyin]

Thanks for your feedback I really do appreciate it. We are totally new to this so every suggestion is gratefully appreciated.

Whilst we are promoting the shop my focus has unfortunately not been on the website.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/1...

But we are on the front page of the online Guardian.

[hoyin]

Sorry it has taken so long. I just took a quick snap with my phone.

Will be getting a proper one on the website as soon as we can.

[hoyin]

Yes you can buy tins to take away they are £2 less.

We got a couple of beers at the moment. A Portugese Super Bock and a Spanish beer brewed with sea water which is really good - we are currently the only suppliers of this beer in the UK.

Sorry no Salmon. Have yet to find one that is significantly better than ones you can get in the supermarket and warrants us stocking.

[hoyin]

And some selected wines. Currently only 2 red and 2 whites but they were carefully chosen to go with the seafood.

Trying to find more but we are quite picky.

[hoyin]

n_const said:

Mentioned on esquire.co.uk today.

http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/article/7039/lond...

Cheers I didn't see that one.

But I did find this in the Stylist:

http://m.stylist.co.uk/life/recipes/tincan---the-n...

Our official opening party was today. Just finished we were rammed which was nice and it seemed like everyone had a good time!

[hoyin]

You will be happy to know I am getting a professional to do the website properly.

Hopefully we can get it done soon!

Thanks for all your input - it will have the menu on it!

[hoyin]

http://munchies.vice.com/articles/i-dined-on-tinne...

Seem to be getting good reviews from the people that have visited. It does appear that they are appreciating the quality of the tins.

[hoyin]

Digger said:

Duly purchased earlier today . . .


8. Pinhais - Spiced Sardines in Olive Oil

12. Triton - Lightly Smoked Cod Liver

22. Los Peperetes - Bonito Belly Tuna

Let me know what you think of them. Especially the cod liver as that is my favourite.

Thanks for visiting.

[hoyin]

itannum990 said:

Have a free bump..

Because I went there the other night.

Got to say it was an excellent experience. Wife was.. apprehensive at first, its not cheap, for cold food straight from a tin.. but she was won over by the smoked cod liver and seawater beer. And damn those anchovies were the best I've ever had, ever. As promised on the menu..

Found the staff to be so very friendly, professional and enthusiastic, the decor/design was just awe inspiring, I know nothing about design/architecture whatsoever but little things like the furniture and lights were just incredible to look at and play with (the lights are like little flying saucers above the table, I may have made sound effects a bit)

I think some on this thread were put off by some of the phrases and descriptions used to describe the place in reviews etc, as a working class dude I'd be not far off calling it wky pretentious arty talk - but really it's just a unique and properly tasty experience, eat flavours you won't find anywhere else, and I'm happy to report, there were no (visible) hipsters. Always a positive.

So best of luck to the guys behind it, and a healthy recommendation to everyone else to try it out.

Edited by itannum990 on Thursday 25th September 11:31

Thank you for coming and giving the restaurant a try and thank you for your nice review and recommendation and very happy you enjoyed it.

I am so glad you threw caution to the wind and tried it and then were surprised at how good it was. A lot of feedback I have had has been similar - people have gone with a bit of trepidation about the place, but once they have tasted the food they have all remarked on how it is like no canned seafood they have had before.

I hope other people can be more open minded and give it a try!

Glad you liked the furniture and lights. Though a bit nervous when you say you "played" with the light. As the ones you see in the restaurant are the only ones that exist in the entire world!

We are finding there are two types of people - ones that come in for a number of drinks and a couple of tins as a snack bit like a tapas after the theater, and some that come in for a proper meal.

It has been really interesting experience so far and the amount of publicity has been astounding. People (not related to companies) are sending us their favourite tins from all around the world!

Thanks