London

• New beginnings. The new end restaurant has opened in Hampstead, with chef Tom Ilic (ex-Stepping Stones) creating a contemporary European menu that features robust ingredients and flavors.

• Lawrence Leung (Zen) has opened Cassia Oriental in the Berkeley Square space vacated by China Jazz. The emphasis is on Far Eastern home cooking.

• Terminal 3 at Heathrow airport now has a branch of the steak-frites chain Chez Gerard.

• The official relaunch of the Royal Opera House heralded a magnificent transformation of one of London's landmark cultural sites. In addition to four bar areas, there is dining in The Vilar Floral Hall Cafe, The Floral Hall Balcony, and The Amphitheatre Restaurant, all catered by Searcy's.

• Terence Conran's Great Eastern Hotel has opened two more restaurants. George, an English bar, and Fishmarket, a seafood restaurant and oyster bar, join the fine-dining Aurora restaurant and brasserie-style Terminus.