Richard’s tasteful Sarastro Restaurant promises an operatic culinary experience complete with a string quartet and live soprano singers.
“If Music be the Food of Love, Eat up!” -King Richard -
FAREWELL TO THE KING At his funeral in 2008, King Richard was sent off with a carnival livened up by a Hungarian gypsy band strumming guitars and belting out gypsy songs with gusto followed by a string quartet. Champagne and wine flowed freely for the bevy of mourners of family and friends. Mounted police and the Chelsea Pensioners of retired military personnel escorted his cortege as we said farewell to the King on his final journey to the restaurant in the sky. It was the mother of all funerals.
His memorial service a month later was equally festive with scantily- clad Brazilian samba dancers and musicians celebrating his life. More champagne and wine flowed to toast to the spirit of the King who was probably hosting a party for the angels in heaven as he did on earth. Tat was the command of King Richard on his deathbed, to be sent off with a celebration of his amazing life. His spirit still lives on in Sarastro and I always feel his presence when I am there.
“THE SHOW AFTER THE SHOW” Sarastro Restaurant provokes divided sentiments from diners – some find the whole thing distasteful, while some truly rejoice in it. Happily, most people love the place and become regular customers; they come from
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Every Christmas, he would hold a Christmas party for this underprivileged sector of society. His untimely death at the age of 67 was a great loss to the community and to the many charities he supported.
the showbiz and theatre worlds, are politicians, tourists and the general public. It is a visual feast of opulent and flamboyant décor styled after a classical opera house. Indeed, most of the outlandish and ornate features are props and cast-offs from shows and operas in the theatres around the area. It is an eclectic mix of gothic,
rococo, Byzantine, Aladdin’s cave and Arabian Nights all boldly featured like a Salvador Dali surreal artwork in kaleidoscopic vision. Te theatrical setting comprises ten wall-mounted opera boxes with intimate booths on the ground level, holding a capacity seating for 250. Te room is festooned with drapes of velvet, silk and lacy fabric and artefacts such as ballet shoes (contributions from ballerinas), weird and quirky things of a witch flying on a broom stick, a couple of huge bandaged mummy-like figures endowed with rather large phalluses, a golden Laughing Buddha, paintings and all sorts of bric-a-brac.
True to his mischievous sense of
humour, King Richard commissioned artists to paint erotic art in the restrooms, which have won “best toilets in London” awards in the past. Tey are definitely not for the fainted hearted or prudes! Te murals portray quite explicit erotic paintings, more art than pornography (depends on your sensitivity and outlook,) not quite suitable for junior eyes. Children have their own restrooms, which are primly decorated. But Sarastro is a restaurant for
grown-ups. On Sunday and Monday evenings and Sunday afternoons, there is a string quartet and live opera provided by professional singers from international opera houses including the Royal Opera House. Swing and Motown are played on Tursday evenings, currently starring Colin Roy, a West End actor and singer, while on Friday nights, the weekend kicks off with Latin rhythms performed by Grace Rodson. A small area is cleared for diners to dance and show off some moves when the music picks up rhythmic tempo. It is a wonderful place for celebrating special occasions such as office Christmas parties, birthdays and anniversaries. Its lively atmosphere lends itself to a festive mood and it has been billed as “Te show after the show”, being a favourite of theatregoers in Covent Garden. If you come to Sarastro and feel miserable,
JUNE 2014 | F ENGSHUIWORLD 61
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