Business people and the young and trendy crowd will have a new hangout when the Beluga Bar opens its doors in Washington Mall III next month.

Bermuda's latest bar/restaurant, which is owned by Soul Food Express, will specialise in seafood.

The bar will be run by a team of owner/manager Antonello Fadda, Matteo Gilardoni and Tiffany Eatherly and will offer everything from caviar and smoked salmon to fresh oysters, lobster and crab legs.

Mr. Fadda, who owns Soul Food Express along with business partners Domenico Cacace and Ilario Pepi, said that he came up with the idea to provide a completely different dining out experience about four to five years ago, but it wasn't until space became available at a prime location in the centre of town that he decided to launch his latest enterprise.

He said that there were already a lot of beluga style bars in the UK, including at Harrods and Gatwick Airport but he wanted to offer a more modern and luxurious brand of restaurant to really stand out from an over-saturated sushi market on the Island.

Above all, Mr. Fadda said he wants to provide top quality food at an affordable price, particularly in light of the current economic downturn with a lot of companies and individuals feeling the pinch. However he hopes to tap into the Island's corporate market targeting those wanting to entertain their clients through its slick presentation and with office space available in the mall.

"Everybody has been crying about the economy, but we are very confident that this place will boom," he said. "It is completely different to anything else in Bermuda."

The bar will be located in the basement of the new mall and will take over the ground floor for happy hour on Friday evenings.

With an Italian twist, the restaurant will include a menu featuring carpaccio, lobster salads and wraps, shrimp cocktails with different sauces, and even a serving of caviar washed down with a shot of vodka, as well as fresh Bermuda fish, with deliveries of fresh seafood from the US twice a week. It will be stocked with champagne and sparkling wines, such as prosecco.

But the big selling point will be the hand-picked staff with a friendly and bubbly personality offering service with a smile, according to Mr. Fadda. He is also planning to recruit a top chef and some casual staff for the happy hours.

The bar, which will form the centre piece with capacity for 14 people set off with a display containing fresh seafood on crushed ice, as well as a lounge area with seating for 14 to 18, will cater for private functions, including birthdays and Christmas parties.

Mr. Fadda, who has spent his career in catering, working in various restaurants and bars, including in London and on cruise ships, as well as the MEF Restaurant Group in Bermuda, launched Soul Food Express in 2000 and has since expanded the business to include Delicious and Quick Bites — the latter of which opened earlier this year.

Mr. Gilardoni, who grew up in a hotel, prior to leaving to work in London, including the world famous restaurant Cirpiani, came to Bermuda in 2006, where he worked for MEF for four years. Ms Eatherly has worked at various retail stores and boutiques, including Stefanel, and she is relishing the new opportunity to put her skills to good effect.

The Beluga Bar will be open between 11.30 a.m. and 9 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.

For more information contact Antonello on 505-2859 or Matteo on 531-8484 or email soulfoodexpress@northrock.bm