One of Birmingham’s most famous restaurants has closed its doors.
But fans of Lasan need not worry, because it will reopen next month after a major refurbishment.
That will be a relief for celebrities who rave about its food, including Gary Barlow, Michael Buble and Ant and Dec.
The owners, Saturday Kitchen star Aktar Islam and Jabbar Khan, promise that it will be “completely transformed” after six weeks of work.
They say: “We don’t want to give too much away at present, but you can expect a stunning and more spacious interior and a new menu to match.
“We promise you future dining experiences that will knock your socks off!”
Lasan, on James Street in the Jewellery Quarter, is due to reopen in late October.
Lasan Group CEO Jabbar Khan adds: "We are most excited about this rebirth of Lasan. We feel the time has come to evolve and showcase India's amazing food-related culture in more depth.
"It seems everything's been said and done when it comes to Indian dining, but there are so many obscure yet intriguing stories to be told and culinary adventures to go on."
Lasan is an Indian restaurant but a very upmarket one, which chef Aktar launched in 2002 at the age of just 22.
It shot to fame when it won Best Local Restaurant in the UK on Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word on Channel 4 in 2009.
After the triumph, they had to bring in extra staff just to answer the phone from diners wanting to book and there was soon a 12-week waiting list.
Aktar, who also runs Nosh + Quaff, Raja Monkey, Fiesta de la Asado and Izza Pizza in Birmingham, also cooked a winning course for Great British Menu in 2011.
He says his mission is to “blow people away with exotic flavour combinations”.
He has certainly blown away Gary Barlow who called it “the best Indian food I’ve ever eaten”.
Ant and Dec love it there and recommended it to This Morning’s Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby , who said: “The food was amazing and it was the perfect atmosphere.”
