'Thrilling' restaurant Aaya calls in administrators

A SOHO restaurant has called in administrators less than a year after it opened.

Aaya, owned by Gary Yau, brother of Wagamama and Hakkasan founder Alan Yau, opened last May in Brewer Street.

The 110-seat restaurant was well-received by critics but struggled in the economic downturn and today administrators Begbies Traynor said they had been called in.

The Evening Standard's Fay Maschler named Aaya as one of her best restaurants of last year, while David Sexton's review found the food "not just delicious but actually thrilling".

The venue was designed by David Archer Architects, with bamboo screen effects, slick modern furniture and staff dressed in expensive white robes.

The restaurant is the latest victim of the looming recession after the FishWorks chain went into administration last week.

Chef Tom Aikens's two restaurants both collapsed in September with £900,000 debts, but were bought over by a private equity chain and remain trading.

While there are fears that many restaurants will fall foul of the credit crunch, some restaurateurs have been bullish about the market.Sir Terence Conran is opening two, the Boundary Restaurant and Bar and Albion which are both in Shoreditch.