Guests arriving at the 'Burma Hole in Your Pocket' night at The Island were greeted with a huge visual of Aung San Suu Kyi projected on to the outside wall of the restaurant. It was an incredibly startling sight, kindly donated by Lci Ltd and Magnum photographer Steve McCurry.

Around 115 guests drank Pegu Club cocktails and ate Burmese style food, cooked by chef Luke Keating, a brave departure from his usual style of European food. A raffle featuring some incredible prizes (night at the Halkin Hotel, a Moschino handbag worth £1500, and jewellery from designers Solange Azagury-Partridge and Dinny Hall), was drawn by BBC comedian Xander Armstrong from the Armstrong and Miller show.

Guests included award winning documentary maker Nick Broomfield, tv and film executives Peter Fincham, Simon Oakes and Josh Berger; model Saffron Aldridge; comedian Harry Enfield and Prima Ballerina Isabel McKeekin; all of whom were touched by the speeches of Zoya Phan, a Karen refugee, and Martin Morland, Chairman of Prospect Burma. Those who stayed late enjoyed live music from Anglo-Burmese musician Chester Kamen, as well as singers Dom Scheggia, Wade Bayliss, and Toby Anderson and Andy Caine. Hostesses Anna Curtis and Kathleen Daniaud raised £8000 for Prospect Burma, with The Island donating all profits from the ticket sales.

Prospect Burma is supported by Aung San Suu Kyi and helps Burmese students in exile to continue their education. They promise to return to Burma when it is safe to do so, and help re-build their country, using the qualifications they have gained. www.prospectburma.org .

The Island Bar and Dining Room recently marked its first anniversary by welcoming the Gordon Ramsey trained Luke Keating as Head Chef.

Opened in March 2006, The Island Bar & Dining Rooms stands in Kensal Green, NW10. Arranged over 3 floors, this bright, open-plan building boasts a 70-seater first floor and mezzanine dining-room with a modern European seasonal menu and large accessible wine list. On the ground floor in the informal bar, light snacks and simpler dishes are available. Leading on from the bar is the more relaxed lower snug complete with banquettes low seating and open-fire. Outside, a huge south-facing suntrap terrace seating up to 150.

The Island stands on the former site of The Buccaneer, a 70’s built bunker of a pub with sticky carpets, bare light bulbs, wall-to-wall dog racing and flat beer.
The Island owners, John Devitt and Olly Daniaud (co-founder of The Westbourne, W2 and The Pig’s Ear, SW3) re-vamped the whole site, to offer the West London crowd, a quality non-gimmicky watering hole with good food in a bright and breezy atmosphere.