Mystery surrounds the closure of a Nottingham city centre restaurant that opened its doors for the first time last year when the government lifted Covid restrictions.
Esculent in Low Pavement gave no explanation, simply a message saying "now closed" on its website.
But an announcement on its TripAdvisor page states: "This business is temporarily closed until 10/03/2022."
The 70-seater restaurant opened last July - the first in the city to specialise in British tapas, offering small plates of Yorkshire puddings and gravy, honey glazed chipolatas and roast potatoes on the menu, as well as 2-4-1 cocktails.
The restaurant attracted scores of five star reviews and seemingly ticked all the right boxes with customers praising the food, drinks and service.
One customer said: "This is the best place I have ever eaten and I eat out all the time! The food is divine, the staff are really lovely. Couldn’t recommend it enough."
Another commented: "What a great experience, would recommend this restaurant, the food was great, the staff were pleasant and attentive and all this at a very competitive price."
One diner, who visited last month, said, however: "It was a little disappointing to see you so quiet, with the quality of food, setting and service it should have been busier."
Nottinghamshire Live contacted the owners but hasn't received a response.
The attractive-fronted building - just doors down from Paul Smith's flagship shop - was previously Italian restaurant Carluccio's until it closed down in 2018.
Before that it was the Slug & Lettuce.
The gin bar next door, Juni, didn't reopen when the pandemic restrictions were relaxed in July last year and remains on the market.
However, it's not all bad news along the stretch of road near Broadmarsh. The Magic Garden is open for cocktails, there's coffee at Cartwheel Cafe and tea room Thea Caffea re-opened with the addition of a night-time bar.
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