Port Royal Golf Course will now have a classy restaurant to complement its PGA Gram Slam of Golf course.

64 Degrees Bar & Grill, which will be officially launched with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Premier Ewart Brown today, was the brainchild of Fresco's Group boss Claudio Vigilante and he hopes it will attract golfers, tourists and locals alike to sample some of the fine cuisine served up by chef Troy Smith and the stunning views across the golf course and out to sea.

The idea behind the name of the restaurant comes from Bermuda's geographical location at 64 degrees longitude, the angle of a sand wedge and the fact it will be listed under the numbers at the front of the telephone directory.

Mr. Vigilante said the contract for the restaurant, which was formerly Greg's Steakhouse before it moved to Hamilton, was put out to tender and he came up to have a look at the place and immediately saw its potential to do well.

"Scott (Hill), my marketing manager, told me to come and have a look at it and I had no idea what it was like because I don't play golf and I had never been up here before," he said.

"But I looked and saw the potential from the restaurateur point of view - the view, the location and the space, as well as the possibility of outdoor and indoor dining and for functions were all great.

"I also saw a desperate need for restaurant with that kind of flexibility and obviously it is a considerable investment because the space is so big to cover, but I knew right away I wanted to do something quality.

"After all, we are in a recession and you have to offer quality for money."

His decision to submit a bid for the deal was vindicated after speaking to the management and board of directors at the golf club, as well as the PGA itself, and realising they shared the same vision for the quality of golf and cuisine they wanted to offer.

Having beaten off strong competition to win the contract for the restaurant, he set about renovating the place from scratch, starting from a shell and installing a state-of-the-art kitchen, refrigeration system and fully-furnished dining area with seating for 120 people inside and 100 outside, complete with an indoor and outdoor bar, all in the space of five months.

The piece de resistance is the glass wine cellar, featuring 12 safe deposit boxes which can be rented on an annual basis with a 35 percent discount on wines, liquor and cigars to be stored in there, complete with a personalised name plaque.

Mr. Vigilante, who also runs Fresco's, Silk, Opus and Aqua, has also provided a boost to the local economy, taking on 15 new staff, including chef Mr. Smith, an Australian who has worked extensively across the Caribbean and South America, including Richard Branson's exclusive resort at Necker Island in the British Virgin<\p>Islands, and who launched the original Aqua with Mr. Vigilante in 2001, going full circle with his return to Bermuda eight years later to open 64 Degrees. He plans to double those numbers by the peak season next summer depending on demand.

"We are open for business and we and confident in what we have," said Mr. Vigilante. "I believe the most important thing about a restaurant is consistency and that is the hardest thing to achieve and goes for the service staff and chefs.

"On this Island people remember their experiences in restaurants and so you are only as good as your last meal and have to perform to the top level in what you provide.

"We are not competing with the guy next door, we are competing with other restaurants from other countries, and you have to bear in mind that people don't mind spending money so long as they get quality - the days when you could put 25 percent on top just for offering a good view are gone."

Mr. Vigilante is upbeat on the economy and believes it will start picking up next summer, however he reckons the recession has sorted out the "men from the boys" with those who run a tight ship and offer good value for money reaping the rewards. Locally, he would like to see more quality and less quantity in the Bermuda restaurant market.

The first big event to be held at the course since it reopened following its $14 million redevelopment and Fresco's took charge of the catering side was the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which was described as a "baptism of fire" by Mr. Vigilante, with Fresco's supplying all the food and drink.

The food itself focuses on steak and local fish. New menus are planned to be introduced every month to keep the dishes fresh and seasonal, while reservations can be made for functions, including weddings and corporate events.

The bar opens at 11 a.m. and the restaurant serves food until 10 p.m., seven days a week, except Christmas Day.

For more information contact 234-0330.