A TASTE of American hospitality has arrived at Basingstoke Arena with the opening of a sports restaurant – the first in the UK for the successful chain behind the venture.

Wolfies American-style restaurant and sportsbar offers a wide range of dishes all freshly cooked on the premises, from oysters, shrimp, and stuffed jalepenos to nachos, and rib eye steaks.

The family restaurant overlooks the popular ice rink, replacing Q’s Bar at the venue owned by Planet Ice, which is part of The Arena Group.

Wolfies is a successful well-established chain in the United States, headquartered in Texas, and has picked Basingstoke for its first UK premises.

It has also signed a one-year deal to sponsor Basingstoke’s ice hockey team The Bison, whose home is Basingstoke Arena.

Wolfies’ president Jon Nelson, who flew in from Houston to visit Basingstoke for the open ing of the restaurant, said: “We’re very excited about coming to Basingstoke and opening our first restau rant in the UK. We opened our first unit back in 1996, but this is the first time we have sponsored a team. It’s all new for us, but we are looking forward to joining up with the Bison. We’re a family restaurant and ice hockey is a family sport so it is great tie-up for us. Our reputation is built on good food that brings back people time and time again. So we are looking forward to welcoming all the fans and I’m sure they will enjoy the atmos phere we provide.” Managing the restaurant is Luchi Da Silva, who has high hopes for the restau rant, which will be showing a complete package of television sports including football, rugby and cricket for fans to enjoy.

He said: “I feel we will do well in Basingstoke as we are the only sports restaurant in Basingstoke and because we have a lot of special dishes on the menu. The good thing about it is that you can come down with your family and have a nice meal, watch the football and watch the ice hockey live, and cheer on the Bison.”

Employing between 40 and 50 staff, Luchi said the restaurant is still on the lookout to recruit more people at the restaurant that offers full waitress service.Putting great store on top-notch friendly customer serv ice, Luchi said: “We want to give our guests a very good experience here at Wolfies.

And so far we have had very good feedback.”

Giving the thumbs-up to the sports restaurant is Samantha Gilbert, who is a Wolfies regional man ager, based in Texas. She, along with Jessica Bachand and Jessica Riggs, was sent over to Basingstoke as a treat by their boss for the week.

Samantha said: “Mr Nelson picked us and said ‘how about taking a vacation for doing such a great job and see what is going on in Basingstoke for a week – I’m not going to say no to that!’ “Luchi and his team are doing a great job and it feels like a Wolfies’ in Texas – it’s almost like home. And everyone here has been really nice.”