John and John's English and International restaurant and tavern, Bamboo restaurant and King Dude Egyptian restaurant.

Many regular visitors to Luxor will be familiar with the two Johns. They were the first to open an English restaurant in Luxor, 7Days 7Ways. They became so well known that their restaurant was often known as the Two Johns. For a while they also had an interest in Pub 2000, nearer to the centre of town.

After a short break the Johns came back, this time in partnership with an Egyptian businessman, to run Luxor's first self-service carvery. Just past the Isis hotel at the southern end of town and just a few steps from 7Ways, the new carvery was called John and Johns. The Johns have now moved on from there as well and the carvery has become the Thebes International restaurant.

Most regulars know that only one of the Johns is involved with the restaurants now, but we will refer to the two Johns as this is still how the restaurants are branded.

The two Johns have moved to the Gaddis hotel, opposite the Isis hotel, a stone's throw from their previous two restaurants. Their new empire is well signposted from the main entrance to the hotel. At the Gaddis they have developed a small empire. As well as John & Johns restaurant and John & Johns Tavern, they have the Bamboo restaurant, serving low-cost (about LE40) set meals mainly, but not exclusively, to half-board guests at the Gaddis; the King Dude, an Egyptian restaurant with Egyptian styling and a choice of Egyptian set menus, and a coffee bar.

For the mainstay of the latest venture, John & Johns restaurant, there is a return to the original formula, with a fair-sized restaurant serving an English and international menu. Their new restaurant and the tavern each have their own enclosed spaces and share an outside terrace surrounding a small pool.

The Tavern is really rather nice. We are told by those in the review group who know about these things, that the bar stools are most comfortable. The furnishings and general ambience are fresh and should please even the most discerning. The reasonably high ceilings compared with some pubs and taverns, and the effective air extraction system should reduce smoke problems and service from the knowledgeable staff is rapid. Regulars will be pleased to know that the John's have retained the 'buy one get one free' tradition on cocktails, which come in at LE30 for one - or two. Beers are from LE12, soft drinks are LE5 - LE6 and fresh juices LE8.5.

In the restaurant the drinks are the same prices as in the Tavern. The meals are all well presented and keep up the standards that made the Johns famous in the first place. A steak with sauce is LE45. There is a huge range of snacks at around LE20, main courses around LE35 and deserts around LE14. So the two Johns are keeping their prices in the middle bracket, in the same general range as their two former restaurants (7Ways and Thebes), marginally under the likes of Snobs but rather higher than the value restaurants such as Maximes.

Because of their huge reputation, the two Johns may be able to depend on some of their traditional customer base that may follow them, particularly from 7Ways, where in the good old days there was rarely a seat to be had in the busy season. However, the competition has heated up since then, with many new, excellent restaurants opening nearby.

You have to wonder whether a location at the back of one of the quieter hotels will be an advantage. Many hotel guests like to eat out and the Gaddis is not the obvious place to go to for a meal. If people staying at the Gaddis go out to eat, and few people staying at other hotels go into the Gaddis, then one wonders if reputation alone will be enough to bring in sufficient diners. Time will tell whether the legions will return to the two Johns in their new and rather pleasant setting.