Hakkasan is an upmarket Chinese restaurant in London (there are two establishments, with this review relating to the one found in Mayfair.) The Michelin starred establishment was set-up by Christian Liaigre and with dishes developed by Tong Chee Hwee, a recipient of the Tio Pepe ITV Restaurant Awards.
On arrival we were directed to the bar. Here three expert mixologist set to work on creating the cocktails we selected from an extensive list. Our choices were a Smoky Negroni, Hakka, and a dirty martini.
The Smoky Negroni was an enticing mix of Suntory Hakushu 12 year-old whisky, Japanese plum sake, Campari, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, with an Ardbeg 10 year-old whisky mist. It came served with a larger, spherical ice cube.
The Hakka was a cocktail made up of Belvedere vodka, Akashi-tai sake, lychee juice, lime, coconut and passion fruit.
The dirty martini was very strong, with a well-balanced olive taste. Just perfect for sipping, whilst chatting and listening to the mix of ambient, electronic and jazz-funk sounds reverberating through the establishment.
The restaurant is decorated with a stylish interior (all dark wood lattice screens and moody lighting). Although the interior is chic, the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about the food and drink in offer.
After sufficient time had passed for an aperitif (or two), we were shown to our table. The menu range is extensive, with many enticing dishes, each one a modern take on authentic Cantonese dishes. After a little deliberation we settled on our starters (listed as ‘small plates’ in the menu.)
One of our party selected Crispy duck roll.
A second choice was Morel mushroom and vegetable spring roll. Morels are highly prized by gourmet cooks; they have a honeycomb texture and rich earthy flavor.
My selection was Stir-fry vegetable lettuce wrap. This consisted of various vegetables with soya delivered in an oval bamboo mesh, served with lettuce leaves. Scooping up the mix and delicately placing it onto the lettuce produce an welcoming combination of flavors.
with homemade tofu, chilli and black bean sauce.
With the main courses, one person selected Jasmine tea smoked chicken, which came in a rich, smooth sauce.
Another selection was Szechuan Mabo tofu with minced beef.
My choice was tofu, aubergine and Japanese mushroom claypot. This was delicious, served with homemade tofu, chili and black bean sauce.
These were accompanied with Mui choi glutinous rice. Mui choi are preserved mustard greens made from large mustard leaves, which have a slightly bitter taste. This rice was fairly heavy, so only a small amount was needed. Nevertheless it had a tasty nutty-like flavor, just perfect for complementing the sweetness of some of the other dishes.
There was also a delicious side-dish of stir-fried vegetables. These were served al dente: crisp, tasty and nutritious.
For desert, two of the party plumbed for macarons. These came in a bamboo basket, presented as a dazzling array of colors with tasty fillings, including lemon, almond, chocolate and a velvety violet concoction.
My selection was an apple tarte tatin. This was wonderfully soft, almost melting in the mouth.
These scrumptious deserts were served with either Chinese tea (jasmine), which my two guests selected; or a dram of whisky, which was my choice. This was a 10 year-old Talisker (from the Isle of Skye, in Scotland.)
Hakkasan is not your every-day Chinese restaurant and it comes with a central London price-tag. However, if you want something different, fun and flavorsome it is somewhere well worth spending the evening.
