RESTAURANTS > Hakkasan

Address 8 Hanway Place, W1T 1HD
Tel 020 7927 7000
Price £65.00 Wine £24.00 Champagne £44.00
Opening Hours Mon-Sun 12N-3pm (Sat-Sun -5pm) 6-11.30pm (Wed-Sat -12.30am)

After five years, the moody-blue, multi-million-pound interior is looking a little worn, though most who visit still claim to feel ‘transported’ the moment they step into Hakkasan. The ‘amazing atmosphere’, that’s ‘great for people-watching’, & ‘sensational’ cocktails succeed in winning enthusiastic fans. And, generally, the ‘innovative’ food is deemed ‘delicious’ & ‘superb’, too. Hot & sour soup is a must try: light in colour, it tastes exactly as it should (not how it does in most other restaurants) with the heat coming from white pepper, not an abundance of chilli. Braised organic pork belly in five spice also impresses: large squares of tender pork stewed with whole garlic cloves & wood ear mushroom. Pipa duck is another popular choice, as are the excellent dim sum. Here & there, however, we do hear complaints of dishes that are no better than ‘an ordinary, local Chinese’ & many more chime in with the grumble that it’s all ‘overpriced’. Most gripes, though, are reserved for the issues of table-turning – ‘their enthusiasm for you to vacate your table is an irritant’ – & service. While some laud waiters for being ‘attentive’ & ‘good’, others claim they are ‘snotty’, ‘unfriendly’ & ‘rude’. Still, dive into the wine list & you’ll find reasons to be cheerful.

Wine Notes: A brilliant list that is always ready to champion new regions & countries if they work with Hakkasan’s spicy food. So look out for English sparkling wine & Greek whites. Of course, the regular classics also feature, but many of the unusual selections are also the best value.