Hakkasan Hanway Place
Fitzrovia, London
The location – a nondescript back alley off Tottenham Court Road – is, famously, nothing to write home about but descend the stairs and you’re privy to a cocooned, almost secret world. When this branch of the Hakkasan group opened in 2001, it brought a new kind of glamour to the capital's Chinese restaurant scene, with its sultry blue lighting, swathes of glass, wooden carvings and chic vibe. More than 20 years down the line, however, we found the whole show rather dated: the soundtrack is no longer ‘cool’ and we suspect that the fashionable crowd has moved on to more on-trend hot spots. Even so, the kitchen can still spin magic. The cooking is nominally Cantonese but happily borrows from other cultures and the chefs are always ready to throw in a few westernised fine-dining tempters – chargrilled wagyu sirloin with umami-rich truffle shavings, for example, or the celebrated roast silver cod with Champagne and honey. Top-drawer steamed dim sum are one of the standouts, delicate, subtle, artfully presented and full of flavour: langoustine har gau with Prunier caviar; scallop and chicken siu mai; sea bass jade dumplings, and so on. Elsewhere, a generous salad of succulent shredded crispy duck with pomelo, pine nuts and shallots comes highly recommended, likewise a richly comforting ‘double boiled’ soup with red snapper, Chinese yam, golden fungus and silken tofu – plus scorched crispy rice dramatically sprinkled on top at the table and a side order of hakka noodles. Finally, the ultimate in splash-the-cash extravagance is the multi-layered ‘sweet caviar dessert’, paired with Louis XIII Cognac and served with full theatrical honours. We plumped for something a tad humbler but equally delightful: chocolate peanut dumplings with melted chocolate crémeux, vanilla infusion and peanut nougatine, all strewn with gold leaf and edible flowers. Of course, Hakkasan’s special-occasion indulgence comes at a staggeringly high price – especially if you down a few cocktails or venture into the upper reaches of the impressively curated wine list. Luckily, a choice of set menus (from around £40) is kinder on the wallet.
Dining Information:
Separate bar, Wheelchair access, Family friendly
8 Hanway Place, Fitzrovia W1T 1HD
020 7927 7000
