The Michelin star Hakkasan in Mayfair, is it worth the hype?

Hakkasan serves Dim sum and Modern Cantonese delicacies, alongside signature cocktails on 2 floors with designer decoration.

Myself and my partner had heard good things about Hakkasan. It's a renown and exclusive eatery which gained a Michelin star in 2001, and has been brought to glory by their award winning chef Executive, Andrew Yeo. Andrew Yeo is responsible for the success of the Asian Luxury collection, including; Hakkasan, Yauatcha and Ling Ling.

So we decided to make a booking on Opentable for a Saturday night, dressed up in our finest, and after a short ride in an uber to Mayfair, we were politely greeted into the restaurant. The decor was fascinating, which was to be expected due to it's reputation.

Dish no.1 (starter): Supreme Dimsum;

Phoenix eye lobster dumpling, abalone and chicken shui Mai with Prunier caviar, royal king crab dumpling, Dover sole with black truffle.

The verdict: Tasty enough and presented well, but couldn’t distinguish between the different fillings as the textures and flavours were very similiar. 3/5

Fun fact: Abalone is a sea snail, which now I know...

It's good to note...

The gold leaf was a nice touch, but here I feel, Hakkasan favoured presentation over flavour.

Dish no.2 (Main dish): Roasted Silver cod in champagne and honey.

The verdict: If I had to choose between meat or fish, I'd probably choose fish. I eat it at least four times a week, whether that's mackerel with veggies, a posh tuna melt (the truffle mayo and type of cheese makes it 'posh'), or smoked haddock in a curry. I thought cod was a good choice to test the true talent of the chefs of Hakkasan, as there's no hiding behind simple ingredients. It was deliciously delicate and packed with flavour. I’m definitely a fan. 5/5

Dish no.3 (Main dish) : Black truffle roasted duck, tea plant mushrooms.

The verdict: I have a soft spot for anything truffle. A staple item in my fridge is Marks and Spencers Truffle Mayonnaise (available in most stores), so this dish was a no brainer for me. It was perfectly rich and tender, and the mushrooms added flavour I never knew I needed.

We also tried their signature Hakka cocktail, made with vodka, sake, lychee, lime, coconut and passion fruit, but unfortunately the picture came out slightly blurred! It was deliciously fruity, light and refreshing.

Overall food quality: 4/5

Overall atmosphere: 3/5

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Notes: I’d skip the starters and go straight the for the main dishes, unless you’re a sucker for calamari (which then I’d recommend their salt and pepper squid), as they can be quite pricey and won’t leave a lot of room to enjoy the main courses. Be wary of the 'atmospheric' music which we didn’t know about, as it’s quite loud, and club like (they turn into a nightclub later in the evening). Hakkasan definitely lives up to its reputation with regards to flavour. It’s quality food and quality dining at its best, but be prepared to splash out for the experience.

Ps, the music might not be to your exact taste, but the dining is unforgettable.

Then we were off home, feeling joyful and definitely satisfied. Another memorable experience to add to our books. I wonder where we'll end up next?

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