The last time I set foot in Hakkasan was a long time ago now (Starting to feel quite old as I write this). There are limited good options for post theatre dinner in London and when it gets past the usual kitchen closing time the standard is normally quite disappointing, and you are just eating because you are starving. You will take anything and that’s about how far it goes. I don’t like to eat so early with a pre theatre menu, I mean who does this really? I see people outside eating at 5pm and no offence but that is just way too early for me. It can’t be enjoyable surely. Each to their own, so when the theatre is over, I must plan late night restaurants in reasonable looking places. This is where Hakkasan comes in.
As we walked down the stairs, memories came flashing back from the past. It hadn’t changed at all. The same blue tones with the moody lighting down in the basement level were still here. We sat down and I was feeling beyond hungry at this point. We started with a few cocktails, they were watered down and not very appealing, so we asked the waiter to get us something else. We were given the menus; they hadn’t bothered to look at the notes in the booking for one guest gluten free or check for any allergies, so when we told them this, they then brought out a dedicated gluten free menu. I took the Hakkasan signature Peking duck, we also shared some Thai prawn crackers, golden fried soft-shell crab, wok fried Yorkshire Wagyu beef ho fun noodles and vegetable fried rice with preserved olive leaf.
It all came out instantly, not a surprise. The signature duck had a hefty Mayfair price tag, yet we were not in Mayfair. And I was expecting the first part to come with a lot of pancakes in order that I could roll the duck up myself and assemble it to my liking. I had been given loads of duck canapés instead… The skin on it was excellent, however the second part of this dish I didn’t enjoy. I have had better thinking back to the Peking duck I devoured in Hong Kong.
We were coming in at almost £400 pounds for this meal. Eye watering… It was nothing spectacular, yet you leave the night feeling out of pocket without any value justified. I am hoping to find the next post theatre late night restaurant that is going to deliver and maybe then we will stop searching and be repeat customers at the winning spot. No more failed nights! You need to have joy at the end of the night and satisfaction, plus the price being worth it. We didn’t get this here. Wish me luck on the next place!
