Hakkasan
Hakkasan is a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant launched
in 2001 by Alan Yau. It was his vision to transform the perception of Chinese food.
Seventeen years later, it’s a global brand with restaurants in New York, London,
Shanghai, among other gastronomical capitals, with countless accolades for its
oriental cuisine, including Tatler Restaurant Awards and two-time Best Chinese
Time Out winner. Unsurprisingly,
the Dubai edition is no exception.
Hakkasan’s
Dubai restaurant is located in Jumeirah Emirates Towers
Hotel. We walked in from the rear entrance through a blue carpet and the first
thing that caught my eye was the outdoor seating arrangement. It was almost
like you are dining amidst nature. You cross the fountain area and are welcomed
by the staff dressed in crisp blues.
The inside area is a stark contrast to the
outdoors. You feel as though you time traveled to two different areas. The
inside area seems almost dark as you enter, yet on closer inspection you notice
that each table is carefully illuminated. The room itself is cleverly sectioned
off with wooden screens and dark oak lattices to give an impression of
intimacy, though the space itself is huge. It can seat upto 276
patrons.
We were glad we reached early as it was
quieter and Milos was kind enough to give us a tour of the restaurant.
The kitchen area is also divided into separate
areas, and this picture was hard to avoid being captured. I love the attention
and time given in by the Chefs towards ensuring that the food is of impeccable
standards.
They have a separate bar area, dining area
and a smaller bar area as well. The bigger bar area is sleek and is almost 22 m.
Hakkasan bar has different spirits from around the world, and that is very
evident with the kind of cocktails they offer.
Like all good Dubai brunches, there are a
selection of packages available – from AED 228 per person to AED 678. We were
spoilt for choice and confused between what to choose. However Milos, made it
easy for us and gave us the best of both worlds. I always love the surprise
element when the decision is taken off your hands.
Stylish Chinese lattice designs run throughout the
mood-lit dining area and outdoor pavilion, giving this vast space a cozy and
authentic feel. We chose to sit outside as the weather was pleasant. The
outdoor area is divided into two sections – the dining area and the lounge
section. The dining area is complete with marble topped tables and cozy seating
with wood and powder blue hues complete with matching cutlery. The lounge area is a gorgeous black and red hue
and immediately changes the vibe of the place.
We settled into a comfortable seating area
and started our afternoon with cocktails that were suggested by Barry – I chose
The Chinese Mule, and my friend had the Karavi. As opposed to Moscow mule – Chinese
Mule at Hakkasan had Vodka, Kome to Mizu Sake, coriander, ginger, lime, ginger
beer and was topped with star fruit. Karavi
was essentially Bourbon, Kummel, banana Liqueur, pineapple, lemon, Peychaud’s
bitters and was topped with cubes of caramelized pineapple.
For the small eats we had the honey glazed
baby octopus served on a bed of rice noodles. It was one of those bites that
you didn’t want to get over. The crispy and sweet textures got us excited for
the spread that awaited us.
These small bites are a tease before the
mains.
Our table was abuzz with Dimsums. We were
served Har Gau, Abalone Shumai, Wagyu beef and mushroom puff, Mooli Puff and Beancurd
wrap.
Har Gau
is traditional Cantonese shrimp dumpling. The seafood bites were
beautiful; with elegant flavors sealed in during steaming, the fish
itself melting in the mouth.
It was my first
time having Abalone shumai and I’m glad I tried it at Hakkasan than elsewhere.
Both the dimsums were moreish and it kept our palates on a roll.
The puff’s need
a special mention. We had the Wagyu beef and mushroom puff and the Mooli
Puff. Between the two – the wagyu and mushroom puff was a clear winner. The
Wagyu beef and mushroom were rich and indulgent. The
deep-fried pastry of the puffs was oil-free, crispy and gently yielding.
Bean curd is
Cantonese dimsum wrapped with duck meat and vegetables. The duck meat was perfectly
cooked and juicy and tender and tasted delish.
I loved the portions,
they were filling and appetizing.
Also, the fact
that they didn’t rush us into finishing each course and patiently let us finish
our meal was an added bonus – isn’t that how Friday brunch scenes should look
like.
We moved onto
our mains – for me this was the highlight of our Brunch at Hakkasan.
Let me begin
with what I loved - the Smoke Applewood Peking duck with caviar.
Starting from the presentation to the actual food. You know how Dubai’s restaurants have a tendency to compete with each other to
offer the most live cooking stations, but Hakkasan focuses on what it does best.
Peking duck was served on a circular wooden base covered
with a dome to enhance the smoked flavor along with pancakes, & caviar. It was everything that delish stands for. The duck
skin was crispy and the meat tender and juicy. Coupled with pancake and caviar,
it was scrumptious and got over in minutes.
Moving to my second favorite - Wagyu beef with foie grass. Beautifully cooked beef strips were topped
with foie grass and edible flowers. The presentation in itself is so beautiful –
but what’s even better is how the meat feels in your mouth. Soft and
beautifully cooked in its juices and tender to break through. That combined
with foie grass was a feast. This is a must try and a shame if you do miss it.
The
surprise dish was Cantonese style crispy noodle with roasted duck. It was presented
with a gravy topped with noodles. It was only when the server mixed the noodles
with the roasted duck that I realized that I was in for a feast. We were served
the crispy noodles in our dainty blue bowls - the crispiness of the noodles
along with the roasted duck was a pleasant surprise and I couldn’t not finish
my portion.
I’m
a seafood person, but I was surprised that I kept going back to the above three
than the Wok-fry tiger prawn with lemongrass and chili. The prawns are very
well cooked and the flavors are amazing too. However, in comparison to the
other three dishes, it wasn’t on my favorite list – blame the Wagyu beef for
tasting so delish.
We both tried the hakka
cocktail and loved it. It comes with both alcoholic and non alcoholic options, and
we went for the former. It’s a generous mix of vodka, kome to mizu sake, lychee
juice, lime, passion fruit and coconut. Served in a tall glass, It had a
very tropical vibe to it and was very refreshing. When In Hakkasan,
try the Hakka.
You would feel like moving around post all
the rich food, but you needn’t go that far Desserts are set out next to the
live cooking stations. The emphasis, refreshingly, is on quality over quantity.
I loved the compact selection for those counting calories.
The fresh macarons were expertly made. The chocolate
and caramel centres spilled out like liquid gold when I bit through. It
was dessert heaven.
Since it was Chinese New Year, there was a beautiful section dedicated to the tradition of tying wishes to the tree to bring prosperity and good luck as well.
I need to specially mention the live cooking station - a look at the pictures will tell you why:
Hakkasan was a great introduction to the gourmet
Chinese experience, encapsulating all that’s great about fine dining in Dubai.
The food really was exceptional, the flavours an
intense hit on our multicultural palate, and the service was perfect. The
no-rush service, ever smiling, friendly and informative staff enhanced the
complete experience. We loved the atmosphere in the restaurant, as it was
fairly relaxed and very easy to have a conversation.
In addition to Hakkasan signature
dishes, the Dubai restaurant’s menu includes some dishes created
especially for an Emirate clientele. Our brunch choices spanned northern
and southern Chinese cuisine.
Hakkasan is a must-visit for any foodie. I promise you
won’t be disappointed.
I was invited to Hakkasan and all views and images are © Urbanmodish, unless stated otherwise.
Contact:
Location: Lower Level, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Centre Area, Dubai
Timings: 12:00 pm to 04:00 pm
19:00 p.m to 00:00 a.m
19:00 p.m to 00:00 a.m
Cost: AED 600 - 800 for two
Reserve your table at: 043848484
I was invited to Hakkasan and all views and images are © Urbanmodish, unless stated otherwise.
