Hakkasan

Hakkasan retains its title as London’s choicest Chinese restaurant by some distance. The sultry basement, lit in shades of purple & filled with beautiful fretwork, oozes sex appeal & attracts a good-looking crowd. But it’s not a case of style over substance. Being one of only two Michelin-starred Chinese restaurants in the capital (the other is sibling & dim sum specialist Yauatcha), the food hits many a high note: from perfectly formed dim sum (the prawn har gau & venison puffs come in for particular praise) to more traditional salt & pepper squid, & less conventional stir-fried rib-eye beef with Merlot sauce.