The Food Diaries

Hakkasan - in my Top 5 London restaurants for 2010

…the others being Moro (Moorish delights in Exmouth Market), St John (“Nose to Tail” eating in Smithfield), Ottolenghi (who knew vegetables could be so interesting?) and Saf (a vegan wonder).

What to order at Hakkasan for a perfect meal for two:

Dim Sum Platter
Mango Roast Duck
Japanese black bean claypot with marinaga tofu, mushrooms and aubergine
Glutinous Rice
Yuzu Posset (i.e. posh lemon meringue) with blackberry compote and praline crumble at

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WAGAMAMA >

HAKKASAN (continued) >

Hakkasan, London
….I can happily confirm is still the best Chinese restaurant out there, and, now surprisingly vegetarian- (even vegan) friendly. I “accidentally” ordered a completely veggie meal (only noticing when the more observant waitress kindly explained that she hadn’t served us their grilled chilli sauce because it wasn’t vegetarian).

So, no prawn dumplings, crispy duck, pork belly, or whole sea bass for us. No great loss considering the feast we were served. Don’t be afraid to order their tofu dishes either. This tofu is of a completely different breed to the chewy and bland tofu normally served in vegetarian restaurant. Hakkasan’s Morinaga tofu is of the melt-in-the-mouth, silken variety

So here’s what to order for a fabulously vegan (and surprisingly purse-friendly) meal at Hakkasan:

Vegetarian dim sum platter (crystal dumplings, vegetable shumai, yam bean and shiitake dumpling, vegetable beancurd roll)
Four-style vegetarian stir-fry in Szechuan sauce (Thai asparagus, yam bean, shimeji mushroom, Morinaga tofu)
Stir-fry lotus root, asparagus and lily bud in black pepper
Braised tofu claypot with Japanese mushroom in chilli and black bean*

* This is THE dish of dreams.