Ctrl. London w/ 5 month old

[circeplum]

late to this, so sorry to drag it back on topic

went to hakkasan for dim sum on sunday and the place was heaving with children (thankfully, not my mine who were probably in tgi fridays with their pa )

it's a great way to experience what i think is one of the capital's most stunning restaurants, on all counts. and, if you stick to tea, the dim sum doesn't even work out that madly expensive. we ate vast quantities - don't miss the prawn and date dumplings ) - and it cost about £30 a head. admittedly costlier than chinatown, but several leagues ahead in terms of experience.

m

[Jon Tseng]

Went Hakkasan first time in a while two weeks ago.

Half full on Sat; dunno how busy it is Sundays nowadays.

The dumplings were good, and prices haven't moved up since last there (over six months, I guess). Deep-fried prawn dumplings stuffed with dates where good, savoury-sweet and ample. Scallop shao mai good as every (perhaps a little less tobiko cavier on top nowadays - interestingly there was a very similar dish on the menu at Phoenix Palace last weeK). Steamed fish dumplings wrapped in lettuce OK. Plus a huge tureen of glutinous rice for six fifty. Annoying the shanghai dumplings, which didn't have, still a stratospheric six fifty.

Well worth it; still the best in Lundun

J

[Clerkenwellian]

Went Hakkasan first time in a while two weeks ago.

Half full on Sat; dunno how busy it is Sundays nowadays.

The dumplings were good, and prices haven't moved up since last there (over six months, I guess).  Deep-fried prawn dumplings stuffed with dates where good, savoury-sweet and ample.  Scallop shao mai good as every (perhaps a little less tobiko cavier on top nowadays - interestingly there was a very similar dish on the menu at Phoenix Palace last weeK). Steamed fish dumplings wrapped in lettuce OK.  Plus a huge tureen of glutinous rice for six fifty. Annoying the shanghai dumplings, which didn't have, still a stratospheric six fifty.

Well worth it; still the best in Lundun

J

was the service the usual mixture of rudeness and ineptitude?

[Jon Tseng]

ok... the problem with the room is always that all the dividers make it hard to tell what was going on

credit card slip left open after charging service. chickened out of deducting service to teach them a lesson AGAIN... (i'll do it one day...)

J

[Clerkenwellian]

it's such a pity, as the room is lovely, the dim sum can be excellent and it's good value to boot. But the service is so poor I'm not sure I'd go there again.

[circeplum]

Plus a huge tureen of glutinous rice for six fifty.

god, that glutinous rice is ambrosial ...

i was surprised at how good the service was: it was so busy, dim and chaotically laid out that i expected a shambles. but no problems at all.

they'd run out of the venison puffs, though , can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu!

m

[smidge]

Thanks everyone, for your suggestions. Has anyone been to The Engineer? Someone had recommended that as a potential place.

I think the grownups would like Hakkasan, but I was worried about reports on this board that they are rude. But my folks are Chinese, and are fond of particularly fine dim sum. So if you think it's worth it.... who can say no to a good dumpling?!

[rjs1]

Top end places where we've taken a baby and had her very well looked after (admittedly in the middle of the day rather than in the evening) include Pied a Terre and Foliage. Perhaps the answer is to go for lunch rather than dinner? A five month old might enjoy it more anyway. Much cheaper for almost as good an experience, I think.

Edited October 9, 2003 by rjs1 (log)