New York City: Hakkasan (April 2014)

My spouse and I dined with two friends for Sunday brunch at Hakkasan in mid-April 2014. We made a reservation using the Open Table reservation system. Originally, our reservation was for a party of six people, but one couple cancelled, so we arrived as a party of four. (We called the restaurant in advance to decrease the number of our party, a request that the restaurant handled graciously.) Hakkasan serves weekend brunch and dinner daily.

Hakkasan has additional locations in London, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Miami, Shanghai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Dubai, and the UK. This restaurant “group” first opened in London in 2001. Michelin has awarded the UK location one star every year for the past 10+ years. The New York outpost of Hakkasan opened in 2012, and it has received a Michelin star every year since that time.

Hakkasan is located on West 43rd Street in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, not far from the Port Authority Terminal. Patrons nearly miss the understated door to this restaurant when they approach. After guests enter the restaurant, they walk down a long corridor past the coat-check toward the host stand. Then, they pass by the doorway to the large, chic bar (named Ling Ling) and by the windows to the kitchen before they reach the table seating area. The restaurant interior features dark cutout screens that separate the space. Tables are spaced closely together, and many tables share a wall of banquette seating.

This restaurant serves Cantonese cuisine in the dim-sum style of small bites (although the staff does not serve from steam carts). The menu is expansive and varied. Because it was our first time dining at Hakkasan, we ordered the plentiful brunch chef’s tasting menu (approximately $50 per person). The tasting menu included a variety of appetizers, entrees, dessert, and a non-alcoholic drink. It provided an opportunity to sample many of the popular dishes served at the restaurant, including various steamed and fried dumplings, noodle dishes, rolls, buns, and flavored macarons for dessert.

We enjoyed our brunch at Hakkasan because of the food, the atmosphere, and the service. We will return to try the a la carte menu next time.