Hakkasan

Only Alan Yau could take an unlovely car park in a skanky alleyway at the wrong end of London's Oxford Street and turn it into a breathtakingly beautiful and unstoppably popular restaurant. And only Alan Yau could make a table at his high-end restaurant as desirable to the hardcore foodie as it is to the fashion crowd. When Yau opened Hakkasan back in 2001, he brought Chef Tong Chee Hwee over from Singapore with a promise of a suitably stylish venue in which his gorgeous creations, like Silver Cod in Chinese Honey and Champagne or Jasmine Tea-Smoked Chicken, would shine

Only Alan Yau could take an unlovely car park in a skanky alleyway at the wrong end of London's Oxford Street and turn it into a breathtakingly beautiful and unstoppably popular restaurant. And only Alan Yau could make a table at his high-end restaurant as desirable to the hardcore foodie as it is to the fashion crowd. When Yau opened Hakkasan back in 2001, he brought Chef Tong Chee Hwee over from Singapore with a promise of a suitably stylish venue in which his gorgeous creations, like Silver Cod in Chinese Honey and Champagne or Jasmine Tea-Smoked Chicken, would shine. What's remarkable is that even on London's fickle dining scene, Hakkasan is still the favourite of the beautiful people. The Christian Liaigre-designed interior and refurbished Ling Ling Bar contribute in no small part to its success. With over 300 guests coming through the doors each night, it's hardly a boutique operation, yet standards have remained consistently high since day one. Yau hopes to emulate the achievement in Istanbul where his second Hakkasan opens this year. Meanwhile, in London, his dim sum restaurant Yauatcha continues to perform as well as ever. We eagerly await Yau's new restaurant Cha Cha No Hana, slated to open in London later this year.

Behind the stove:
Tong Chee Hwee

Always on the menu:
Pipa Duck; Stir-fry Black Pepper Rib Eye Beef in Merlot

Random fact:
A master of Feng Shui visits the restaurant three times a year to check that everything is in good order

Wine list:
£24 - £1,722

Menu:
Dim sum is available at lunch, from £3.50. From the à la carte menu, try the Peking Duck with Royal Beluga Caviar, £140, for two to three people, served over three courses

8 Hanway Place, London W1T 1HD, England
+44 (0)20 7927 7000
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