Hakkasan used to be one of my favourite places. It also used to be one of the places that I frequented globally.

Let’s start with a few details on the Hakasan and Nobu lovers and Zuma and pan-Asian lovers of Tao (in US) etc etc. The ever mushrooming trendy take on pan – Asian cuisine is great. It proves the diversity that London has to offer with similarity and familiarity. And there is Novikov too.

Greeted by an army of tall blonde actually mostly blonde ladies of the Eastern European hemisphere was great but the look on their faces was similar to newt and its supposed alcohol addiction.

Is he wearing a Patek Phillipe or she wearing the new Valentino gladiator? Ooh look at her ring ooh he will spend etc etc. Hakasan you are a mainstream establishment now and a fellow child of all other tier 2 luxury establishments that have taken mass luxury to a declining height. Keep on fooling the not so mature market who still have an appetite and trust me when it comes to capitalisation you are great among others.

What the future needs and want is customisation and you fail on that front and henceforth potentially on sustainability. The owners, the operators have a comfort feel on this capitalisation of the assets and a brand to a lesser extent; which is great but as a business when you want to flog it and considering the fact that you haven’t ticked the sustainability box; you are one of many. When you put accountants on charge that’s what happens not that I know anything about Hakasan. Ps I have no issues with accountants personally; good people overall in general but narrowed down on vision and the bigger outlook. Deduction and more recently zero margin cost brought about by Private equities is all about FAD’s and short term value add.

I am stopping my intangible vs. tangible lecture here. Value comes from a satisfied customer period.

No matter the socio-economic ranking nor the attire a welcome is a window to what’s to follow later. I might be happy wearing a Casio to a Cartier but you don’t know me and the influences i might hold. Sort out the hostesses because they are costing you more than the value of business they bring in unless you just want a barbie at the door… In that case a mannequin will do a greater job..
Darkness disguises a lot of things even Jack the Ripper. Ripping a great word. Americans dwell on the rip-off side of it. A gentle evolution which is always healthy.

UNCOMFORTABLE seating; ooh but you eat and go and drink and go. Let’s get close to ergonomics of it all. The interior and design is somewhat Chinese, Asian and trust me everyone there is an expert as they claim to be. But I believe the real experts are the chefs behind the scenes. The endless experts who do produce a good quality offering. Not your generic hostess or the waiter. The real-value add is the chefs.

Any intern can come up with a concept but it’s the delivery that matters. I started the evening with the Hakka, a great blend and a mix. Lychee lime and coconut etc. sold me over. Kudos to this.

But I always find one thing with London restaurants and their treatment of eaters similar to a time glass shrinking in sand and the impact of experience therefore diminishing. Need them out by 1:30 or 2:00hrs. A paradox isn’t it; with no real brand offering when you enter the establishments like Hakasan who think they control your destiny and the non modest approach on a customer.  Hmm…. a little subtlety counts. When i was at La petit maison prior to writing this and after visiting Hakasan my experience was just let’s say a little more provencial , relaxed. They knew because they are here for the long run although i might be mistaken as La petit maison Dubai was trying to be something un-provencial as i recall.

Well, truffle roast duck, silver cod, and a few more cocktails then an Alaskan king crab and finished with a coconut semi-freddo dessert. Food was brilliant; service was faltering and had deteriorated over the years.

Would i recommend Hakasan yes. Would i recommend Hakasan for its service no. The Green Hulk in fact particularly enjoys the lunch time dim-sums and the favourite one being the venison one. Please respect the chefs little more and yes they do cost a bomb these days but its keeps you going no matter how many overheads disguised as waitresses or waiters with manners similar to that of Oscar Pistorious upon losing to the Brazilian in 2012 Paralympics.

Could do better in service as stop pestering guests who have probably come there to celebrate something special? Customer is King – Lump that as an advice from the Hulk

Overall 4 / 10 which is extremely poor for a establishment of this standard, Michelin stars and all…