A natural oasis of charm and exquisite food, Hakkasan has created one of the truly great-value iftar menus to celebrate this Ramadan. Hakkasan’s three-course menu has been especially prepared for the occasion by Hakkasan’s executive chef and his team of around 50 chefs, most of whom boast of Michelin experience.
The first course is a treat in itself, claims the restaurant’s assistant general manager Vincent Chasseignaux, as it offers a selection of dumplings that “you will not find anywhere else”. The selection includes scallop and jackfruit dumpling; cuttlefish and bean curd roll; chicken and mushroom puff; and mushroom and pistachio dumpling. Being a dumpling fanatic, I tried the scallop and jackfruit dumpling and the mushroom and pistachio dumpling, and I must say that the exquisitely prepared fare was a genuine culinary delight.
The mushroom and pistachio dumpling has a very soft texture and melts in your mouth. The scallop and jackfruit dumpling, which is topped by Japanese caviar, teases the senses with a touch of spice. As Chasseignaux explains, everything at Hakkasan — from its modern take of Chinese cuisine to the restaurant’s blue light-bathed decors, rustic wooden pavilions, exotic greenery and Hakkasan’s signature oak latticework — is designed to stimulate the senses. The starter has certainly done so.
For the main course, one may choose from varieties of fish, chicken, beef and tofu. The menu offers charcoal-grilled black cod with Chinese chives, stir-fried chicken with pandan leaf and lemongrass, braised short ribs with porcini mushroom and ginger and Mabo tofu clay pot with mushroom and Szechuan peppercorn. All mains come with seasonal Chinese vegetable and steamed rice. We chose the braised short ribs, which is my favourite, and the charcoal-grilled black cod. The beef was soft and the sauce was a great complement. The black cod was typical of Hakkasan’s sensory-disrupting culinary style with the fish’s moist, succulent texture and rich flavour combining with the sharp garlicky taste of the Chinese chives.
Dessert wraps up the iftar menu, and Hakkasan has prepared two: Toffee apple with five spice caramel and green apple sorbet; and the honey-roasted peach, warm almond and raspberry financier with vanilla ice cream. I recommend the honey-roasted peach for those with a sweet tooth like me.
For those who prefer to have a private iftar with friends or family, they may also book Hakkasan’s semi-private room, which can accommodate up to 14 people.
Call: 04-3848484
Price: Dh188 per person (excluding drinks; subject to 10 per cent municipality fee and 10 per cent service charge).
Don’t miss: Dumplings you can’t find anywhere else.
