HKK is part of the Hakkasan group and is located right in the heart of the City, a short walk from Liverpool Street station. I visited to review the £58 5-course HKK tasting Menu. I’m a big fan of all Hakkasan Group restaurants, Yauatcha included, so I knew I was going to like HKK but didn’t realise just how much.
Unlike Yatacha and Hakkasan which both have dimmed cosy lights and dark interiors, HKK is on ground level and very bright while maintaining the Hakkasan Style. It’s got the sleek city vibe.
Before we started with any of the courses, we had a pretty little quail egg topped with caviar as an appetiser. The flavour was quite subtle. This was the first of many beautifully presented dishes that were served throughout our lunch.
The first course on the menu was the Hand Dived Scallops with salted egg yolk and sacha sauce. The texture of this dish was very interesting. I love scallops and would usually have them pure with just the fish. This scallop was covered in egg and hidden inside the pretty crispy exterior. Although mixing egg with scallops isn’t my preferred way of eating it, it somehow worked.
The second course was the Da Yu Dim Sum Trilogy: Prawn and goji berry dumpling / King crab and chrysanthemum flower dumpling / Label Rouge chicken and foie gras puff. As a dim sum lover, this was one of the highlights of my meal. The texture of these dim sums were perfect and so was the presentation, especially as it came with a cute brush to add the soy sauce with.
Now let’s talk about the duck, it was simply perfect! I can not fault it in any way – the beautiful crispy skin (smoked in a cherry wood roasted oven for 48 hours), the juicy meat, delicious hoi sin sauce and pancakes. The duck was carved and presented by our table. This duck is unforgettable and I can safely say it’s high up on my culinary highlights of 2016.
The last course was the White Dew fed Wagyu Beef with water chestnuts. The beef was extremely tender as you’d expect from Wagyu beef and it went very nicely with the water chestnuts. The rice cracker added a nice piece of texture to the dish.
Lastly for desserts we had the Dawn of Senlin – chocolate, chestnut, vanilla. If you’re a fan of rich chocolate then you’ll love this dessert.
SUMMARY
Overall, impression: HKK was lovely. The duck is an experience itself, a must try at least once! There is a vegetarian equivalent of the 5 course HKK tasting menu, priced at £48 but there are cheaper options like “Taste of HKK” for £38. Taste of HKK includes the duck and the dim sums, that’s really what you’re going to HKK for!
If I had to point out any downside it would be the sizes. Even with the 5 course HKK tasting menu I still didn’t feel quite full, so I can imagine the 3 course meal being quite light. Having said that, again, HKK is an experience. Each dish is so carefully thought out, beautifully cooked and well presented. If you keep in mind the sizes, you will not be disappointed! I’d recommend to visit HKK for a special occasion. Remember to book in advance and enjoy!
HKK
88 Worship Street
Broadgate Quarter
London, EC2A 2BE
+44 (0)20 3535 1888
Meal was complimentary for review purposes.
Catch52 – A London Food & Travel Blog
