Kai Mayfair

Chinese fine dining in Mayfair

Roast rack of veal with soy reduction

Kai Mayfair has been around for over 10 years now, one of the few Chinese restaurants in the UK that has a Michelin star. The fine dining restaurant is headed up by chef Alex Chow, the cooking is mostly based on Nanyang style but with plenty of modern and regional Chinese cuisine elements. As a holder of the Michelin star for 10 years straight, Kai clearly has got its consistency right. There are not a lot of great quality Chinese restaurants in the UK at the fine dining level so I was interested to see what Kai can offer as we are slowly witnessing more and more Chinese restaurants opening with the rise of interest in Chinese regional cuisines.

Seared diver scallop, xo Sauce, lotus root crisp

Lightly seared beef fillet, soy vinaigrette, shallot oil

Soft shelled crab, shallots spiced batter, green mango

Iberico pork spare rib, roasted with honey and soy glaze

In the typical Chinese dining fashion, I ordered a few dishes in the a la carte menu and shared around the table. The roasted Chilean seabass was stunning, the fish was so moist and flaky, the combination of the mustard and vinegar added a lovely sour tone and umami aroma. The roast rack of veal is an interesting dish, it was cooked with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and some finely chopped broccoli. The presentation was very western but tastewise was classic Cantonese. I often don't both with dessert in a Chinese restaurant but the dessert offering from Kai turned out to be wonderful. The coconut parfait was so light and refreshing, combining with the topical fruitiness of the lychee and mango, it was like summer on a plate.

Roasted Chilean Seabass

Lobster & Lobster noodles

Sarawakian street noodles

Coconut, Lychee & Mango by the Beach

To sum it up, Kai Mayfair was very good indeed, and it is easy to understand why it has maintained a Michelin star for such a long period. The food was far from anything authentic, but that is fine for me as I am more interested in Chinese restaurants that can progress and be creative while maintaining the essence of Chinese flavours and spirit, and this is what Kai is all about. For anyone who is interested to give Kai a try, the weekend brunch menu is actually a decent option as you get to try 15 dishes at the cost of £55.


Food 4/5

Average cost without drinks and services :
£80

65 S Audley St, Mayfair, London W1K 2QU

http://www.kaimayfair.co.uk/