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Restaurant:
Hakkasan Beverly Hills

Where:
233 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, 310-888-8661

The concept:
Originally opened in London in 2001, Hakkasan is now known the world over, from Miami to Mumbai, from San Francisco to Shanghai. And recently, Hakassan threw open its doors in Los Angeles.

At Hakkasan Beverly Hills, modern Cantonese cuisine meets high-end design to create an intimate atmosphere that’s perfect for after work drinks, dinner with friends or a date night with someone special. When my wife and I were invited to give it a try, we couldn’t wait!

The traditional-meets-modern design is one of the first things you’ll notice. A long bar runs alongside the dining room and is illuminated with bright blue lighting for a really contemporary look. But turn the corner into the dining area and the dark wood paneling and beautifully carved wooden screens (a Hakkasan design element known as the ‘Cage’), create an entirely different mood. The sculpted white marble calacatta walls offset the dark oak accents and the overall feeling is luxurious but relaxing.

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The menu:
My wife and I were fortunate enough to have a server who was so knowledgeable about the menu, the ingredients and every dish that we couldn’t help but ask a lot of questions – to which he knew all the answers. I believe his name is Beau – and he elevated our experience from great to amazing! And it seems like Beau isn’t alone; many of the restaurant’s online reviewers cited their server as one of the best they’ve had, so hats off to Hakkasan and the staff for the impressive and much-appreciated high level of service.

The menu is created by Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon so we knew the food was going to be incredible. And we were not disappointed. Everything we tried was a traditional Chinese favorite with a modern interpretation and an amazing pairing of flavors. And the presentation of each dish was impeccable. Make sure you’re hungry before you go and start by sampling the extensive dim sum menu. I’m not a seafood guy so I most enjoyed the vegetarian options and the Wagyu beef. My wife LOVED the prawn and Chinese chive dumplings. For your main course, try the jasmine tea smoked chicken, the sweet and sour pork, and the Hakka noodles with mushrooms.

Overall:
Hakkasan isn’t inexpensive but where else can you get high-end Chinese cuisine expertly prepared by a Michelin-starred chef? Hakkasan Beverly Hills is an experience. The ambiance is wonderful and the design inside the restaurant’s four walls is refreshing and innovative. The food is delicious and it’s obvious that as a whole, Hakkasan Beverly Hills is focused on the details, big and small. But the service is what really stands out in my mind. After we finished dessert, a selection of macarons made daily, my wife mentioned which of the flavors was her favorite. While we stood outside waiting for our car from the valet, we were handed a beautifully wrapped box of extra macarons (including more of my wife’s favorite flavor) and a hand-written note from Beau, thanking us for coming, inviting us back and hoping we’d enjoy the sweet treat for the drive home. (We were too stuffed to eat them but they made a great breakfast the next morning!) Again, I’ve read other reviewers online who have said similar things about their servers, about the knowledge of the staff, the attention to detail and even the surprise macarons at the end of the night. Overall, a great place to hit for dinner on a night out in Beverly Hills. I can’t wait to go back and sample the rest of the menu!

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