Hakkasan Vegas -- A Sophisticated Dining Venue

from Casino Life Magazine

November 2018

www.casinolifemagazine.com

Cantonese Fusion - Trendy Dining at Hakkasan on the Las Vegas Strip

Knowing first about the venue’s worldwide draw as a top Vegas nightclub, our sights for this evening were set on dining at the Hakkasan, considered one of the city’s must-visit restaurants. Having recently relocated to Las Vegas after spending two decades in Asia, we were keen to experience one of the city’s fashionable Asian-fusion restaurants. Hakkasan met our expectations, exceeding similar Cantonese fusion experiences at upscale venues in Asia.

Designed to impress, Hakkasan’s chilled ambiance alone is a big draw, with a chic East-Asian influenced motif -- a relaxed, yet futuristic atmosphere mixed with ambient music.  Dining with my favorite Asian DJ, the two of us were seated tn the main dining room with dark oak lattice, which creates intimate areas for each group, yet still maintains the overall edgy mood of the full restaurant.

Though we glanced through Hakkasan’s extensive menu, we put our dining selections into the hands of our experienced and friendly server -- Emerald.  She took care of us throughout the evening. 

Emerald started us out with a couple of their signature drinks -- I had the Island Heat (made with Kai lemongrass vodka, coconut, ginger, Thai basil, lime and hellfire bitters)  which came with a refreshing kick.  Erny was given The Hakka, their signature cocktail made with Belvedere vodka, Akashi-tai sake, lychee juice, lime, coconut and passion fruit.

As we were sipping on our first drinks, Emerald delivered our starters, Salt & Pepper Squid and Crispy Duck Salad.  The Crispy Duck Salad was one of our favorites -- served with warm Peking duck together with a perfectly seasoned salad, a tower of greens, pomento, pomegranate and pine nut. The mix of flavors and textures, particularly with the savory Peking duck made this signature dish one that we could see ordering on each future visit. 

As we worked our way through the starters, Emerald brought us a second round of drinks.  This time I had the Buddha's Palm (Maker’s 46 bourbon, Velvet Falernum, yuzu juice, yuzu marmalade, black grapes, white balsamic vinegar, mint), while my partner had the Gift of Seoul (Hwayo 25 soju, yuzu, pineapple, kiwi, coconut, mint).  The Buddha’s Palm was an instant favorite.

As our Main courses arrived, Hakkasan’s General Manager, Derek Morishita stopped by for a chat. We mentioned that though the venue’s atmosphere, meals and drinks were outstanding, we were impressed by the impeccable service -- certainly a key to Hakkasan’s success.

Emerald delivered our three Main course selections:

Roasted Silver Cod with Champagne & Honey
Stir-fry Black Pepper Beef Ribeye with Merlot
Hakka Noodles  with Mushrooms and Chinese chive

The Hakka Noodles were on level with the best noodle dishes offered in East Asia, highly recommended for those desiring a western take on a standard Cantonese meal.  The Roasted Silver Cod and Stir-fry Black Pepper Beef Ribeye were delicious eastern twists on western fare.

As we finished our mains, Emerald again delivered a couple more selections from the drinks menu:  Caribbean Harvest (Diplomatico Exclusiva Rum, Ancho Reyes, vanilla, spiced pineapple, orgeat, lime), and Turkish Rose Tea (Nolet's Gin, St-Germain, jasmine tea honey syrup, matcha, lemon, egg white) both good selections as we wound-down our dining experience.

As with most first-time visitors to Hakkasan, the first draw is to the world-class nightclub on the second floor. After our first visit to the restaurant on the first floor, I’d venture to say the sophisticated dining venue matches the posh standards set by the Hakkasan brand worldwide.  We’d consider this our ‘go-to” venue when entertaining in the city as it raises the bar up a couple notches for Chinese, and Asian restaurants throughout the Vegas valley.