Haiku

Tapas style Asian food from China, Japan, India and Thailand

Where? 15 New Burlington Place, London, W1S 2HX (0207 494 4777)

Sounds exotic.. Situated on a discrete lane between Regent Street and Savile Row, Haiku is the first British venture from the creators of Bukhara, famous for being one of Cape Town's finest restaurants. It offers a wide range of Asian cuisine, served in a tapas style.

So which part of Asia are we talking about? Haiku has derived its 150 dish menu from the length and breadth of Asia, from Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Thai specialties. Chefs from each region form the Haiku team, split into four groups determined by their provinces.

150 dishes, sounds daunting.. The menu is huge, and on an initial glance it is hard to know where to start. Luckily the staff are more than helpful, and were keen to guide us through the different sections, pointing to recommendations and dishes to compliment each other. They suggested sharing six dishes between two for starters, and then choosing a main course each.

Any highlights? Though I could guide you through our myriad of starters, suffice to say our journey through Asian cuisine was delicious. Personal favourites included the sushi dishes, and the spicy prawn wanton. Though by the main course I was already feeling slightly overwhelmed by the vast quantities of food I had already consumed, the Pan fried Chilean sea bass was delicious, and the definite highlight of my diverse meal.

Need to know? With its tapas style, there is a great opportunity to try lots of different dishes, so it is worth trying something new. Do ask for the waiters advice if you find the huge menu overwhelming, as they are happy to make suggestions based around your preferences.

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