Review by Stephen from stephen emms
“I suppose we should talk a little bit of business,” wise-cracked the man next to us to his table of wine-swigging colleagues. In fact the place was filled with serious-looking suits bonding over crispy aromatic duck, but I couldn’t help thinking that Kai Mayfair isn’t the best place to have a working dinner. There’s one major distraction: the food.

Heaving with accolades including Best Chinese Restaurant in Hardens and Zagat in 2005, Kai is so serious about its food that, after the meal, owner Bernard Yeoh confessed he’s only just thought about revamping the interior, thirteen years after its opening, to bring it into the noughties.

And, whilst we’ll come to the food shortly, the place would definitely benefit from a light refurb. The décor is classic early nineties, a discreetly-lit palace of sandblasted mirrors, fish tanks, floor-to-ceiling tiles, circular tables and crisp linen. Upstairs, with its high ceilings, is infinitely preferable to the rather dowdy downstairs, but throughout the crowd is elegant and grown-up.

Once inside, however, any thoughts about the interior are soon superseded by the food, which was imaginatively presented and served by well-informed staff. A starter of wasabi prawns, Kai’s most famous dish according to the waitress, was as exciting as a dozen cheerleaders before the big game: the velvet coating of wasabi mayonnaise on big, succulent prawns worked beautifully with mango slices and basil seed. Other starters included a crispy soft-shelled crab with julienne young green mango, and a dish of shredded chicken and slippery Shanghai noodles, a challenge to the most seasoned chopstick expert. For mains, sirloin with black pepper, garlic flakes and sliced Chinese croissant was intriguing, the juiciness of the beef rubbing shoulders with the crunchy texture of the croissant.

A Rosenvale Cabernet Sauvignon (at £9 per glass) was a wonderful, if pricy accompaniment. The biggest hit of the night, however, proved to be steamed Chilean seabass fillet with shrimp crumble and chopped snow leaf: a distant relation of Nobu’s famous Black Cod in its melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, the fish was subtle and delicate, and worked a treat with the light house white, a Domaine de Ricaud.

Deserts are never the high point of a Chinese meal, but a simple bowl of coconut ice cream with pumpkin cream, poured cutely from a teapot, more than passed muster. Chocolates and green tea followed. “That was the best Chinese food I’ve ever had in my life,” drawled the aforementioned businessman at the table next to us, tie now loosened, work still – no doubt – undiscussed. Whilst none of this comes remotely cheap – two courses with a bottle of house wine and coffee would set you back at the very least £60 per head – I was inclined to agree with him.

And to focus solely on the prices would be to miss the point. Kai is the meal out as grand culinary adventure: start saving those pennies now and, when you can afford it, take flight to Mayfair.