“But why do you always choose new restaurants?” The question was put to your reviewer by a long-standing friend and sometime dining comrade recently. He continued, “surely if you rated them previously, then they must still be good.” We’re all fascinated by the novel, and there is a certain imperative as a reviewer to check out hot new openings. However, return visits to a pair of old favourites – coincidentally days apart – confirmed that sometimes it is best to stick to the tried and tested.
Mayfair’s Kai has been open for over 40 years and held a Michelin Star from 2009 until 2024. Dining at the venue last week was a delight. Its recent loss of a Star seems inexplicable. Kai’s angle is Chinese food from the Nanyang region. For the uninitiated, this comprises a vibrant fusion of southeast Asian styles, taking in Malay and Indian as well as Chinese influences. At Kai, the dishes are pimped for a British audience, reflecting “the culinary diversity that exists in London,” which forces the restaurant to “reshape” its traditions. These are the words of the proprietor, at the front of Kai’s menu. Good venues should be constantly evolving and innovating.
Dining at Kai takes place in a sophisticated dining room full of modern art. A red apple sits on each table, emphasising peace and harmony. Both these traits were on full display when we visited. Service was immaculate (and better than recalled), while the food only surprised positively. My guest for the occasion was my oft-featured long-suffering vegetarian dining comrade – and spouse to the reviewer. She had all but given up on high-end Chinese food (after Hutong, for example) but was delighted by the prospect of a dedicated vegetarian section comprising eight starters and an equal number of mains. Non-omnivores are clearly no after-thought at Kai. Indeed, they are flattered not just by choice, but also by portion size with Kai’s tofu and bean curd offerings amply trumping your reviewer’s dishes from the pescine side of the menu.
Nothing at Kai comes cheap, with starters averaging £25-30 and mains as much as double. However, we are in Mayfair and the venue knows its audience (and their disposable incomes). Both Kai and La Petite Maison – located just a few blocks away – were almost filled with guests. Prices fall into a similar bracket at the latter venue. Here, a burrata and cherry tomato starter costs £22.50 and a whole sea bream main £52. The food may be great, but there are few bargains.
Of course, when dining at La Petite Maison (or LPM, as the proprietors now prefer to call it – presumably for convenience), guests are reminded that “tous sont celebres ici.” Being a celebrity gives you a nice warm feeling, even if a lighter wallet. LPM has successfully been playing this card and plying its business in London since 2007 – and does an excellent job.
Here, the formula has remained unchanged (see prior reviews here and here). Think Mediterranean elegance and glamour. The original LPM in Nice provides the template. Each table contains a bottle of olive oil, a lemon and a tomato. Guests can do what they wish with these throughout. Everything is relaxed. Dishes are intended for sharing and come when they are ready. Our initial starter – a beef tartare – arrived almost too quickly, although the wait for our dessert almost became irritatingly too long. In between, however, there was a superb duck confit with orange and spring cabbage (pictured) and a beautiful bottle of Crozes Hermitage from the excellent 2016 vintage. No-one does duck better in London than LPM – reason enough to return. The overall experience is still a stunner though. Book both this and Kai in.