Poetry for Your Palette

Anticipations have been high for restaurateur Alan Wong’s latest creation, Haiku, and it was clear from the start that we were in not just for dinner, but for an experience. Waitresses wrapped in white glide through the five dining areas decorated in light oak and white, while black-clad sushi chefs buzz around behind the centerpiece sushi bar. Wong says that he created Haiku to compete with Hatsune, another one of his restaurants, and while it’s improbable that either one will vanquish the other, Haiku’s décor, cuisine, and symbiosis with i-Ultra Lounge and Med, give it a fighting chance.

Two great summer starters are the jellyfish sunomono shots (¥25) and the tai ceviche tapas (¥38). The jellyfish shots are tart and crispy, and the ceviche, based on the Mexican dish prepared by “cooking” raw fish in citrus juices for two days, is equally delightful. One must-try dish is the broiled sea conch (¥48), served sizzling in its own shell, its juices boiling as it sits atop a rock-covered flame. Conch, having one of the longest cooking times of all marine critters, can take the heat, so sip on a cocktail or a cool Asahi beer as you watch the show, before delving into the slices of savory mushroom tucked away in chewy pieces of conch.

One innovation here is the yakitori (Japanese grill). Diners should come in on a separate night to enjoy it. Unlike the overwhelming flavors that sometimes mar yakitori’s good name, the chicken tsukune (¥20) and the beef teriyaki (¥22) were very tender and in their own, subtle way force the diner to pay attention to them. For a salty crunch at the end of the meal, try the ginnan (ginko nuts, ¥15). Creative dishes are all well and good, but the real measure of a restaurant is how well it does the classics. After sampling of the o-toro (tuna), sake (salmon), amaebi (raw, sweet shrimp) and inari (sweet soybean skin) sushi (¥18-60) we came to the unanimous conclusion: very good. The fish, flown in daily, was both fresh and delicate, and the rice had just the right amount of crunch to make things interesting. While Haiku has inherited a few roll recipes from its big brother, its selection is sure to please even those who are already addicted to the classics. The seafood samba roll (¥78), the el capitano cruncho roll (¥65) or the roll-x, topped with real 14 karat gold (¥118).

Though the paint on the place wasn’t dry yet, we left totally satisfied. Not surprisingly, Alan Wong has done it again. So why only 4.5 stars? Because we can’t wait to see him top this one.

THE DETAILS

Perfect for:

Zen like Japanese dining experience

Add:

Block 8, Chaoyang Xilu Number 8朝阳西路8号

Tel:

6508-8585

The Verdict: 4.5/5