The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag

The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag 

The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag 

If you have read any of my previous posts you will know how deep my love for Asian food runs. If you haven't, trust me, it's pretty deep. Deep enough for me to frequent the below mentioned luxurious eateries on my very modest (for London) annual salary. Don't get me wrong, these are not weekly or even monthly occurrences, but every once in a while (or at the very sniff of a celebration) I like to treat myself to a fine dining experience. I've also found that there's usually a bit of internet haggling to be done prior to booking; such as earlybird offers or set menu deals that can help lower that oh so intimidating bill. Below are some of the best high end Asian restaurants in London that I think are worth every penny.

1. Nobu Shoreditch restaurant review - Japanese fine dining  £££

Average Price - £75-£105

Believe it or not, I had the pleasure of visiting the Shoreditch and Mayfair Nobu's before they became infamous hot spots for the Kardashian clan. I implore you not to let this put you off trying Nobu for yourself, not only do they always deliver on flavour, presentation and service, they do it with some serious style. If you are stuck for which Nobu to visit, I would definitely recommend the Shoreditch hotel Nobu over the Mayfair Nobu. I found the Mayfair Nobu stuffy in comparison, whereas the Shoreditch Nobu has a much sexier, cooler and more glamorous feel. The hotel itself is an modern architectural marvel, designed by Ben Adams Architects which elevates the ambiance even further. My bill at Nobu usually comes in at around £80 for a multiple course meal but sometimes more depending on how much I'm drinking/how greedy I'm feeling. You can get some good weekend brunch deals which start at just £53. If you're trying to impress or you're just there for an innovative fine dining experience, Nobu has you covered.

Dishes I enjoyed: 

  • Crispy rice with spicy tuna £18
  • Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño £20
  • Rock Shrimp Tempura – Creamy Spicy £20 
  • King Crab sashimi £10 
  • Nobu’s House Special Cut Roll £14
  • Half and Half” Black Cod and Nasu Miso £22
  • Spicy Seafood Soup £12

Best high end Asian restaurants in London worth the expensive price tag no but shoreditch

 

The 5 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag nobu shoreditch

2. Hakkasan restaurant review - Chinese traditional fine dining  £££

Average Price - £80-£130

My partner booked a set menu at the Mayfair Hakkasan for my 29th birthday. I would say compared to Nobu at Shoreditch hotel, Hakkasan was a bit less modern and a bit more of a traditional fine dining experience. We had a drink at the bar first, then went downstairs to our table. Including drinks our bill came to around £130pp. Each dish  was of such a high standard and a country mile away from what you would get served on China towns high street. It's easy to see why this restaurant still sets the bar for sophisticated Chinese food in London. 

Dishes I enjoyed (set menu £118pp):

  • Classic steamed dim sum - langoustine har gau, Prunier caviar, halibut shui mai, water chestnut, 
  • Sesame prawn toast
  • Crispy seaweed
  • Enoki mushroom
  • Browned butter black bean scallop
  • Pan fried silver cod
  • Wok fried Seasonal vegetable
  • Spring onion and egg fried rice
  • Yuzu crémeux, calamansi & almond cake

 The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag Dim sum hakkasan london

The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag Hakkasan set menu london

3. A.Wong restaurant review - Chinese modern fine dining ££

Average price - £40-80

I was delighted to see Andrew Wong make a cameo on Masterchef the professionals last year. I've been a fan of his work for a while now, and was lucky enough to try his wonderful creations last year. Andrew reopened his parents Anglo-Cantonese restaurant in 2012 with his a vibrant and a refreshing spin on  classic Chinese cuisine. It's now well established as one of the most exciting modern Chinese restaurants in London, and on my visit I found it more than lived up to this prestigious title. 

Dishes I enjoyed:

  • Chilled ‘smacked’ cucumber with trout roe, chilli, garlic vinegar £8
  • Crab claw with cured scallop and wasabi £10
  • A.WONG’ Dim sum basket £12
  • Stir fried market green vegetables, spring onion oil and truffle £15
  • Garlic steamed Wild tiger prawn, mung bean noodles, superior soy £25
  • Crispy noodles with beansprouts, shitake and trout roe £12
  • Sichuanese aubergines £12
  • Coconut water ice, bird’s nest, mulberries, yoghurt and mochi £17

 The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag Xio log bao a.Wong London

 

The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag A.Wong london

4. UMU restaurant review - Japanese sushi ££££

Average price - £90-£150

Quite literally 'in vogue', you can't get more chic than UMU. The Michelin star sushi restaurant that has all the A-listers and Japan fanatics queuing up. The most expensive restaurant on the list, and potentially the most expensive Japanese restaurant in London, you're not only paying for the food, you're paying to be apart of Yoshinori Ishii's artistic vision. Do I think the taste and quality of the food was that much better than Nobu to justify the price jump? Honestly, no. But I was happy to pay that little bit extra for the experience and the novelty. 

Dishes I enjoyed:

  • Chef’s special selection of sashimi £49
  • Fine Clear Soup, Cornish Spider Crab & Prawn Shinjo, Winter Vegetables, Yuzu £32
  • Tuna tartare, nagaimo, wasabi £40
  • Brown crab, courgette £8.5
  • Prawn, mango £7
  • Lobster, nori, kimizu £14
  • Langoustine, ginger £15
  • Seared scallop, cucumber £8 

 The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag Umu London sushi

The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag Umu sushi

5. Din Tai Fung restaurant review - Taiwanese dumplings ££ 

Average price - £30-60

Opening in 2018 in London's Covent Garden, you'll be lucky if you get a table, and if you do, be prepared to wait for an hour upwards. Din Tai Fung is a world famous Taiwanese chain restaurant originating in Taiwan, but don't let the 'chain' part fool you. It has a cult following and boasts a long list of celebrity fans. In the center of the establishment, you can witness the expert dumplings and noodles chefs busy churning out thousands of handmade Xiao Long Bao (aka soup dumplings or XLB). DTF is a far more relaxed set up than the more glamorous options previously mentioned. It's has a very clean, chic finish and it's the first of all the restaurants with the same name to boast a cocktail bar headed up by the mixologist Georgia Billing. Each cocktail has a Taiwanese twist such as rice wine vinegar or pineapple cake. As the cheapest on the list, you can probably afford a couple of visits to DTF, and boy will you need them after tasting and identifying your must-have dishes. 

Dishes I enjoy:

  • Shao Mai £14.50 
  • XLB £14.50
  • Cucumber in spicy sauce £4.50
  • Steamed buns £8.80
  • Wontons with black vinegar and chilli oil £8.50
  • Wontons in broth £7.80
  • Dou Miao £14.50
  • Prawn fried rice £13.50
  • Wonton soup £10.80
  • Dandan noodles £9.50
  • Salted egg yolk custard £10 j

 The 5 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag din tai fung The 5 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag din tai fung xao long bao soup dumplings

6. KOYO London - restaurant review - Japanese Udon 

Could I have chosen a more luxurious dining experience? Yes. Could I have found more authentic, better quality grub? No. I couldn’t help but shoehorn in my favourite Japanese restaurant in London. KOYO is an elegant, classic Japanese eatery which specialises in tempura ramen. 

Dished I enjoy:

  • Prawn tempura udon 
  • Pickles 
The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag KOYO London prawn tempura udon

 

The 6 best high end Asian restaurants in London that are worth the expensive price tag KOYO London pickles