Will Ricker’s restaurants make up a small but impressive pan-Asian empire (plus one much-lauded Mexican street food hotspot). The well-thought out menu is brief, with just enough little touches to pique diners’ interest – black vinegar paired with crispy pork belly, barbecued beef bulgogi with coriander raita. But first, take time for an informal drink in the attached bar to mingle with the beautiful and the damned, as a steady stream of well-to-do twentysomethings float in and out.
The fresh, contemporary dining room is home to a mixed clientele on Friday evenings: from scruffy hipsters to opulent families with children, and everything in-between. Other than a snarky barman, service was unfalteringly attentive, charming and professional. Far from being style over substance, every dish we ordered was cooked to a very high standard. Highlights included a cherry tomato and lychee green curry (the sweet and the savoury perfectly countered) and delicate black cod dumplings. A duck and watermelon salad was rather rich and would have benefited from more acidity.
If you’re watching the pennies, book a table for 11am-12.30pm at weekends when a brunch deal offers half-price dim sum.