In a city where extravagance is the norm and every new restaurant vies for the title of the “next big thing”, Xu at the Kempinski Hotel is looking to be more than just another flash-in-the-pan high-end restaurant.
The brainchild of the culinary wizards behind Le Cantine and Mimi Kukushi, Xu aims for an immersive experience that combines stylish decor with standout dishes. But does it deliver? Or is it merely another pretty face in a city full of them?
The place immediately sets the tone with its chic Asian design. Think bamboo menus, Chinese lanterns, retro posters, and fan orchid upholstery. It’s like stepping into a Wong Kar-wai film set, sans the melancholic soundtrack.
Then the food arrives. The dim sum first, each dainty piece plated like a tiny masterpiece. Each was fresh and flavorful, but the real star of the show has got to be the wagyu curry beef puff. This isn’t your typical dim sum, it’s a flaky pastry dream with a spiced beef filling that demands your full attention. More pie than dim sum (in my head), it’s the kind of dish that makes you wish for a bottomless pit of a stomach. I could have easily polished off ten and still found room for dessert.
The duck, too, is a showstopper. It arrives looking like the Platonic ideal of a duck, crispy on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside. Achieving this level of perfection with duck is no mean feat, but Xu pulls it off with aplomb. It’s the kind of dish that makes you want to post it on Instagram.
Service at Xu is both attentive and unobtrusive. When my dining partner’s chopstick accident sent a soy-sauced projectile towards the table next to us, a fresh pair were swiftly provided without a hint of judgment. It’s these small touches that elevate a dinner from good to exceptional.
And then, there’s the name. Xu, I’m told by my perpetually smiling waiter, means acceptance. How fitting, given that by the end of the evening, I was ready to accept a second, third, and possibly fourth helping.
So if acceptance is what Xu stands for, then I accept—with open arms and an eager stomach.