With its extensive menu of high-end Asian tapas and a bottomless cellar of fine wines, Haiku is not a restaurant for the indecisive. However, it's great food and seductive Mayfair setting certainly makes it the ideal place to wow a first date.

The Venue
Haiku sits on a discreet corner of New Burlington Place, a quiet pavement off of the bustling Regent Street. Leaving the summer evening light behind, its smoked glass and dark wood interior is fashionably dim. Downstairs houses two bars and one of the three open kitchens. It's cosy and relaxed with a quartet of leather sofas, some dark wood bench tables and subtle amber lighting. The top floor overlooks the main dining area and is secluded enough for private gatherings. The main dining room is quite stunning with its double height ceilings, elongated windows and dark wooden Tetris-style carved panels.

The Atmosphere
With it's swanky location and stylish interiors Haiku attracts a combination of professional couples, slick businessmen and groups of young, moneyed Mayfairers. The service is professional, attentive and surprisingly friendly. The staff are more than happy to recommend their favourite dishes (which are worth taking note of as they are spot on every time). Chilled house tunes drift through the floors, giving the place a trendy, relaxed atmosphere which compliments the informal menu.

The Food
Haiku's extensive menu has recently been reduced from the somewhat excessive 200 dishes down to less than half, which still requires plenty of pondering. The concept is modern Asian tapas and while it is suggested that you order three or four dishes each plus a main from the wok section, it is possible to just, if the purse allows, order what takes your fancy. An absolute highlight is the spider roll with soft shell crab (£12). Four large rounds of sushi are filled with a delicious, almost crispy crab and avocado and drizzled with a pink chilli sauce. While certainly not the easiest to eat with chopsticks, the flavours and texture is so delicious you can be forgiven for your clumsy attempts. Another must-order is the steamed spinach har gau from the dim sum menu. Shaped like mermaids’ purses, these pretty, translucent dumplings are filled with a warm, buttery emerald cream. The only downside is that, being served as a trio means that the last one is very much fought over.

From the tandoor, the chicken chilli kebab defies the usual dried-out examples by being succulent and full of flavoursome heat. The black cod (£10) comes as a soft wedge of black and white fish, sticky and sweet from the charred miso. The Wagyu beef cubes are without a doubt the highlight of the entire meal. Pan fried cubes of hand-massaged, sake-fed Japanese beef, simply served with a pinch of sea salt and some crushed black pepper is one of life's must-try dishes. The beef is so soft and flavour so fine it is completely off the scale in comparison to regular steak, and with one bite you know that you are spoilt for life. At £20 for just six cubes it does seems an extravagant choice, but it is the perfect opportunity to taste this world famous delicacy. The only disappointment of this fabulous meal is the hard, dry grilled asparagus ordered to accompany the Wagyu. For dessert try the Shahi Tukra, an Indian-style bread pudding. Served warm and with more than a hint of creamy coconut, it's a delicious albeit somewhat heavy end to the meal.

The Drink
As you're mixing your food then it certainly seems acceptable to mix your drinks. Starting off with a fancy cocktail such as the glamorous Shanghai Martini or maybe the intriguing Chinese Cloud with cognac and amaretto. The wine list is as ambitious and as long as the food menu starting around £19 for the house white going up to a staggering £640 for a bottle of Chateau Margaux '88. There is a great selection of both reds and whites at around the £30 - £60 mark. An incredibly good sauvignon blanc from the Vin de Pays region (£32) works well with all the Asian cuisines on offer. The Japanese-influenced menu means that sake is also on offer in a range of vintages.

The Last Word
The great thing about eating at Haiku, besides the exceptional food, is that there are no rules and no rules equals quite a lot of fun! It combines the easy-going Mediterranean nature of tapas with the expertise and diverse flavours of Asian cuisine. If you fancy something a little bit different, Haiku is an absolute must-visit. Recommended.

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