Situated at the end of New Kings Road, Mao Tai is a sleek bar and restaurant offering excellent service and delicious cuisine spanning South East Asia and focusing on China.

The Venue
The interior of Mao Tai is simple with clean lines and a basic palette of greys and blacks. The bar is particularly seductive and well lit by large, exotic looking circular lights hanging low over the bar top. The restaurant lighting is great for romance, but not attractive to look at (black theatre spotlights highly visible on a white ceiling). It is, however, very well laid out and the tables made up of rich dark wood, allow you to survey the restaurant and enjoy the atmosphere.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Mao Tai is relaxed and chic, attracting a wealthy clientele largely made up of businessmen with their colleagues and wives. The staff are discreet, knowledgeable, and eager to help with the extensive menu.

The Food
The menu at Mao Tai has a wide variety of fairly expensive Asian dishes ranging from £8-£25, catering for both meat eaters and vegetarians. The starter menu provides an opportunity to sample an array of flavours from different countries; from salted edamame beans to steamed dim sum filled with juicy prawns, spicy pork and vegetables.

There is a large selection of main courses, including dishes such as the monkfish with black bean sauce - large pieces of firm white fish in a sticky bean sauce; or prawns, served with a flavoursome concoction of peppers and beans. The side dishes are equally interesting and you can choose things such as asparagus and lotus flower, along with staples such as spinach fried rice. The lotus flower isn’t particularly flavoursome, but provides a crunchy texture, that acts as a balance to the more fiery mains.

The dessert menu is small but perfectly formed - the ideal end to a exotic meal. The chocolate with anise is particularly special - gooey chocolate encased in a light spongy cake with a hint of spice, reminiscent of chai, served with a single scoop of fragrant vanilla ice cream.

The Drink
The wine list is fairly extensive and the prices are what you might expect in a smart restaurant. For example, a glass of Pinot Grigio is £6.50. Carafes of wine are very reasonably priced starting from £4.90 and going up to £14.00

The Last Word
Mao Tai provides a taste of the Orient in a soothing atmosphere, suitable for romancing and well worth the price.

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