XO is the super stylish sixth restaurant from entrepreneur Will Ricker, and offers more delicious pan-Asian fusion food, with a contemporary English twist.

The Venue
XO is a sophisticated addition to fabulously wealthy Belsize Park. Through the large glass windows of the restaurant’s minimalist black shopfront you can see the stylishly lit, subdued black and glowing yellow cocktail bar that meets you as you enter the venue. The restaurant itself is behind this, a large room comprising of private black leather booths and black tables. The lighting here is futuristic, curved and elegant. The yellow and black theme continues from bar to restaurant and the place looks trendy and cool. You could easily mistake the place for a Dazed and Confused photoset.

Like all Ricker restaurants there is also a private dining area downstairs, for well-off City firms to hire for client meetings, presentations or product launches. Next door is XO To Go, a deli selling variations on the XO menu to take home and heat up or have quickly here for lunch. If you arrive before 6pm it’s definitely worth a look.

The Atmosphere
Forget warnings from friends that the clientele will be all It-girls and City bankers - people here seem relaxed, laid back and in high spirits. If you wanted to you could come here in jeans and a T-shirt and you wouldn’t look out of place, although you might feel more comfortable if you had a gold card. The staff are highly informed regarding the menu and are entertainingly outgoing, without intruding on your meal.

The Food
The restaurant encourages diners to share food and pick at several dishes all at once. Consequently eating becomes a fun, lively and shared experience. Plates look as good as the restaurant; food is mostly served on black dishes, arranged very artistically.

Order a variety of dim sum to start; the portions are small but good value, everything is between £3.00 and £6.00. The Peking duck and foie gras dumplings are truly exceptional small squares of impeccably presented and perfectly formed East meets West indulgence. A necessity for your dim sum course.

Mains include a selection of Japanese- and Chinese-influenced food (curries, tempura and sushi). The stand out signature dish must surely be the black cod with sweet miso which, in a perfect world, everyone would try at least once. The fish’s delicate white flesh is caressed by a slightly sweet, sticky sauce that clings tenderly to your mouth as you eat it. Cooked well, this rather lavish indulgence is completely worth the £21.00 price tag. Eat this, you won’t be disappointed.

The raw peppered tuna too is exceptional, and comes at a far less dizzying cost. The portion size is small though and diners will need to order a side dish to complement the fish, such as green fried or egg friend rice, which itself is huge.

Worth the 20 minute wait, the outstanding chocolate pudding oozes decadence like an M&S TV ad. It’s just less than piping hot, with a crunchy and crumbly outside and a melting chocolate inside that will make you incredibly happy. The dessert, like everything else, looks simply stunning and is served with a portion of green tea ice cream in its own petite dish. Other desserts include tarts and sorbets which all sound delicious.

The Drink
The wine list features over 80 bins all chosen for their suitablitiy to pan-Asian cuisine. Unlike the food the mark up on wine seems a little excessive (prices up to £160.00) although patrons will certainly be able to find something to drink at a reasonable price, such as the Sancere and Felines Jourdan, right down to La Croix Rouge Vins Pays d’Aude at about £13.00.

Be sure to check out the bar’s extensive cocktail list on your way out too. Specialities include the pomegranate martini and the Hemingway, all expertly made, amicably alcoholic and beautifully presented.

The Last Word
XO is named after a Chinese term meaning highly desirable and it’s exactly right. If the flats weren’t so expensive, you’d probably want to move to Belsize Park just for an excuse to come here more often. It really is that good.

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