At the heart of the dim sum experience is abundance and variety.
At Hakkasan’s endless dim sum brunch ($58 per person), the kitchen doors seem to never stop swinging with waitstaff going in and out, fetching a vast array of savory bites and wok-fired delicacies. The restaurant recently added Saturdays for its loyal brunchtime crowd, and you should count yourself among them.
Dumplings are the main character of any dim sum offering, and the Hakka Basket offers two servings of three kinds—shumai (a mixture of shrimp and Berkshire pork), langoustine har gow and edamame jade with carrot and mushroom.
Ramp up the meal with scrumptious appetizers like crispy shrimp with wasabi mayo and candied pecans. Duck salad balances fatty richness with pomelo, pine nuts, pomegranate and shallots. Glazed Duroc pork belly bao with hot honey soy and pickled daikon is comfort in a bun. And jasmine tea smoked ribs fall off the bone with each succulent bite.
If you didn’t fill up on dumplings or apps, get an order of the hand-pulled noodles stir-fried with shimeji mushroom, egg and bean sprout. Also from the wok, tender black pepper beef filet comes with asparagus, bell pepper and a choice of ginger scallion sauce, black truffle or black bean sauce.
Hong Kong fried chicken flavored with ginger, Sichuan peppercorn and scallion satisfies with a juicy crunch. And be sure to get a green in there, like wok-fried green beans with lily bulb and dried chili.
You’ll want to save room for dessert. The apple pavlova with coconut meringue, green apple compote and lemongrass foam is a slightly sweet and beautifully floral bite. And the Spikey Lemon, a yuzu curd palate cleanser, is a cold treat that’s fun to crack open.
The restaurant itself is elegant with ornate wood carvings dividing up the room, creating little pockets of privacy meant for catching up after a long week. Some large tables are equipped with the classic Lazy Susan rotating tray at the center, perfect for sharing family meals. And for $35 per person, you can add on bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Marys or signature cocktails to your meal. You made it to the weekend. Why not celebrate?
HAKKASAN MGM Grand, 702-891-7888, taogroup.com. Brunch: Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
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