High life
Times have changed. Twenty years ago, when I was first in London, in this venue men in pinstripes drank champagne while overlooking an ice rink. Now, the clientele is more diverse, the food multiple notches better, although the views more depressing. Hopefully the scaffolding surrounding much of the Broadgate complex will be gone once Crossrail is complete and then diners can get to appreciate better this outpost of Alan Yau’s ever-expanding empire. The impressive thing about Yauatcha is that its quality remains undiminished and remarkably consistent across branches. My comrade for lunch was a regular visitor to this venue and ordered dim-sum off the menu without consulting it (an impressive feat in itself) while leaving one dish at the discretion of our attentive server. Each arrived promptly, with perfect presentation and that remarkable ability good dim-sum has to taste flavoursome and succulent despite being light in texture – you just want to eat more. Venison and prawn options won my vote on this occasion. Lychee martinis proved an inspired choice with which to accompany the food, although a wide range of teas and wines are also on offer. Clearly such an experience does not come cheap, but it is worth every penny.