Last night for the 23rd of the month, as we always do, we went out to a new restaurant. In this case it was the Mandarin Oriental‘s new (flagship) place, Asana. Is with everything in this hotel chain, the food and decor are a blend of classic Anglo-Saxon influences with modern Asian styling. It’s a blend I usually like a lot.
Asana was fairly quiet for a Friday night in such a prominent location, but it’s very new and un-advertised. It’s also bitterly cold in January. But still, I was a bit surprised. It was maybe 80% full. The bar was hopping and packed, though.
The food itself was very good. I had an oxtail beef consomme and a braised short rib, which were both good. Alli has a delicious butternut squash soup and an unbelievable, stunning, citrus-glazed black cod. It was one of the best fish we’ve ever had. If you go to Asana, order this dish. It was a special, not on the menu, but ask for it.
The wine list was reasonable, featuring a broad range of selections from $20 to $8400 (a 1982 Lafite-Rotschild, for the curious). We had a nice red Bordeaux, 2003 Chateau Clairefont, which is a classic Margaux. Always satisfying.
Service was very good. Punctual, friendly, professional, with good recommendations. The restaurant decor is beautiful, and the location great. It will probably be packed in the summer when people are walking around.
All in all, Asana was a lot of fun.
Yoav Shapira's Personal Blog 