From Oxford Circus to Tottenham Court Road lie shops galore. Keep walking down the road of a devoted consumers convenience passing a gigantic Freddie Mercury statue, I find myself in another block of shops until to the right I see a new office building in which the ground floor looks inviting with its fun colored sign that reads Kikii Bar & Restaurant. Kikii? What an odd name.
Opening the glass door I enter a space of all encompassing black save the occasional slivers of reflective mirrors that epitomize the chic trendy nightclub. Funny enough, Kikii is located above Runway Club but I am told they are completely separate despite sharing toilets and an entrance! That shows when you enter Kikiis space: I am suddenly immersed into a modern industrial looking space that feels intimate and not at all cold. Friendly faces greet me from both behind and front of the bar-with many bottles highlighted by the same fun color that matches the sign outside-and I am shown to my seat, my favorite being by the window to engage in my favorite pastime; people watching.
Inside Kikii Bar & Restaurant
The menu - It is simple and there isnt a plethora of pages, but from what I had to choose from, each dish sounded divine. My starter? Easy peasy, my eyes caught the word Scallops (£7.95). The presentation was beautiful and the light brown from the pan searing of the scallops with a delicate sprinkling of crushed sea salt served atop a bed of mango and papaya salad made me feel slightly guilty to ruin the artwork of the chefs; however it had to be done and it was delicious!
Whilst waiting for my main, I had to order a cocktail. Having been hit with indecisiveness thanks to the extensive bar menu, I was kindly and enthusiastically recommended the Kikii Kiss (£8.00). The General Manager, Ibo Hoxha, who I came to learn is an award-winning mixologist, personally made my cocktail and when I asked what Kikii meant, he regaled me that it is his daughters name. That alone tugged at my feeble heartstrings. With that aside, I couldnt help but smile when sipping this martini as the taste of blackberries, and there was plenty of it, exploded with the occasional pleasure-filled burn of vodka.
As I indulged in the cocktail, my main had arrived, Steamed Sea Bass (£14.95). I was sent to culinary heaven seeing a whole sea bass in a bamboo basket, waiting to be devoured. I unashamedly lapped every morsel up because this dish was not to be neglected in any way.
The Kikii Seabass
Time for another cocktail! This time I tried the much lauded Blueberry Old-Fashioned (£9.00), which is made with eight year old rum and a handful of crushed fresh blueberries. Even though I shouldnt have, I decided to tackle the Five Spice Chocolate Mousse (£5.95). As with everything in this restaurant, they had gone that extra mile and the luxurious mousse was accentuated with hints of cinnamon and cardamon (from what I can make out). After I unceremoniously let my etiquette down and ravished each and every bit from the glass, my stomach admitted defeat and my mind was in euphoria.
Kikii Blueberry Old Fashioned
With a meticulously devised drinks menu, a food menu, by Head Chef Kiran Deshmukh, that appeals to the health conscious, Kikii Bar & Restaurant allows you to indulge in both Pan Asian cuisine and revel at being assisted by an award winning team. Even though it is located bang in the heart of the West End, the prices were actually quite reasonable with cocktails averaging £8.00 and mains at £12.00. You can tell that every concoction is made with such devoted attention and I indeed felt very special eating and drinking it all!
