I've always been a bit skeptical of restaurants that are in department stores. I don't know why, but I guess I always assume that if they're hidden at the back of the beauty department, they're probably not going to be the best place to eat! So when I was invited to Chi Kitchen, hidden away in Debenhams in Oxford Street, I was very intrigued to see whether or not it would be any good.
However, before heading there I had heard some very good things, so I was excited, especially when I found out it was all Pan-Asian cuisine. Why choose one country's food when you can have loads of them, right!?
Of course I couldn't resist ordering up a Pina Colada (aka my favourite drink ever), bonus points if it has a cherry!
While my dad ordered up a glass of the old bubbly.
As a self-confessed prawn cracker addict, I couldn't resist starting off with these bad boys, served with delicious dips. I'm definitely one of those people who always accidentally fills up on prawn crackers before the actual food arrives...
Luckily, we didn't get too full, and it wasn't long before the starters arrived. We began with some duck spring rolls which were super light and perfectly cooked.
Alongside we also ordered the spider soft-shell crab sushi, which pretty much had my mouth watering as soon as it arrived at the table. Have you ever seen such majestic sushi in all your life?!
I also ordered up some salt and pepper baby squid, which arrived in the most adorable little pots I've ever seen! It was also seriously delicious and not perfectly light. Squid is one of my all time favourite starters and this one was cooked to perfection.
Both Papa Brown and I decided to go for an authentic Laksa for our mains. I went for a slightly less spicy version of the Laksa, which came with soft boiled eggs and thick, udon noodles. It was seriously delicious and so filling! You could definitely fill up for the whole day on a bowl of this.
My dad went for a more traditional Laksa, which was more spicy and served with thin, rice-noodles and prawns. One thing we did comment was that it would have been cool to have the option to pick which noodles go into the Laksa, as I preferred the flavour of mine but would have liked the thinner noodles, and it was the same with my dad! But they were both seriously good.
Of course, I couldn't resist picking a little something off the dessert menu...
I went for the passionfruit cheesecake, which was oh my god yum. It was more of a gelatinous cheesecake, but very light and extremely fruity.
My dad also had one of the prettiest lattes I'd ever seen, which really threw back some memories from my barista days.
I would 100% recommend Chi Kitchen if you ever find yourself lost in Oxford Street and in need of a little lunch spot! I could hardly believe that a place this good was hidden away in a Debenhams, but what do I know?! Everything tasted amazing and the prices aren't too bad either for a central London dining experience. There really is something for everyone if you can't decide on a single Asian cuisine which I also love. The service was also absolutely amazing and our waitress was so lovely.
Let me know if you're a fan of Pan Asian food, and if so what you're favourite restaurant is!
Our meal at Chi Kitchen was kindly complimentary in exchange for a review, however all opinions are honest and my own.
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