The Pan Asian Restaurant at Kempinski, 88, has launched a delicately flavoured new menu that bursts with the feel of ingenuity while sticking to traditional, tasty Asian fusion edibles.
When you walk into the space, depending on what side you choose to sit on, soft EDM music plays in the background, contributing to an understated party feel and preparing you for the deliciousness you are about to consume.
A sample of some of the sumptuous cuisines available at Restaurant 88 at Kempinski. PHOTO | FRANSOIR NDERITU
88 is divided into two seating areas – a bar to your right and a dining area to your right, lest you don’t want to blur the lines between your goals for the night. Ambient lighting in pale yellows and muted reds welcome you into the embrace of the restaurant.
I love the décor at 88. It makes me feel like I am meditating somewhere, as I wait for my Shanghai noodles (which are great, by the way) – from antique carved doorknobs in the shape of animalistic interpretations to a wistful portrait of a geisha on another wall, and bamboo-like stands.
A chef at the Pan Asian Restaurant 88 at Kempinski displays one of his dishes. PHOTO | FRANSOIR NDERITU
My favourites on the new menu are the stir fried quail starter, the incomparable lamb massaman curry and a delectable coconut panncotta that simply melts in your mouth.
If you are looking for a relaxed space (with a potential belly dancer viewing at Tambourin upstairs) with excellent service run by the smiling Godliver and interesting flavours, 88 is the place to go.