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Nestled on the ground floor of Debenhams on London's iconic Oxford Street, Chi Kitchen offers a vibrant escape into the diverse flavors of Asia. This restaurant, crafted under the guidance of Masterchef 2014 Ping Coombes, transforms a department store dining experience into a culinary journey through Malaysian, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cuisines. With its inviting decor inspired by Japanese aesthetics, featuring warm wood tones and cozy lighting, Chi Kitchen is a perfect spot for food lovers seeking authentic Asian dishes in a stylish setting.

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Did not expect such a nice restaurant in Debenhams Department Store. The menu is created by Ping Coombes, Masterchef Winner 2014.  She is heavily pregnant but still had time to come out to speak to me.  I had met her already at the Ideal Home Show a couple of years ago. She has really transformed dining at this department store.

Since we wanted a light lunch, we ordered chicken satay with peanut sauce, aromatic duck spring rolls, salmon sushi rolls, Tenderstem broccoli with oyster sauce, and coconut rice, so a mix of Malaysian/Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese and Thai from the Pan Asian menu.  All very nicely presented, and quite tasty. The small plates are definitely on the small side.  The sushi rolls are served with a jug of whirling steam of dry ice which makes the plate look quite pretty, so a nice effect. 

We washed all this down with a pot of jasmine flower green tea served in a glass pot so you could see the flower expand. 

It is a very welcoming and comfortable restaurant with some private booths as well as the open plan kitchen, so you could sit by the stools facing it and watch the chefs at work. 

Was taken there for a birthday lunch treat, and we had a super time.  Lovely service and was totally surprised at the end.  A nice touch with presenting me with a lovely slice of cake and a lighted candle. 

We also finished our meal with a cocktail each, as they had a happy hour between 4pm and 6pm.

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Very unfortunate that the food did not live up to the hype. Only dish we liked was the wasabi tempura prawns. Other than that, comments as below:

Jasmine tea came in a funny little teapot which looks like a portable vacuum cleaner. Unfortunately also tea bag not loose leaves.

Roti with curry - the curry had a nice taste but the problem was it was really watery.

Samurai platter promised good things but delivered on none. The sashimi was not fresh even though the manager tried to convince us that the fish was delivered that morning (we ate at 7pm). The sushi rice was not nice and all the sea weed wrapping was soggy. All in all we gave up on eating the platter as we didn't want to have stomach problems that night and it was a waste of money even at half price.

Miso lobster also had a strange unwashed and not fresh taste and again we didn't finish it... The portion was pretty small even though it was labeled a big plate... My burger and lobster meal yesterday put this dish to shame.

Japanese wafu beef steak looked overcooked but was surprisingly quite tender on one end and tougher on the other end but it was second best dish of the night.

Lastly the manager gave us a free dessert in the form of a mango cheese cake to apologise for the sushi (nice gesture but then only one dessert = £5). This tasted pretty good but we wondered whether this was an item pre made off site.

This place needs a lot of work, in particular the freshness of the fish as otherwise a lot of customers will get food poisoning.

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High quality food, nice decor and excellent service. We ordered chicken & shrimp wonton soup, Japanese curry chicken, two vege side dishes and a drink. Every dish was well prepared and tasty.

Almost every dish is over-priced. But the location is too good.

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Chi Kitchen, not as good as I expected... I heard good things about the masterchef winner who runs this restaurant. But the food didn't live up to the title. 

I had Nasi Lemak, Red Duck Curry, Tom Yum Soup, Chi Kitchen Roll and finally Lime and Chilli Prawns. 

The only dish worth remembering is the Chi Kitchen Roll. It tastes good, looks good and comes with a quirk of dry ice to add some theatrical aspect. But for the other dishes, they were bland and not tasty. Sure, they didn't taste bad, but for the price tag and chef I expected a lot better... 

The most disappointing dish for me was the Red Duck Curry. It comes with pineapple pieces and tomatoes so you expect an initial sour kick and then to be overwhelmed with sweetness. But no. There was none of that. It was bland. Really disappointed. I was craving to add some fish sauce to add a kick to it. 

The drinks here are quite expensive. I had Cha Yen which is Thai Iced Tea with milk, priced at £5.50 each (most expensive in London that I have  seen!). 

The service here is impeccable. They are very friendly and really are genuinely interested in what you think of the food. Seems they are really trying to get feedback to make themselves better. Honestly, I was so happy with the friendly service that I did enjoy myself here. 

There is a soft opening at the moment giving food 50% off, so I'm not that unhappy about my time here. But if paying full price, I know I'd be a bit gutted. 

Check this out? Well, if you have nowhere else then sure. But, probably worth a miss.

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Chi Kitchen is an Asian restaurant part of the Debenhams chain. Although most of the dishes are Japanese inspired, you will find a mix of the Fast East cuisine ranging from Japanese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese food. Strangely they also offer some western dishes like fish and chips but just put the word 'Asian' before it. Their breakfast dishes are quite a mix of cuisine from pastries, Asian buns to the typical full English breakfast.

The decor is very much Japanese inspired of vanished wood and comfortable lighting. There are bars seats as well as your own little open booth. It was really comfortable and you definitely do not feel you're in Debenhams anymore. 

Sadly food was very mediocre as beautifully as they were presented.
.
Egg noodles

Very strange to have our sides delivered first. Although it was a nice surprised to see the effort put into this dish when I was just expecting a plain bowl of noodles. It was stir fried with a lovely mix of vegetables including pak choi and beansprouts, garnished with spring onions for a lovely crunchy texture against the fresh bouncy noodles. It did lack wok energy and if given to eat on it's own then it really lacked seasoning and flavour. But I suppose the light seasoning many it possible to be eaten with the heavier main dishes.

Grilled tender stem broccoli with garlic oyster sauce

Th tasted more blanched then grilled. They were a bit uninspiring with the only seasoning coming from the oyster sauce. Didn't taste the garlic essence either. As much as I like blanched broccoli I do expect to be given what was written on the menu. 

Roti with Malaysian curry sauce. 

The roti itself was much more healthy tasting than the usual, stretched to thin so didn't have that buttery greasiness that I'm used to. I was so surprised to hear it was made in house as it tasted premade. However it the rich complex curry made it possible to eat, packed full of flavour, savoury notes of spices and creamy. Great for dipping the roti and then for everything else.

Dragon tempura roll. 

Lovely presentation for the sushi rolls. Don't be fooled though. The dried ice giving out steam doesn't actually do anything to the sushi and is purely there for visual effects. The dragon tempura roll was quite disappointing. The hard crunchy filling of raw vegetables didn't really work with the softer prawn or rice. It was bland and overpowering in texture. Something like avocado would have been better to add moisture and creaminess. The prawns wasn't the sweetest so didn't give much taste and the filling was unseasoned and bland. But the addition of the mayonnaise and teriyaki drizzled around the sushi help to fill in some of the missing flavours.

Chi kitchen roll 

Another disappointment. Their salmon, tuna sashimi on top wasn't the highest of grades of sushi so didn't give much flavour. Maybe it was a 'health' concept as I felt the crunches from the filing of red pepper and tenderstem broccoli was very dominating again. The later being always left in my palate after chewing. I had to physically remove them with my chopsticks and enjoy them separately. Once again it was the drizzled mayonnaise that helped bind everything together, adding creaminess and richness. Of course that isn't how sushi is meant to be eaten or need to rely on sauces to give flavour. 

Wakame salad 

This was delicious and I'm desperate to find the recipe for the sauce it came with. There was three layers, shredded seaweed, thin layers of seaweed and then thinly sliced cucumber which strangely, were very dry. But it was the lovely rice vinegar sauce that added an amazing zesty flavour across every part of the salad. Couldn't get enough of it!

Japanese wafu steak 

Probably the best dish of the meal. The steak was cooked medium rare was pretty good. Each slice cut thick enough to allow you to appreciate how succulent and tender each piece was.The side of teriyaki sauce helped add a deeper flavour of sweetness and also a vinegary zest. 

Grilled baby chicken 

This was poor. I guess the skin was taken off for health benefit but of course that reduce the flavour greatly. It was still juicy inside but it was charred too much toughening the outer layer making it chewy and burnt. Could have been seasoned better, maybe with some herbs. The side of chilli lime garlic sauce tasted like the typical sriracha sauce which was too sharp in tasting to pair well with the chicken. Disappointing.

Yellowtail sashimi 

This was fresh and mouth melting consistency. Wasn't the highest in quality as the flavours weren't as rich but still delivered in texture and was satisfying enough.

I kind of see Chi Kitchen as another Wagamama. Using Asian ingredients but not having the skill to produce any of it's true Asian flavours. Their menu need a focus for one and they have too many dishes from different cuisines. They also need to invest in a better supplier of their raw fis

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Located inside Debenhams on London's Oxford Street and has a variety of dishes from all parts of the Far East. The main reason to try Chi Kitchen is that the executive chef is the winner of Masterchef 2014 Ping Coombes- well they are doing 50% off the food bill too.

The menu is influenced by Thai, Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean food.

We had: 
Aromatic Duck Spring Roll (£5.95) - This is a take on the traditional aromatic duck with pancakes. Shredded duck is wrapped in a spring roll pastry and then deep fried, served with some hoisin sauce. There was the distinctive fragrance from the five spice, which is exactly what you'd expect from aromatic duck. Hoisin sauce can be quite salty so we only dipped the roll slightly into the sauce to get some flavour. Not recommended

Prawn Tempura (£7.95) - Visually, the prawn tempura did not look the part. The prawn were pretty small and thin, and the batter didn't look particularly crispy either. Not Recommended

Chicken Satay (£5.95) -  The Malaysian satay chicken was extremely authentic, full of fragrance and packed with flavours. The barbecue char on the chicken gave it that extra smoky flavour. The chicken thigh was moist, tender and cooked just right. The accompanying satay sauce was sweet, creamy and with the pieces of crushed peanuts was full of texture and flavour. Must Try!

Miso Aubergine (£7.95) -  It was a thickly sliced aubergine, cooked on the grill and glazed with a shiny sauce. The aubergine was really juicy and you could really taste the flavours from the grill. The sauce was hearty, sweet  yet savoury from the pungent miso flavour.  We loved it and highly recommend you give this a go!

Nasi lemak (£15.95) - might is staple dish in Malaysia, and Chi Kitchen got it right but this is definitely the most expensive Nast Lemak!  The coconut steamed rice accompanied with all the different goodies on the side: the hard boiled egg, salted peanuts, crispy anchovies, cucumber and that sweet spicy sambal paste. And of course, a serving of the Malaysian curry chicken. With all the flavours mixed together to eat, the sensation from the first bite to the last was truly amazing! There are so many different textures and flavours that all merge so well together, with each ingredient complimenting each other. If there's one thing Chi Kitchen does well, it's giving us authentic nasi lemak.

Chicken Katsu Curry Rice (£14.95) - As with the prawn tempura, the chicken katsu was also very thin. The chicken was also quite dry, which was another big let down.The curry was cooked exactly how a Japanese curry should be: fragrant, sweet and spicy flavours all balanced well. Would've been better if a thicker piece of chicken was served or if Japanese rice was used instead of long grain rice. Not recommended.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake (£5.95) - the cheesecake itself was actually not very sweet at all but it did have a strong passion fruit taste. The sharpness from the passion fruit was just right, but the cheesecake biscuit base didn't have much texture and was a bit soggy. Not recommended

Mango Creme Brulee (£6.95) - a classic french desert with a tropical touch. This was incredibly creamy.  The scoop of mango sorbet served on top was really refreshing and combined with the crispy caramel sugar and the creme brulee itself was excellent.  Absolutely yummy!

Overall, our experience at Chi Kitchen was ok as their food was hit and miss but the staff were really nice. The overall atmosphere there was also pretty good and it was a nice environment to have a decent meal.

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Their menu specifically has a mock tail section, so the expectation is that they can make a mean mojito. They don't fail. They make the meanest mojito! Best part is it's not a small cup but a good portion to get you through appetizers and dinner.  Another + is everything is halal. The ambiance is great for a small group or an intimate dinner for two.

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Great food, service, atmosphere, and location! Staffs were very kind and welcomig, food was served fast, and it was very tasty. Though it is a Japanese restaurant, we had one Malaysian food and one Thai food which was an excellent choice! Recommend to have a table towards the back where it has more cosy seats! One thing I would like to mention is that it was a bit overpriced though.

Chi Kitchen in London West End – Masterchef Winner’s Pan-Asian Dining

Begin your culinary journey with an array of vibrant starters inspired by Asia's diverse flavors. From crispy Chicken Satay packed with fragrant spices to delicately crafted Salmon Sushi Rolls with a theatrical dry ice presentation, each dish promises a delightful start. Don't miss the aromatic Duck Spring Rolls infused with five-spice aroma, or the zingy Wakame Seaweed Salad dressed in a rice vinegar zing that awakens the palate.

Satisfy your cravings with a rich selection of mains inspired by Asian culinary traditions. Indulge in tender Japanese Wafu Steak served with a sweet and tangy teriyaki glaze, or enjoy the authentic Malaysian Chicken Satay paired with a creamy, peanut-filled satay sauce. For a taste of seafood, try the Lime and Chilli Prawns or the flavorful Miso Lobster, each offering a unique burst of flavors. For a comforting option, the Japanese Curry Chicken served with fragrant rice is a true crowd-pleaser.

End your meal on a sweet note with irresistible desserts like the Passion Fruit Cheesecake, bursting with tropical zest, or the Mango Creme Brulee, a silky French classic with a tropical twist. Both desserts offer a perfect balance of sweetness and refreshing flavors, rounding off your dining experience beautifully.

Complement your Asian feast with a selection of refreshing beverages. Sip on expertly crafted cocktails, such as their popular Mojito, served in generous portions, or enjoy a traditional Thai Iced Tea for a sweet, cooling refreshment. The mocktail section promises inventive and flavorful non-alcoholic options, perfect for all guests.

Enjoy exclusive specials like the chef's selection of Asian-inspired tapas, or indulge in a set menu crafted to showcase the best of their culinary offerings. Perfect for sharing or a special solo treat, these specials bring an extra touch of authenticity and innovation to your dining experience.

Savor authentic Asian flavors at Chi Kitchen in London's iconic Oxford Street. Experience vibrant atmosphere and bold tastes. Book your table now!

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