HAIKU, The Asian Kitchen — Restaurant in Hyderabad

Came in here for dinner on a Friday evening at about 8pm. The place was half empty, so you can afford to walk in without a reservation. Excellent experience overall.

The restaurant is pretty easy to find, has parking space for a few cars only, so at peak hours it might get tricky. Didn't find valet parking anywhere though - which seems unacceptable considering the premium nature of this restaurant.

I don't think it is accessibility friendly, as we had to climb a bunch of stairs to enter the restaurant. Don't recall seeing a lift being available. Wait staff are also slow, a bit inattentive and need to be called out. Maybe this is meant to be a laidback restaurant and I expected promptness especially with most tables empty? Unfortunate, deducting a star for service overall for all of the above.

The menu is all digital, you pass your order on to the wait staff verbally and not through the app, which also collects your personal information. Menu options justify the positioning as "pan-asian". Chinese, japanese, Thai, they've got you covered.

The Tom Ka soup was EXCEPTIONAL. Best veg soup I've had in a long time and I'm not kidding you. The creaminess of the soup and portion size were worth the premium price.

Stir fried Uoon noodles were fine. Nothing great to write about, but definitely not bad. Good, yes. Expensive though.

Burnt Garlic fried rice and Crispy silken tofu in Soy sauce was an EXCELLENT combination but 1000 INR just for this combination felt pricey. Would have been good at 800 INR.

Overall bill definitely pinched us, was good experience if not for how expensive dining here is. Great for business dinners as the ambience is conversation friendly or for romantic candle lit dinners with no budget considerations (special occasions)

Discounts on Swiggy Dineout, Zomato...

Update: With recent visit, a lot of changes in taste. Sushi is still the good point but other items have increased in the spice and chilly. (More Hyderabadi). Authenticity is a bit lost now. Udon noodles was supposed to be thick wheat but it was not thick at all but medium flat. It was good as flat noodles but not original udon. Forget the name & enjoy. All the items also have more soya sauce now (it's overpowering the flavors). The water in kettle is no longer served. Their speciality is supposed to be Japanese with the chef's special mentioning Ramen. But was totally disappointed with their ramen. Ramen is generally a portion of noodles that is added to a broth (soup) with veg, meat, egg, seaweed, etc. The noodles would absorb the flavor of broth. Here the noodles were flat and it was very little, really less noodles than the chicken strips. It was more like a soup with some noodle as toppings. Was a bit over spiced as well for me. Too many chilly slices. It's definitely not an authentic ramen. Don't go for it. Ramen is missing in the ramen. It's an overpriced soup. Good bits- the Japanese rice with teriyaki sauce is really good, tofu is nice. Sushi rolls are good. Must try. The soy sauce dip was really nice and tasted better than what we usually get. Seemed authentic (not synthetic ones we get in stores). Tangy lotus stem starter is really amazing. Must try. They serve hot water in kettle is amazing (it's charged as a bottle, still worth it). The interiors are good and doors are concealed well, took some time to figure out where the restroom exits where. Music a bit too loud and American. Can be toned down and play something classic asian to set in mood. Prices have increased now ~ ₹3000 for 2 with deserts or it would be around...

Haiku is my favourite restaurant in Hyderabad, without a doubt. I love everything here, the food, the service, the ambience; everything is nearly perfect.

Haiku serves Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Korean and Japanese dishes with incredible authenticity. Some must try dishes of theirs include- Basil Pepper Silken tofu- Silken tofu deep fried and tossed in a slightly spicy and flavourful basil pepper sauce. Only god knows how they do it, but this dish will blow your mind.

Crispy lotus root- An unusual dish for many, but lotus roots are commonly consumed in Japan, and Haiku's are bloody delicious; crispy as hell and just delicious

Thai green curry and jasmine rice- Do i need to elaborate? It's Green curry! the chicken option is the best, since the creamy and slightly sweet curry pair perfectly well with a symphony of thai spices, juicy chicken and veggies

Chicken Ramen- Haiku is one of the few places in Hyderabad which serves ramen, and they do it pretty damn well. The broth is boiling hot and so aromatic, the noodles are a bit thin but have a slight chew, and the toppings are abundant. The chicken is a little dry sometimes, but the broth makes up for it!

Bubble/boba tea- A visit to Haiku wouldn't be complete without a glass of their boba; I highly recommend the rose flavour; soft and chewy tapioca paired with a perfectly made milk tea; perfect pairing with all of their dishes!

A lot of people obviously mention this, but the prices are a bit high. It's only reasonable for a place like this which serves dishes that are hard to find in India. I'd advise ordering lesser appetisers and going for main course, drinks and desserts if you want to keep...