Honey Chinese is a sultry spot serving late-night pan-Asian fare

Honey Chinese: What's the vibe

The sultry scene of oversized red lanterns glowing above a dining room filled with black marble tables and red velvet booths feels like something out of a movie. Not an ounce of the loungey restaurant is left untouched by the over-the-top decor, from the mural of opium smoking women lazing across the walls to the blue lattice windows dividing the space and the parasols hanging over the bar.

It feels both celebratory and seductive. Large, round tables in the centre of the room accommodate parties, while snug banquettes in the dark corners allow you to inch closer to your date.

Dance beats fill the room, reminding you that you're dining above the throngs of King West. It’s the perfect vibe for a late-night dinner or drinks and snacks.

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Honey Chinese: What's on the menu

First opened last summer as Honey Chinese, the restaurant has been recently redubbed “Honey More Than Chinese,” with a new menu that runs all over Asia. Mango salad, ceviche and various fish tartares appear alongside dumplings, fried vegetables, noodles, rice and entrées like Mongolian beef.

Deliciously crispy slices of sesame shrimp toast are given an indulgent upgrade with dollops of garlic aioli and mango ketchup. Brimming with juicy bites of Indonesian crab, shrimp and Bay Scallop, the seafood rice balances its savoury character with sweet notes from red bean and coconut.

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The best bite of the night is a new addition to the menu: Bang Bang Shrimp skewers served smouldering atop a binchotan grill. At first glance, they look like plain shrimp, but they're slathered in an irresistible marinade that makes me want to order four more. 

Honey Chinese: What's on the drink menu

There's a handful of wines by the glass, half-litre or bottle; a beer or two; and a selection of hot and cold tea for a non-alc options. It's not to be confused with the cold tea service, which serves three-to-four guests a tea-based cocktail. The Jade Blossom blends hibiscus and lavender tea with gin and crème de violette, while the Sweet Fortune stirs Crown Royal and Bénédictine into oolong tea with peach. Groups of four can also relive their youth with sake bombs.

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The crowd-pleasing cocktail menu offers plenty of familiar flavours in some unexpected combinations. Notes of passionfruit, lemongrass, lime and ginger mingle with vodka in the crushable Dragon's Breath. Of course, I order the clarified cocktail, One Night in Bangkok, which gives rum the perfect amount of sweetness from a mango and pandan cordial. It's garnished with a little chunk of mango sprinkled with savoury sesame — a one-bite dessert to end an evening that's sweet enough already.

Dinner and drinks for two: around $150 before tax and tip.