If you are looking for an intimate, cosy venue for a date or celebration with cabaret and entertainment – Taikun is it for you. We went over one Friday evening, to review the venue over dinner and drinks. Excited as always, as I do love dinner shows – the music, the dance, the drama.
Here’s what to expect from Taikun.
Where is Taikun?
As of May 2022, Taikun has moved to the 44th floor of Hilton Al Habtoor City, alongside The 44 Sports Pub and Babiole. Its location is a little hidden – which does add to the whole experience. You wander along the corridors trying to figure out where it is, and then you get to a bright red sofa with the bar name above – Taikun.
You then spend another 15 minutes taking photos on said couch, haha.
Yes, there is complimentary valet if you are driving.
How is the place like?
As the door opens into the bar, you do feel that you have walked into a very intimate and cosy supper club.
Main theme is red – couches, sofas, walls. White tablecloths on circular tables for those on a date. They have even used candlesticks with long white candles, and candelabras on the main bartop, adding to the whole romantic feel of the place. Reminds me of the old school restaurants in ‘Interview of the Vampire’….. minus Brad Pitt of course, hehe.
We got there ten minutes before 8am (the official opening time) – and was glad to see that the place was still quiet. The crowds slowly set in around 830pm and by 930pm or so it was basically full house. Large groups of friends, majority of which were ladies. There was one group having a hens do as well – which I did think Taikun was a perfect spot for it.
Let’s talk about the food.
Taikun serves Meditteranean fare, and I would say it is definitely fine dining.
As part of the review – we were served a few dishes for the evening. 2 starters, 2 mains and 2 desserts – to be shared between the 3 of us. It was more or less a little ‘taster’ of what they have on the menu. Our wait staff literally served us dish by dish, ensuring that each dish was carefully cut and placed on our individual plate. Plates were also changed between courses. It’s that sort of service 😉
We loved the burrata (115AED), served with marinated heirloom tomatoes, rocket pesto, aged balsamic vinegar and kalamata crumble. Coincidentally we had the burrata in Dream many weeks ago and it did remind me of the dish, in a similar – but different supper club setting.
We also had their ‘provencal spread trio‘ (75AED) – homemade tapenades – of which we did not finish and wished we did, ha. Delicious olive, tomato and avocado rocket with focaccia bread.
For mains, it was the organic grilled baby chicken (200AED), served with green beans, mash potatoes and perigueux sauce. Just so you get an idea of what to expect from the menu and its price point, the chicken was the most inexpensive dish, in comparison with the other meat dishes on the menu. You will find lamb or beef around 350-380 AED, to 1300 AED for a 1.2kg cote de boeuf wagyu for those who don’t mind a splurge 😉
We also had the tomato risotto (185 AED) served with parmesan, and burrata – a simple dish, which we did think was done well. Other pasta options menu include a black truffle strozzapetri (245AED), to tagliatelle and caviar (because, why not?) at 380AED to a 550 AED lobster linguini.
The two desserts that we shared were the melba french toast (65AED), and taikun millefeuille (75 AED) – both served with gold flakes 😉
All dishes were beautifully presented. I expected no less.
Have a browse through Taikun's Food Menu here.
And the performances?
The shows start around 8:45pm and then on every 15 minutes or so, until late.
It was definitely supper club at its best. Solo female vocals, moving onto group performances. It was all very classy, yet sexy. Moulin Rouge-style.
There was also a host, which made the whole show a little different to the other ones we have been recently. Some acts were a little cheesy but we loved it anyhow.
What is the minimum spend in Taikun?
Currently, the minimum spend on the Ala Carte menu as advised by the team at Taikun are as follows :
- VIP area, in front of the stage : 500 AED per person
- Side of the stage : No minimum, however tables can only be booked for a full dining experience, i.e every guest must order food and beverages. Tip : For a ‘cost-effective’ option, I would suggest you do Taikun over one of their offers mentioned below. Note that mains start from around 200 AED so going Ala Carte means spending at minimum 250 AED per person. You might be better off doing their 250 AED offers which includes food and drinks.
Any offers – ladies nights?
There are a few offers at Taikun which I did think was a pretty good deal as it includes 5 drinks. Note that a glass of red or white from the Ala Carte menu starts from 70 AED.
- “My boyfriend is out of town” – Every Tuesday, 8pm till Late
- 3 dishes and five selected drinks for 250 AED.
- XO Confidential Ladies Night – Every Thursday, 8pm till late
- Lavish French-inspired dishes and five selected drinks for 250 AED.
Please check their website or socials for current offers.
Overall Thoughts
Absolutely love the intimate setting. The red booths. The velvet walls. The use of actual, real candles. The place is romantic, very sexy. So are the performances 😉 I would recommend Taikun for a special date night, or a big celebration with friends. When we were there on a Friday evening it was mostly women, and understandably so. But hey – I’m sure the men will enjoy this sorta stuff – pull them along! 😉
Drop me a note if you do end up going to Taikun.
- Taikun
- Hilton Al Habtoor City
- Website
Disclaimer :
- We were guests of Taikun to review the venue over dinner.
- This review was written in July 2022. All details shown here was valid then. Please check with the venue for current details.