Khublai Khan

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

The novelty value of Khublai Khan makes it a good choice for first dates, because the fun of selecting your own food from the buffet – rice or noodles, veg, meat or fish, sauces and spices – then taking it to the chef to be cooked, would give even the most tongue-tied strangers something to talk about. It's also hugely popular with large groups at the weekend, daring each other to try some of the exotic meat offerings, including zebra, kangaroo, wild boar and shark, as well as the more usual beef, chicken and venison. It's a good concept, with the actual quality of the food perhaps less important, although it all depends on what the diners themselves create (there are suggested recipes). The Mongolian theme is carried through the décor, including a huge mural of the eponymous great leader, and the menu's history about how his warriors cooked on upturned shields over the camp fire is reflected in the restaurant's metal bowls and chopsticks. Starters and desserts are served the normal way and while the marjoram-flavoured minced zebra pastry parcels are disappointingly chewy, both the white chocolate cheesecake and the banoffee pie are delicately sweet.

• High point: Buffet set-up is good for fussy eaters…
• Low point: …unless they're vegetarian