Jenny S.
Google
The degustation menu at HeJi is clearly ambitious and highly experimental. The kitchen is not afraid of bold flavor combinations, unusual pairings, and creative presentation. The restaurant itself also makes a strong first impression. The interior is stylish, modern, and thoughtfully designed, creating a pleasant and elegant atmosphere that sets expectations for a refined dining experience.
That said, while experimentation can be exciting, the execution did not always feel balanced. Some dishes combined too many dominant flavors that ended up competing with each other rather than complementing one another. The dessert, for example, included lovely sesame ice cream, but it was served with a crunchy peanut plate, very sweet yuzu jam, and salted caramel poured over the top. Each component on its own could have been interesting, but together they created a mix of flavors that interfered with one another and did not allow the ice cream to truly shine.
More concerning, however, were several aspects of the service and overall presentation that fell below what is typically expected in a fine dining setting.
Cocktails, including a signature cocktail and Negronis ordered by our table, were served in plastic cups, which immediately felt out of place in a restaurant positioning itself as a fine dining destination. In addition, one of the cocktails was removed from the table while it was still half full when a guest briefly left for the restroom, without anyone asking whether the drink should be cleared.
Throughout the meal we were also never asked how we were enjoying the food, which is unusual during a tasting menu where restaurants typically check in with guests at least once during the experience. One of the dishes was introduced by a waiter who delivered the description very quickly in a monotone voice that sounded memorized rather than engaging.
Another small but noticeable detail was that one of the plates served had a visible chip, which is something most fine dining establishments are usually very careful to avoid.
Overall, HeJi clearly aims to deliver a creative and experimental degustation experience, and the interior design creates a lovely setting for it. However, the level of service and attention to detail did not fully match the expectations typically associated with fine dining.