Progressive Oriental House (POH), Mumbai

Progressive Oriental House (POH) is owned by Speciality Restaurants. Japanese food is the evident hero of POH, even though its expansive menu includes Thai and Chinese dishes. The space subtly exudes class with wooden fixtures and jade-coloured seating. For lunch, the restaurant has created six sets that include curry, ramen and teppanyaki meals. I chose the zen set’s non-vegetarian kaiseki (a traditional multicourse Japanese meal) option. A salad was brought to me as I waited for my grand Japanese lunch. Chef Vikramjit Roy has devised a 20-20 frying concept that heats up ingredients to a certain temperature, giving it a fried texture and flavour. The dried seaweed added crunch to the avocado, micro-greens and arugula leaves tossed in lemon vinegar. Next, my zen set was brought in a three-tiered sphere. Vegetables in a soy broth, sushi and nigiri and tempura vegetables were displayed like a painting. Served along with this were sharply flavoured Japanese pickles and an earthy miso soup that I first ate. Salmon, fatty tuna and whitefish nigiri and crab-stick and avocado sushi stood out for me. I could tell that the fish was fresh (it is imported from Tokyo’s Tsujiki market), as it melted in my mouth after swimming in a blend of wasabi and soy. To finish, I was asked to pick desserts from its specialised Wagashi (traditional Japanese confections) Studio menu. I tasted two ice-creams – peppermint and tender coconut –

I could tell that the sh was fresh, as it melted in my mouth a er swimming in a blend of wasabi and soy

that were delicately invigorating. I also tried its dessert – Nuts and Bolts – that uses 70 per cent dark Valrohna chocolate. shaped into nuts and bolts. It’s served alongside co ee ice-cream and honey-combs.

VERDICT Ideal for a quick lunch rendezvous with its compact presentation and finesse. Akanksha Maker