A sharp new menu from the house of Wasabi
Wasabi by Morimoto at the Taj Palace Hotel is a name to reckon with when it comes to fine dining in the capital. Recently, the restaurant celebrated its fifth anniversary by launching a new menu. Founded by well known Chef Masaharu Morimoto, this elegant and visually stunning, restaurant offers a range of Japanese gastronomic delights. The restaurant has an impressive collection of Japanese sake with a separate sake bar, and also houses a teppanyaki counter and sushi bar where diners can watch enigmatic chefs live in action. A private dining room in the alcove of the restaurant features lovely backlit pink onyx walls and seats up to eight people. The restaurant also has a dedicated and quite popular vegetarian menu crafted by Chef Hemant Oberoi.
The launch was accompanied by a tasting session where we sampled some of the exquisite and delicate dishes that form part of the new menu. It started off with the absolutely sensational (and please al- low me this hyperbole) sashimi and nigiri-zushi, the freshness of the produce making a bold statement in itself. The sushi and sashimi came with a cup of light and refreshing Japanese tea, which served as a fantastic apéritif. A crispy onion cup with a broth made out of morels and miso was next. The soothing and partly-teasing impact it had on the taste buds was something completely new, not to mention the different textures the dish played with.
The ghost tenderloin sukiyaki — thinly sliced and seared pieces of tenderloin served over a sizzling base — had a heady aroma but was completely temperate on the palate. The salmon wara tataki contained an almost confit-ed salmon served with fresh roe and daikon radish. The beautiful thing about Japanese food philosophy is their emphasis on retaining the natural taste, texture and form of every kind of edible item as much as possible. To be able to develop some of the most complex flavours in the process really makes it something of an art form. Accompnaying the food was a cocktail called 8th Wonder. This visually spectacular drink was made out of Japanese vodka and served over dry ice. It is perhaps one of the most delicate and delicious drinks I have had in a long while.
To conclude, I have just one thing to say — it does not matter if you have been or not been to Wasabi before, their new menu is highly recommended.