Oriental flavour at Nikkei @Jacarandá

The Savoy Palace now features a Japanese restaurant that offers much more than just sushi on a permanent basis

It started as a temporary partnership and has now become permanent. The Jacarandá Lounge & Club at the Savoy Palace hotel is now a Japanese restaurant. The association between Chef Miguel Bértolo's Nikkei concept and the Madeiran hotel can now be enjoyed throughout the year and not just in the summer months.

"Nikkei literally means 'second generation', explains Miguel Bértolo to Essential. A concept that crosses Peruvian and Japanese cuisines. But in Madeira, the Chef, vice-world champion at the World Sushi Cup Japan presents "Japanese cuisine, which dates back to the origin of that country's gastronomy, adapted to what is genuine in our market and using international techniques". In other words, the proposal is traditional Japanese food with Madeiran products.

Savoy Palace Executive Chef Carlos Gonçalves admits that when the concept was launched in July there was no certainty about the public's acceptance: "After four months, and based on clients' answers, we realised that we should carry on".

Miguel Bértolo warns that Japanese food is not just "sushi consisting mostly of rice rolls (uramakis) with a reduced variety of fish". At Nikkei @Jacarandá the bet goes "beyond sushi" and even the sushi that is served is not the typical roll, "but rather that which is pressed by hand (nigiris)", in this case using "the fish existing in Madeira".

The menu has various options of Sakizuke, a kind of starter, with prawns, limpets, gyozas, or even aubergine.

And there are, above all, options of hot dishes, starting with Shirumono, soups or broths, made with snails and octopus, or with mackerel and tempura. Ramen, composed of noodles covered with stewed meat and vegetables, are another section of the menu. Miguel Bértolo highlights "the Shoyu Ramen (typical of the

Japanese capital), which presents two variants, one of which is hotter (kimchi sauce)". This soup is one of the best-known dishes throughout Asia.

There are also the Donburi, likewise hot dishes with a choice of Wagyu Beef or Carabiner and Eel.

There is no shortage of desserts, with Pineapple marinated with Sichuan pepper, yuzu ice cream and sesame tile, or the matcha tea Hot Cake and mango ice cream.

A la carte options are available, as well as the Kaiseki Menu. Tasting. Miguel Bértolo considers that "Japanese cuisine is the cuisine of the 5 senses, the 5 colours and the 5 techniques" and all senses should be stimulated with the five techniques: "boiled, steamed, fried, grilled and cut (where sushi/cooked fish appears)".

Also available are the fusion dishes, better known to the international public, "however we have a minimalist approach, using the least number of elements possible, so that each ingredient can be truly enjoyed", explains Miguel Bértolo.

In the menu of Nikkei @Jacarandá Miguel Bértolo admits he tries to meet "the expectations of the client towards Japanese cuisine, promoting, however, what is local". Fish and vegetables from Madeira are used and seasonality is respected. Besides guaranteeing the identity of the food, it follows the Japanese philosophy of "respect for nature and its cycles".

Carlos Gonçalves is of the opinion that "there is a lot that is not known about Japanese cuisine", but there is room for improvement. Experimentation is the keyword and the Executive Chef states that the Savoy Palace wants to "present cuisines from around the world".

Miguel Bértolo argues that today more is known about Japanese cuisine and interest has increased, alongside a trend towards healthy food. "Japan is a country that went through many hunger crises and the Japanese culture learned to value the little they had and to value a lot of what felt richest to them: fish, vegetables and rice".

The Chef points out that "Japanese cuisine is born from vegetarian cuisine, but it is a cuisine that has no transformation while respecting the essence of each ingredient."