Connoisseurs will agree that Edo at the ITC Gardenia is one of the finest Japanese restaurants in the country. Chef Kamlesh Joshi spearheads the kitchen with his knowledge of Japanese cuisine and culture. Now the restaurant is open for lunch and some new choices on the menu. We visited for an elaborate lunch.
Apart from the a la carte menu, the chef will offer an Obento — a quick lunch option and an Omakase, an elaborate five-course option. You can pick the option you like depending on the amount of time you have. The Obento box has elements such as the Oshi-nko (pickled vegetables), Zensai (appetisers), sushi, sashimi, miso soup, tempura, Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard with prawn and chicken), Robatayaki (live grills), Syokuji which is the main course and dessert, Mizugashi.
Since we had enough time at hand, we tried the other option — omakase. Omakase is a style of meal where the dishes are selected by the chef. It literally translates to ‘I’ll leave it up to you’ and that’s exactly what we did. We had the experience of a traditional meal called Kaiseki, curated by the chef. Each dish was a work of art, both visually and for the senses.
The first course was a Zensai, an appetiser course. We had the Avocado Renkon, a herb-infused avocado, topped with tororo kombu seaweed and a lotus crisp, the Shishito Gyoza (a mild Japanese chilli pepper stuffed with chicken or broccoli, bok choy and water chestnut) and an Aspara Goma Ae (asparagus with sesame sauce). Each a was a unique explosion of flavours.
Next up was the Usuzukiri course. The Usuzukiri is a style of thinly slicing the ingredients. We were served the tofu, garnished with fujiko, micro greens and soy ginger. The tofu was so delicate it melted in our mouths. The sushi served with it was the signature Edo sushi, rice rolls with crab. The shiro, which is the soup course, was a comforting Roasted baby Japanese pumpkin soup, served with beetroot foam and sakura flowers.
Although we were already quite full, next up was the main course where we had Udon noodles stir fried with mushrooms. The noodles were buttery and the dish is a must try for mushroom lovers as it has shiitake, boletus, shimeji and enoki mushrooms.
The dessert was equally spectacular. We were served the Mizu Shingen Mochi, the Japanese
water cake. The completely transparent bubble-shaped cake was served with chocolate soil. The dish is experimental, yet sinful. The food at Edo delivers on taste as well was the ‘wow’ factor.
Obento at Rs 2000++ upwards. Omakase at Rs 3000 ++ upwards. At ITC Gardenia, Residency Road, 12.30 pm onwards. Details: 22119898