When you think Japanese food, what comes to your mind is aesthetically plated sushi rolls, an abundance of delicious sashimi and miso paste in pretty much everything. However, the new menu at Yakiniku, Hyatt Regency’s Japanese restaurant has undergone some interesting changes.
“We decided that the menu needed a change and so I spoke to a lot of my Japanese guests and took their feedback. Most of their problems revolved around the lack of vegetarian food. As much as Japanese food comprises sushi and maki, there are many who prefer vegetarian options.” Chef Amlendu then incorporated more starters, sizzlers and set meals called Teishoku. Under Kobachi (small bowls), the chef has introduced an interesting twist to mochi, a dish that is usually served as dessert. The glutinous rice flour cakes now comes with a generous helping of mushroom sauce and shimeji mushrooms. The power-packed flavour of the sauce is the perfect companion to the otherwise bland mochi.
Next came the Inari potato salad first, which is mashed potato, pickled cucumber, onion and carrot in a fried bean curd parcel. Inari is ready made tofu parcels, into which the mashed potatoes are stuffed with. Soba sushi was next - a buckwheat noodle roll, with pickled ginger, cucumber and spinach. This is especially crafted for those who are allergic to gluten. “Thanks to the versatility of Japanese ingredients, every dish can be played around with,” adds Chef Amlendu.
Teishoku (set meals), announces itself with a loud sizzle, as they bring in the Tofu steak sizzler and the Yakiniku meat sizzler, both a loud, smoky spectacle. The Yakiniku meat platter is served with sticky rice, a warm bowl of miso soup with butter soft tofu and sliced meat in caramelised onions and Yakiniku sauce which is Japanese bbq sauce.
The tofu steak is a vegetarian version of the same. Chicken udon came next which has slices of chicken and meaty shitake mushrooms laid out on warm broth, in a bowl. This dish also marks the end of the main course. For dessert, Chef Amlendu brings us a beautiful bowl of Azuki beans, mochi and ice cream.
The dish is garnished with a gentle topping of Matcha dust bringing back the authentic Japanese aesthetic that we all know about. A deconstructed mochi of sorts, the Azuki beans go perfectly well with the ice cream and the disc-shaped mochi laden underneath.