This Bengaluru diner introduces a new menu featuring Peruvian-Japanese Nikkei cuisine

There’s something quietly reliable about Wabi Sabi at The Oberoi — each visit manages to both surprise and satisfy. Nearly a year on from their last menu refresh, we were invited to sample a new, limited-time Nikkei menu curated by chef Randy Cultivo. Drawing inspiration from his travels across Peru and deep culinary roots in Nikkei cuisine, this menu serves as a personal ode to his journey. The standout dishes from this tasting will eventually join the restaurant’s main offerings — and based on what we experienced, that’s excellent news.

We began with Smoked Choc-Lo — charcoal-grilled yellow corn elevated by a generous smear of shiso butter and a sprinkling of sea salt flakes. Comforting and smoky, it immediately evoked memories of monsoon holidays in the hills — only with a distinctly Peruvian flair. Following that was Quintessentially Peruvian, a composition of charred asparagus, crisp purple potatoes and wafu sauce. A vegetarian dish, yes, but layered and bursting with flavour.

The Wabi Sabi Sizzle, that came next, featured prawns and asparagus in a luscious yuzu butter and made a statement with its sauce — citrusy, velvety and utterly addictive. But it was From Lima with Love that truly won our hearts. Panko-fried silver fish accompanied by a mesclun salad and spicy miso den made for a pitch-perfect dish — crunchy, light and beautifully balanced and delicious.

Our next stop on this Nikkei journey was the Wawa Ruru Ceviche — a fresh medley of seasonal fruits, mandarin and leche de tigre. A bold and refreshing vegetarian reinterpretation of the traditional ceviche, it was both playful and palate-cleansing. The final savoury course was Tenderloin and Bone, a unique take on tataki, with tender slices of beef, marrow glaze and a deeply satisfying goma dari sauce.

“The dishes I’ve chosen for this limited-edition menu not only represent the marriage of Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions but also elevate the genre with seasonal and native ingredients,” chef Randy told  us in between bites.

Dessert was a trio that more than held its own. Chimu Re-Imagined delivered richness with 72 percent chocolate soil and hazelnut parfait. Flavours of Yutori was more delicate, with sour cherry gelée, matcha cremeux and cherry bonbons offering complexity and elegance. Our favourite? The Caviar Box — banana walnut cake, salted caramel, banana cremeux and crunchy pearls — indulgent and full of texture.

Meal for two: INR 3,500 onwards. For Lunch & Dinner. On till July 27. At Wabi Sabi, The Oberoi Bengaluru, MG Road.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

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