Aajisai, the upscale Japanese joint at Quest Mall’s fifth floor has rolled out their new line of sleek Bento Box meals along with some new additions to their a-la-carte menu. The sleek 60-seater diner, spread across 1,750 sq ft, is done up in shades of crème white and black, replete with a sushi conveyor belt, and a live Teppanyaki counter.
As we settled in for a gastronomic onslaught, we were served with the rather cool Bento boxes. The neat portions of dishes comprising assorted Japanese pickles, Atsu Yaki Tamago — a Japanese-style seven-layer sweet omelette served with radish pickle; sushi made with salmon, asparagus and cream cheese, stir-fried noodles, sliced chicken and exotic vegetables in a spicy Pirikara sauce, were a bit overwhelming for our appetite.
We were pleasantly surprised that the apparently petite boxes could be so filling. These boxes are highly recommended for office-goers, who want to grab a non-fussy, quick meal over meetings. The veg counterpart has potato croquettes and sushi with cream cheese, and both the non-veg and veg boxes are accompanied by a toothsome Wasabi ice cream, made of Japanese horseradish.
As we cleansed our palate with Top of the View — a Vodka-based lemony drink of fresh orange, mango syrup, apricot and fresh lime, we were told by the chef that the new dishes have been introduced keeping the gruelling summer in mind. “All the new dishes are low on spice, but they are not bland,” notes Chef Ravindra Singh Rawat.
Honestly, we loved the Pork Gyoza, soft dumplings of pork, chives and cabbages sautéed with salt, pepper, a hint of sesame oil and Kikkoman sauce. The succulent meatballs were low on spice, yet high on taste, and best had with the accompanying soy sauce.
Next to arrive was the Suzuki Karaage, a crispy dish of boneless fish fried with Sake or rice wine and Kikkoman sauce. It was a scrumptious delicacy that sat easy on our stomach.
But the clear winner was the Garlic Spiked Broccoli and Mushrooms. Sauteed with salt, pepper, butter, Mirin and rice wine, the dish floored us with its taste, and crunchy bits of chopped and fried garlic added to the flavour. You can also try the Maguro or Tuna Temaki, a sushi dish of fresh tuna, cucumber and spicy mayonnaise. It’s fresh and goes well with any of the cocktails, on a lazy afternoon.
Veg & non-veg Bento boxes priced Rs 599 & Rs 750 + taxes. Meal for two Rs 1,500 plus taxes.
sharmishtha.g@new indianexpress.com
@sharmidas