Eyes glued to the movement, I watch the dance of the knives as they toss an egg with dexterity, and then catch it right back. Safe in its shell, it sits balanced delicately on the blades. After another few rounds of theatrics, in a flourish and triumph, Chef Ashish Rai tosses the egg and lands it impeccably on the edge of the cleaver knife, slicing it neatly into two halves as the table bursts into a round of exclamations and applause. I’ve been to Teppanyaki dinners before, but this one in the lap of the Himalayas is a first; it is part of the launch of Toya, the Westin Himalayas’ brand new progressive Asian restaurant that sits high at 4500 metres in Uttarakhand on the Narendranagar ridge, overlooking the sweeping expanse of the Ganges that cuts through the Rishikesh valley down below.
Sitting in the midst of a verdant 12 acres, the Westin Himalayas launched earlier this year in January with premium rooms complete with tubs and lavish suites that incorporate mindful architecture and sustainable living. Overlooking the valley is a stunning infinity pool with a swim-up bar, adjoining its all-day dining restaurant that does elaborate breakfast spreads among other meals. With all the luxury it offers based on its principles of wellness and nourishment, the Westin Himalayas is a jewel in the crown of the brand. The cherry on the cake though, is the hotel’s newest addition, the Toya.
Overseen by the seasoned Chef Vivekananda Saha, evenings kickstart at the Toya with a range of meticulously crafted cocktails. A spin off of the classic martini, the plum-coloured Toyatini with an innovative dragonfruit topping turns out to be my favourite, The a-la carte menu has a delectable spread, with the launch dinner highlights including edamame truffle dumplings, a smoked salmon amouse-bouche, an assorted sushi platter, corn and shrimp tempuras, and jasmine rice with pad Thai noodles. Dinner was wrapped up with a perfectly fashioned edible green pear,, sitting next to an edible gold chocolate coin inscribed with the name of the restaurant.
While the a la carte is one of the best you will get this side of the mountains, don’t skip the Teppanyaki— being more of a performance than a mere dinner, it is an experience in itself. Starting with an entree followed by a delicious Tom Kha soup, the affable chef Ashish Rai makes a grand entry in time for the mains that include various sets of Norwegian salmon and tiger prawns, buckwheat flour noodles and hotate, that I relish with my set of personalised chopsticks. Juggling knives, tossing ingredients, and popping some fiery flambes, are all interspersed with a generous dose of his jokes. “What did the Japanese say to the bee?”, Rai asks his audience, before yelling ‘Wasabeee!’ with a childlike glee and proceeding to flip and clang his set of knives at an astonishing speed. He promises us a hidden iPhone in the dessert, which is not the case, but the flaming chocolate ball melted in a magnificent performance most definitively makes up for it.
There is no way one can leave the Westin Himalayas without an extravagant indulgence, be it the extensive dinners or the signature hot chocolate experience, but you can burn it all with a lap in the infinity pool, or a walk up to the tenth floor terrace to take in the views from its lovely, glass high tea lounge. Go the extra mile with a further level of stairs that take you to a dirt trail for a picnic-in the woods overlooking the property and the unmatched valley views beyond, and let the flavours in your mouth merge into nature’s visual feast laid out before you.
For more info, visit www.marriot.com