The China-Japan debate on a Plate at Pan Asian, WelcomHotel Sheraton, was all about having a Japanese main course and a Chinese dessert. Eram Agha picked the most expensive dish from the menu
A delectable debate is the one that ends in a draw — you can’t take sides. There was confit green apple carpaccio plum tomato ice and pan fried silken bean curd with black pepper listed in the menu. The surprise element was a glass of edible cocktail called Ozo Martini. It was vodka-based drink rimmed with soya salt, mixed with lime juice, olive oil, red pepper and sprite. It helped me choose meals for the courses at Pan Asian, WelcomHotel Sheraton.
The concoction made me strike a balance — start with Japanese (appetiser), end (dessert) with Chinese, and go for the ‘unfamiliar’ for the main course! The flattering platter spoilt me for choice. Chef Vikramjit Roy argued for modern Japanese contemplations while Chef liang played with traditional Chinese classics, the feast redefined indulgence with frequent servings of Johnnie Walker Black label.
Chef liang observed that diners don’t mind ordering a mix of Indian and Chinese meal but hesitate ordering a Japanese and Chinese preparation at the same time. He said, “How many times do you order these two different cuisines togetherIJ It is rare.” To break that myth that Japanese and Chinese can’t be served together, he prepared traditional Chinese dishes with some modern elements, “Tradition for me is also the way I see food,” he said.
Golden fried prawns are an old preparation in China; liang contemporised the dish by cooking it in chilli powder and sesame seeds. “That’s my idea of tradition,” he said. It was crunchy and delicious, as expected. What came as a surprise was the pick from Japanese side of the menu — salmon with confit melon miso cream cheese, bubuarare, smoked corn mash. The modern trials and tests brought to the table a treat for eyes as well as for tastebuds. Small salmon was topped with the same size melon slice. For a juicy experience I injected Yuzu soya sauce that is made of lime and soya. As I tried to slice it with the help of fork and knife, I was checked, “Just pick it and chew it for a wholesome experience.” Roy has given salmon preparation a dramatic twist. He feels, “Familiarity is boring or maybe vulgar, we know too much of Thai and other cuisines,” he said and added, “We need to throw in some glamour in the way we cook food. I don’t call it modernisation of food but ‘progressiv-isation.’ We are going ahead.” Traditionally preparation of salmon in Japan is about covering it with salt and then using 12-year-old rice vinegar for further preparation but he designed a new starter.
I had to choose between the Chinese sizzling rice with vegetables in sweet and sour sauce and Japanese temptation of Chilean sea bass with Tamari teriyaki organic vegetables, jalapenos maceration. I heard the chef say, “It is made with Tamari sauce, 1.8 litres of it cost 1.3 lakhs.” I think I picked the costliest dish in the menu that had real Chilean sea-bass and was accompanied with sushi rice risotto laced with Takenoko, (Japanese bamboo shoot) and was topped with something that tasted of fried bananas, after second helping of that crunchy chip I was left guessing even more. Roy laughed, “You have heard of sun dried tomatoes, now you are eating frozen dried ones!” He later offered the tomato-chips, as a late night or an after-meal snack.
As I indulged in the Japanese course I heard the sizzling sound at the table. liang served sizzling rice that is dried for three days and then served with sweet and sour sauce. I comforted myself with the thought of trying Chinese dessert — deep fried ice cream with fresh fruits and shrubbery sauce. A scoop of vanilla ice cream was covered with sweet cake and then deep fried with crumb powder. It looked like a gooey cheese ball till the melting cold ice cream poured out at the fork point.
It was time for wrap up, and Roy introduced yet another surprise element of the night — chocolate with spearmint ice cream that was made with 72 per cent of bitter Valrhona chocolate from Ghana, and paired with minty fresh ice cream and mango, passion fruit coulis, “Chocolate goes with mint the way diamonds go with women,” Roy signed off.