Sleek lines, minimalism and an authentic menu, Chef Reina Nagai has incarnated Japanese Culture in this building of Gurgaon. You can feel the change of energy as you step into this artsy place with gorgeous life size installations, a classy basement and open spaces. They also have a beautiful outdoors with lush greens and tree lights, ideal for a cozy tête à tête. Chef Reina brings to life a lot of Japanese classics with modern splashes inspired from her travels – the menu comprises of a lot of signature dishes with Thai, Mediterranean and Mexican influences.
They also have a Sake bar and we started off with some signature cocktails – Kyoto Martini – vodka, shochu, jasmine tea and raisins, the martini was absolutely refreshing and topped with the signature Japanese distilled shochu. Mogami – Bourbon, Sake, mango puree and honey water – with the Japanese wine sake, this one was a tad on the sweeter side – a superb infusion of whiskey and and Japanese wine concoction.
Course 1 – Miso soup with tofu – the traditional soup using miso paste, steamed vegetables and tofu – a broth that is sure to workup your appetite.
Course 2 – For appetizers we chose Caramelized lotus roots with sesame and soy – this subtle dish really brings out the root flavours – thinly sliced lotus stem, caramelized to a slight sweetness and topped with sesame seeds, this crunchy entrée is great as a bar bite. Chicken Gyoza – thin skinned dimsums stuffed with savory chicken and pan fried to a slight crunch. Slump the dimsums in soy to enjoy these masterful delicacies.
Course 3 – Dragon roll – King prawn tempura, roasted eel and avacado – shaped like a dragon, the gorgeous looking sushi has the finest crunchy prawns. I especially enjoyed the fresh avocado with the sushi. Salmon Carpaccio – carpaccio is traditionally thinly sliced or pounded thinly and served as an appetizer. The salmon carpaccio is a piquant dish with delicious smoked salmon served with a chilly, pomegranate sauce.
Course 4 – Famous Japanese Stewed Pork Belly Nagai Style – slow stewed pork belly with daikon (radish) with cinnamon and ginger sauce and topped with zucchini and carrot tempura bits. The slightly sweet sauce teamed well with the sticky rice and the pork belly obviously was immaculately grilled and so succulent. Chicken Yaki Udon noodles – Japanese style noodles with tossed with lots of vegetables, bits of chicken and soy.
Course 5 – Dark Chocolate Semifreddo – Semifreddo is a kind of semi frozen dessert, somewhat like a frozen mousse. Belgian chocolate semifreddo with dark chocolate bits and chocolate cream – this delish chocolate overload with a smooth texture is simply heavenly. Coconut Panna Cotta – coconut panna cotta served with fresh mango pureé and homemade ginger jam – the intermingling flavours together are brilliant and so exhilarating.
Nagai is THE pick for Japanese, gorgeous flavors and don’t forget to chomp on their sushi, pork belly and coconut panna cotta.
Where? Sector 29, Gurgaon
Price for two – 3500 INR
Cuisine – Japanese