Master Chef Shigeru Hagiwara has prepared an inspired assortment of time honoured new year fare.
With a world-wide reputation that transcends its mother brand Yamazato - the Okura Prestige Bangkok's signature Japanese eatery - is pleased to offer a set menu selection of Kaiseki Ryori (traditional Japanese haute cuisine) dishes that are sure to dazzle even the most discerning palate.
The restaurant enjoys widespread popularity in its native Japan and beyond. Indeed, Yamazato's Amsterdam kitchen earned a coveted Michelin star in 2001 while founder Akira Oshima has been knighted in the Order of Orange Nassau.
The 24th floor Bangkok venue exudes an aesthetic influence of the homeland. Settings are presented on gleaming lacquerware trays sourced from a single village in rural Japan.
The popular new year party promotion starts with a small bowl of boiled Edamame beans. The minimalistic simplicity of this starter dish belies the complex flavours and unlikely buttery texture.
The garden salad with ice fish and sesame dressing is a surprise highlight. The tender, garden-fresh lettuce leaves and julienne sliced cucumber are a perfect complement to the light, crispy-fried ice fish morsels while the tangy dressing nicely pulls together the dish's divergent flavours.
The sashimi plate (bluefin & yellowtail tuna, squid, salmon roe) is notable for the freshness of the bluefin and yellowtail tuna flown direct from Tokyo's renowned Tsukiji fish market. The sliced bluefin is firm and succulent while the squid possesses a bite of 'crisp' chewiness and the jagged-edged Oba leaf garnish makes for a flavourful seasoning-accompaniment.
The tempura plate is a lively combination of shrimp, fish and aubergine that offers an alluring blend of elements harvested from sea and soil. The tempura batter is light, crunchy and not in the least oily with a taste perfectly suited for the ocean-fresh seafood and earthy eggplant nestled within.
The karaage chicken is deep-fried to golden perfection with a crunchy bite to the batter that exquisitely sets off the tender white chicken meat it encases. The accompanying leek sauce adds a delightfully unexpected dimension to the familiar garlic-ginger-soy sauce flavour, a signature of this all-time favourite Japanese dish.
The deep-fried spicy vinegar sauce marinated fish with vegetables is a tangy, delicately cooked delight while the steamed egg custard provides a creamy, savoury, smooth-textured interlude.
A plate of simmered mackerel with miso sauce distinguishes itself with a flavour and texture all of its own. The steamed squid dumpling with vegetable comes topped with a rich, clear soy-based sauce that is simply divine while tiny, full-flavoured mushrooms and firm Udon noodles make the miso soup the perfect light-fare coda to this symphony of Nihon delicacies.
Finally, the dessert of rice-flour mochi dumplings filled with ancho red bean paste with assorted premium fruits is an intriguing and satisfying postprandial indulgence.
The new year party promotion at Yamazato Japanese restaurant runs 6 to 25 January 2015.
THE OKURA PRESTIGE BANGKOK Park Ventures Ecoplex, 57 Wireless Road. Tel. 02 687 9000
New Year Party Promotion
Three set-menu options are offered, priced as follows:
Set 1 - 1,500++/per set
Boiled Edamame beans; Deep-fried fish and vegetables marinated in a spicy vinegar sauce; Steamed egg custard; Salad with Ice fish; Simmered mackerel with miso sauce; Deep-fried chicken with leek sauce; Steamed squid dumpling with vegetable top with rich, clear soy sauce; Onigiri rice with Miso soup or Udon noodle; Assorted fruit.
Set 2 - 2,000++/per set
Boiled Edamame beans; Deep-fried fish and vegetables marinated in a spicy vinegar sauce; Steamed egg custard; Salad with Ice fish; Sashimi of Tuna, yellow tail, squid and salmon roe; Simmered potato with pork; Tempura of shrimp, fish and vegetables; Onigiri rice with Miso soup or Udon noodle; Rice‐flour dumplings with sweet red bean paste and assorted fruit.
Set 3 - 2,500++ /per set
Boiled Edamame beans; Deep-fried fish and vegetables marinated in a spicy vinegar sauce; Steamed egg custard; Salad with Ice fish; Sashimi of Tuna, yellow tail, squid and salmon roe; Deep fried chicken with leek sauce; Steamed squid dumpling with vegetable top with rich, clear soy sauce; Simmered mackerel with miso sauce; Onigiri rice with Miso soup or Udon noodle; Matcha taste bracken-starch dumpling and assorted fruit.
