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Hai. The food is good here

There's much more to Japanese cuisine than sushi and sake

WHAT POTENTIAL! The humble radish gets transformed into an exotic salad at Harima Photo: murali kumar k.

Think Japanese food, and what comes to mind are sake and sushi. But did you know that the Japanese also make a most delightful salad with radish? Yes, our very own mullangi. When Junko Ravindran, Director Marketing at Harima, an exclusive Japanese restaurant in town, asked if we would like to try it, we wondered if it would be impolite to refuse. But the daikon salad was delightfully sweet, with just a hint of the radish's characteristic flavour.

As you walk into Harima, you're almost transported into another world, quiet and tranquil, a far cry from the clamour of Residency Road below. The restaurant has tastefully done interiors that keep with the Japanese maxim of clean, elegant and simple lines. And for a real feel of the Japanese way of life, it even has a section with low tables and floor cushions, for those willing to give it a shot. We point to the bar and mention that it's a little unusual for a restaurant to have a separate bar area. "We've added that so people can come in for a drink on their way back from work," says Junko.

We're tickled when our maître d' says "hai" (Japanese for yes) every time he took down an order. "Training the staff has been difficult, as most of them knew nothing about Japanese food when we started," Junko says. A Japanese and two Vietnamese chefs, who have worked with Japanese cuisine, were roped in to train the staff who had a trial run for around four months before the restaurant opened. "Our friends would sample the dishes and tell us what they like or don't like. It is hard to try a new cuisine, so we've added a few dishes that have a little masala to suit Indian customers."

But how do they manage to find all the ingredients? "That is a big problem. We have to import everything. Getting the right kind of rice is proving to be very difficult. We use a sticky variety of rice to make sushi. But the government has very strict restrictions on importing rice."

Japanese cuisine may seem a little bland to those who are used to spicy food. Chef James says Japanese do not mix too many spices. "In Japanese food, the emphasis is on letting the flavour of the fish or seaweed come through. But it's an acquired taste. Not everyone can stomach raw fish." We decide instead to try the squid. The ika no bataaitame is cooked well and then tossed in butter and pepper. Although the rubbery texture of the meat is a little unfamiliar at first, it grows on you.

If you like barbecued dishes, then be sure to try out the yakitori moriawase. The chicken is well marinated in a special sauce that has a distinct pungent flavour and then grilled lightly. Served on short skewers it looks and even tastes like tikkas. The sushi was brought in on a platter, six different kinds, each with a pickled treat at the centre. "Sushi is the most commonly known Japanese dish. But it is considered a special dish in Japan as it involves a great deal of preparation," says Junko. Although it is usually dipped in sauce and eaten, it is advisable to not use too much of it as the soya sauce flavour is very strong.

A coated and deep fried sweet tofu dish, agedashi tofu, and a bowl of misochiru soup complete the meal. Soup at the end of the meal, you ask. Well, that's how the Japanese like it. The flavour of this light soup, made with soya paste and seaweed, can, however, take some getting used to.

If you are the adventurous type and like those taste buds tickled, then Harima is a good place to start.

Harima is on the fourth floor, Devatha Plaza, 131, Residency Road, and can be contacted on 51325757/57688222.

ROSHNI MENON

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