The Authentic Taste Of Japan

Japanese restaurants in India are havens of high quality fish and seafood that will have you exclaiming ‘Oishii!’ (meaning delicious or tasty) after the very first bite. They also are your best bets for favourites like gindara misozuke, shira ae and donburi. We bring you the top Japanese restaurants that offer the best in taste, flavour and technique.

Pick your dining experience from the exhilaration of teppanyaki tables, reserved tatami rooms, authentic sushi bars, or the definitive stylishness of main dining and excite your senses with premium fare in Japanese cuisine. Here’s bringing you some of the best (and genuine) Japanese restaurants in India. Each has its unique little twists, but there’s one thing you can count on: all of them have fresh seafood as well as fresh produce from Toyosu, the most reputed fish market in Tokyo, ensuring perfection and authenticity. They also serve the freshest wasabi, grated right at your table!

MEGU
The Leela Palace Hotel, New Delhi

MEGU, at The Leela Palace, New Delhi, marks the début of this celebrated chain in India. Featuring a design that has its origins in ancient Japanese culture, it looks spectacular: a 362.8-kg bell invokes classical Japanese craft exemplified in the Todaiji temple in Nara, Japan. Each dish at MEGU is presented in a specifically intended handcrafted plate or bowl, enthused by the dish itself. White charcoal or binchō-zumi, a type of charcoal conventionally used in Japanese cooking, is used here as well. MEGU is the first and the only restaurant to offer sparkling sake, available by either carafe or bottle. The kitchen turns out a variety of styles and plates with flair that flaunts convention while justifying its pedigree and price tag.

Most Expensive Dish:
Megu Chef Combination
Chef’s signature platter with finest quality assorted sashimi, sushi and sushi roll

Must Try:
Otoro Sashimi: Raw bites of fatty tuna
Miso Cod: Black cod marinated with yuzu and white miso paste, baked
Sea Bream Carpaccio: White fish carpaccio with truffle vinaigrette dressing
Shira Ae: Tofu, spinach, sesame, edamame
Crispy Asparagus: Asparagus coated with kakinotane rice and shichimi

WASABI BY MORIMOTO
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai

Listed as one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants, Wasabi By Morimoto is an elegant, warm and welcoming place that comes with a tatami room (for private dining), overlooking the Gateway of India. Wasabi is the first restaurant of “Iron Chef” Morimoto in India, and the first to have an international chef’s name attached to it. On offer is contemporary Japanese fare, a live, interactive teppanyaki and a sushi counter. The secret to its popularity is top-grade, divinely seasoned sushi rice! The chef chooses each fish with an astute eye and seasons each piece in keeping with Tokyo tradition.

Most Expensive Dish:
Panko Truffle Lobster
Lobster pieces are cooked with yuzu butter, baked with panko crust and garnished with flying fish roe (tobiko) and truffle. The dish is served and placed in an exotic shell.

Must Try:
Roasted White Asparagus, on a bed of puff pastry with truffle and black garlic sauce
Japanese Roasted Halibut with crispy kuromame beans and yuzu foam ika (squid) foam
Spicy Angel Shrimp Sushi, tempura sushi with spicy toro tartare
Sakuranbo Chocolate Tart, cherry flavour, avocado ice cream

YUUKA
The St Regis Mumbai

The space boasts textures of Portoro marble and high gloss mirrors, interplayed with Japanese brocade to form a deconstructed origami pattern. The restaurant is centred around a black and gold reef inspired wall overlooking an interactive sushi bar, where chefs hand-roll fresh sushi to the delight of guests. Chef Ting Yen’s creativity, a touch of nikkei style cuisine, put together with years of experience in Japanese cuisine and a modern touch makes Yuuka stand out from others. Salmon on Fire is a trendy dish, and this upmarket eatery was the first in India to introduce the practice of serving over flaming coffee beans. Their mastery of flavor, top-notch service and a generous sake list keeps distinctive customers coming back.

Most Expensive Dish:
Peruvian Truffle Sea Bass
Peruvian sea bass, steamed, grilled and marinated in truffle salt and truffle oil, served with truffle garlic white sauce and freshly shaved truffle

Must Try:
Salmon on Fire: Slices of wild caught Norwegian salmon marinated with yuzu, kabayaki and served over flaming coffee beans, garnished with fried shallots, chives and edible flowers
Tiger Tear Maki: Traditional uramaki with a touch of Indian flavour avocado tartare and kewpie mayonnaise
40 Layer Green Tea Cake: Tamago style crepes layered with matcha cream

EDO
ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru

Specialises in izakaya style dining, which originated during the Edo period. The cuisine is highly ingredient driven, reflecting ITC’S culinary philosophy. The effort is to keep the menus seasonal in nature, importing fresh ingredients available locally in Japanese markets. Fish being one of the main ingredients in Japanese restaurants, it is responsibly sourced, the sustainable fishing model being followed strictly. Edo brings alive the concept of Japan’s vibrant after-hours culture with authentic sushi, sashimi, succulent robatayaki, crisp tempura and artful bento meals, accompanied by fine Japanese sake, wines and whiskies and climaxing with a grand finale of delicious desserts.

Most Expensive Dish:
Gindara Misozuke
Miso marinated black cod

Must Try:
Kani Salad: Crab meat with tobiko, mayonnaise and white
miso dressing
Kanpachi Usuzukiri: Yellowtail drizzled with ponzu sauce
Edo Uramaki: Spicy tuna and avocado topped with crab sticks
Buta Kakuni: Slow braised pork belly