Japanese restaurant Aajisai opens at Quest on January 19. t2 samples the fare with star guests Prosenjit and Sourav Ganguly
TT Bureau
Published 12.01.18, 12:00 AM
AAJISAI
Where: Quest, fifth floor
Timings: Noon-4pm and 6.30pm-11pm
Cuisine: Japanese
Covers: 62
Bar: Yes
Pocket pinch: Around Rs 1,500 for two
“Dada, have you been to Japan?” we asked. “You mean, here?” quipped a witty Sourav, pointing to his table, “It felt like I was in Japan today!” The party — (l-r) Utsav Parekh, Sanjiv, Preeti, Sourav and Palash Banerjee (co-partner, Aajisai) — checked out the teppanyaki section. “I took the challenge of bringing this not-so-friendly cuisine to Calcutta, and for the first time, a robotic restaurant,” said Palash, who completed his higher education in Japan.
The most novel thing about Aajisai is the sushi conveyor belt. The a la carte dishes arrive on this white tray and a recorded voice plays out loud, requesting the guest to pick up the dish. The belt below has plates on rotation — choose your plate as per the colour. Like, a green plate (veg) will be priced
Rs 200 while a red plate (non-veg) will be priced Rs 250.
“I am very happy to see a new Japanese restaurant in Calcutta. In Japan, we call this rotating belt system kaiten-zushi. I like sushi, soba noodles, tempura and kushikatsu (meat or veggies coated in bread crumbs and deep-fried),” said Masayuki Taga, the consul-general of Japan in Calcutta, who is from Tokyo.
Sanjiv Goenka and Prosenjit read the label of a bottle of Umeshu, a Japanese liqueur made of fruit. “What I loved about the place, besides the food, was the decor. The place is classy; I liked the ball chain curtains and the lights,” said the Mayurakshi actor. Sanjiv liked the Potato Salad and Spinach Salad. “It was fresh and very light,” he said.
“The Avocado Sushi was nice and so was the rice,” said Preeti Goenka, dining with good friend Nilangi Parekh.
What Calcutta has never seen before — a sushi conveyor belt! “The idea of automated service on the table is so cool and interesting!” said Prosenjit, as he picked up a platter from the belt on January 8, for a special trial at Aajisai. The Tolly star loved the Japanese starters. “Whenever I go to a star hotel, I look out for the Japanese spread, especially sushi and sashimi, as they are healthy options. Besides the dishes being delicious, the plating is unique with detailing,” added Bumbada.
Prosenjit and Sourav catch up.
What is Sourav Ganguly’s fave cuisine? “Anything that Sana (his daughter) wants! And she eats anything!” smiled Sourav. Though he admitted he was not a big fan of Japanese food, he loved what he tried at Aajisai. “I have never eaten Japanese food because I find it too raw. Today, the non-vegetarian dishes were good... lovely meal to be honest, and it was healthy with not much oil. I enjoyed it actually,” said Dada, who tried the Teriyaki Chicken and the Prawn Nigiri and felt it was “superbly cooked”.
The Aajisai menu with custom-made silver holders imprinted with the ajisai flower, a sign of the rainy season in Japan.
The entrance to Aajisai. The restaurant has all the elements of modern decor — glass, steel and marble.
Japanese chef Koji Nakayama is leading the kitchen.
BRUSH UP ON YOUR JAPANESE!
Yaki: Grill
Tori: Chicken
Suzuki: Seabass
Kani: Crab Sticks
Kushiage: Deep-fried skewers
Yakimeshi: Fried rice
Ebi: Prawn
Gunkan: Boat-shaped sushi
Teppanyaki: Made on a hot plate
Tonkatsu: A Japanese dish made of pork
Katsu: Cutlet
Nori: Seaweed
Gohan: Sticky rice
Arigatou Gozaimasu: ‘Thank You’ after a good meal!
Teppanyaki is a Japanese dish of meat or veggies on a hot steel plate forming the centre of the table. At Aajisai, there are separate plates for veg and non-veg and sitting around this table, watching your food being prepared live, is an experience you’ll want to return for.
