Sakura- Japanese Cuisine Fine Dining Restaurant

Japanese cuisine is renowned worldwide for its unique flavors, meticulous preparation techniques, and emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients. It is light on the stomach, no wonder, many Japanese lead a healthy life and often live beyond 100 years. Apart from the social structure, and physical labor, cuisine plays an important role.

 A few of the inherent advantages of Japanese cuisine are:

1)    Healthfulness: Japanese cuisine is often considered one of the healthiest in the world. It places a strong emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients, with an abundance of vegetables, fish, and seafood. The use of minimal oil and cooking methods like grilling, steaming, and simmering helps retain the natural flavors and nutrients of the ingredients.

2)    Balance and Variety: Japanese meals are known for their balanced composition. A typical Japanese meal consists of several small dishes, including a main course, rice, soup, pickled vegetables, and side dishes. This approach ensures a variety of flavors, textures, and nutrients, contributing to a well-rounded and satisfying meal.

3)    Umami Flavor: Umami, often described as the fifth taste, is a savory and rich flavor found abundantly in Japanese cuisine. Ingredients like miso, soy sauce, dashi (fish stock), and fermented foods contribute to the umami taste, enhancing the overall flavor profile of dishes.

4)    Seasonal Awareness: Japanese culinary tradition respects and celebrates the changing seasons. Seasonal ingredients are prized for their freshness and optimal flavor. This practice not only ensures a diverse and ever-changing menu but also promotes sustainability and supports local agriculture.

5)    Culinary Techniques: Japanese cuisine has a rich culinary heritage with meticulous preparation techniques. From sushi-making to intricate knife skills, attention to detail and precision contribute to the high quality of Japanese dishes. These techniques have been refined and passed down through generations, resulting in exceptional culinary craftsmanship.

The country has a rich and diverse culture,  that is often reflected in the cuisines. Most of us have heard the names of Japanese dishes like Sushi, Ramen, Udon, Tempura, Bento, Yakitori, etc. But often outside Japan, it becomes difficult to get authentic Japanese food.

SAKURA FINE DINING RESTAURANT

While in Delhi, I heard a lot about, a stylish, award-winning restaurant being the pioneer in bringing authentic Japanese cuisine to India. It has always been known for its exclusivity, innovation, and sensuous dining experience. I decided to give it a try, and boy I was not at all disappointed.

They have an exhaustive Japanese food menu comprising of atsu age yaki, hiyayako, tempura, katsu, sushi, sashmi, and much more. The restaurant also keeps organizing a number of unique food festivals, at times blending Japanese cuisine with Indian taste.

The first thing that caught my attention on the menu was Sushi rolls. We need to understand crafting Sushi is artistry – making it eye-pleasing, working with flavors of the basic ingredients to shine through without too much seasoning, the type of knife used to create the dish, cutting techniques, and much more. Needless to say, Sakura excels at this craft, there Sushi menu is carefully designed, keeping in mind things like appropriate use of spices, flavoring them with vinaigrette rice, tandoori only tastes good when served hot, etc. A few of my favorite sushi rolls from the collection are Asparagus Tempura Roll, which contains soy, sesame, gluten, and dairy products.

I started my meal with Japanese soup Yasai Misoshiru, which is a soybean soup with vegetables. It is a bit tangy and light on the stomach, the soup will definitely set the mood for the rest of the meal. Another of the must-trying Japanese starters is tempura, the crunchy flavor along with delicious Japanese sauce will leave one longing for more. Vegetarians should try out Yasai Tempura, assorted vegetables are lightly dipped in batter and deep fried. The mix of batter, vegetables, and Japanese sauce will leave a burst of flavors in your mouth. Non-vegetarians can opt for Ebi Tempura, here prawns are dipped in a light batter and again deep fried. Another of my favorite is Cheese Korokke, croquette with cheese, peas, corn, and potato served with tonkatsu sauce.

In the main course apart from Sushi, I opted for Tenzaru Soba which is hot wheat or buckwheat noodles served with vegetable Tempura. It had a number of perfectly balanced ingredients, light on the stomach yet very fulfilling. They provide a number of rice dishes to choose from like Gohan, Tendon Yasai, Curry Rice, Katsu Curry, and many more. No meal can be complete without a desert. Sakura’s date pancakes are sheer bliss, they melt in your mouth leaving behind a lingering sweetness. If pancakes are not your cup of tea then opt for Matcha ice cream, it is made of green tea, interestingly it doesn’t have a bitter taste, but leaves a taste of freshness and sweetness in your mouth.

Sakura has mastered the art of serving authentic Japanese cuisine. Next time whenever you want to have a Japanese food night this is the place to visit. The restaurant also offers an Asian menu, thus having an option for each family member. You can read my other blog post on their Asian menu.

 

Address: Bangla Sahib Road, Connaught Place New Delhi-110001, India

Website: https://www.hotelmetdelhi.com/

Reservation Number: 011-42500200