Japanese perfection at Wagamama

Japanese food is extremely popular worldwide. In the last decade or so Japanese food has managed to break barriers and promote itself to the exalted status of fine dining. Though the basics of Japanese food remains the same with a clever use of simple ingredients, moderate spices and quality protein, the result are often more than a humble bowl of food. In this respect the Japanese chefs have truly mastered the art of simple cooking.

Growing up in a small town in West Bengal,India, the chances of trying Japanese food were nil. There were only local food joints where one found the usual Indian-Cantonese food version that is now prevalent throughout the country. Chilli Chicken,Hakka noodles, Chicken Lillipop often being the bestsellers on the menu. It was only in the last 10 years or so that Kolkata has truly awakened to Japanese Food. Park Street, often known as the Khao-gully(food street) of Kolkata now hosts Zen, a fine dining restaurant that cooks Japanese, Malay and Chinese dishes. Fuji, in Southern Avenue is a sushi place primarily while The Sushi Oke in Theatre road, Wasabee in KalikapurFung Shway in Southern Avenue and The Fatty Bao in Camac Street are restaurants that cook Japanese but are not primarily Japanese restaurants. This is indicative of the fact that Kolkata hasn't yet embraced Japanese Cuisine with open arms like Delhi or Mumbai.

The lack of acceptance arises from the fact that Bengalis in Kolkata are a big fan of spices. Take any Bengali dish and you will find a bare minimum of at least 5 spices when cooking the simplest stew or Jhol. Bengalis love their temperings, their ada-zeere bata(ginger-cumin paste) for vegetarian dishes, sometimes a dash of milk is added to the summer favourite Sukhto( a light stew bordering on a bitter taste, cooked with bitter gourd, green papaya, plantain, drumstick and potatoes) whereas the Non-vegetarian dishes have a huge array of pastes and ground spices which differ according to the protein. So it's quiet understandable that subtle taste of Japanese flavors is often missed by a Bengali.

The contradiction to the Bland Food notion is something that I had harbored for some time in the past till I had my first Tempura Udon and Sushi. I fell in love with the Sake, the salmon and caviar sushi, the  big bowl of Ramen and the Gyozas. I honestly feel at times the Japanese make the best Gyozas. It ticks all the boxes for me. However, this time when I visited Wagamama, a famous Japanese Restaurant in Muscat, I was bowled over by the food. 

I had the Gyozas which were fried perfectly and I could feel the crunch in my mouth. The dipping sauce was salty, tangy and I made a mental note to get hold of that or at least learn to make that dipping sauce. It simply enhanced the flavor of the Gyoza rather than burning my mouth which often happens with the momo's sauce.

Next came the Ramen- the humble bowl of noodle soup that has now been elevated to cult status. Ramen, to many people like me, is not just a bowl of noodle soup. Ramen is a sentiment. It is like a

warm hug that seems to take away all of life's sorrows and make you feel better about life. Ramen stands for hope that no matter what tomorrow will be better than today. The Ramen bowl at Wagamama made me feel quiet like that. The light, scented hot broth with Chinese noodles flavored with miso, oddles of chicken, prawns and bok choi topped with nori, was everything that I wanted from life-warmth, flavor and love.

Donburi is a Japanese Rice Bowl dish that consists of the main protein, vegetables and sauces simmered together and served in a bowl of rice. I had ordered Duck Donburi and it was the best piece of duck meat I have had in a really long time. Most restaurants tend to over or under cook the duck which results is squishy or fibrous meat. The duck at Wagamama was a perfect ten. It was seasoned nicely and maintained the original favors of the Teriyaki sauce. The sauce mixed well with the rice and coated it just enough to maintain flavor in each bite. The egg was oozy and once cut into, the creaminess of the yolk further complimented the rice and duck.

Now I'm not much of a Dessert person. I hate Desserts. Now I know this might shock you but I hate chocolate and most places have way too many chocolate desserts on the menu. Choco-lava cake, Brownie with Sundae, Chocolate tart with berry compote and the one I hate the most: Chocolate Ganache. I absolutely detest that dessert. Hence I hardly ever order desserts after a meal. However, this time something caught my eye. I saw Katsu and I was instantly attracted to it. To the uninitiated, Katsu means cutlet and it is basically a dish in which the protein is either sliced thinly or pounded, dipped in flour and egg wash, coated with panko breadcrumbs and fried. But here the same method is applied to bananas where the bananas have been sliced, dipped, fried and served with a salted caramel ice-cream. The result is these gooey, melt in the mouth bananas with the crunch of the panko, flavored with a salted caramel ice-cream. The result is divine and unlike any you have had ever.

Wagamama has truly managed to redefine Japanese food. The ambiance, the service, the graciousness of the staff and the efficiency of the chefs are truly reflective of Japanese standards. Head out to Wagamama to take a break from monotony and come back with a belly filled with amazing food and a satisfied smile.