KAISEKI: Eye-catching, Mouth-watering
12/28/2019 03:15:00 PM
Japanese cuisine always leaves me at awe for the minutely art of plating food course. Nowhere is Japan’s culinary prowess better demonstrated than in Kaiseki elegantly presented dishes.
The term kaiseki (literally, “bosom-pocket stone”) refers to a centuries-old practice in which Zen monks would place a hot stone in the bosom pocket of their robes to warm the belly and ward-off the hunger (because craving is also a kind of lust). Kaiseki refers to the noble beauty that transcends the mundane, and that is also the spirit of this cuisine.
The deep rooted philosophy of Kaiseki is the principle of shun - eating seasonality and locality. It would be hard to find a Kaiseki menu which stays the same for longer than a week if not a day.
MY KAISEKI EXPERIENCE
Kaiseki is one of the most prestigious dining experiences in the world, and fortunately, I was one of the lucky folks who had successfully registered for “Kaiseki Tasting” event by chef Nguyen Ba Phuoc.
Each Kaiseki course highlights a specific seasonal theme — and for this February event, the theme was SAKURA in full bloom, represented Vietnamese Tet Holiday.
The menu was in Japanese, printed on traditional paper with the image of a white crane flying towards the red sun - symbolizing a good start and the wish for a new year of health and good luck.
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Shokuzenshu:
Before opening the chopsticks, we have a sip of refreshing shokuzenshu, a thimbleful of liqueur based on umeshu, slightly tart, not too sweet and just the thing to kick-start the appetite.
This Umeshu batch have been fermented since last year, with the specialty apricot from Kishuu. In Japan, the host must consider you a very cherished friend to bring this kind of Umeshu on the dining table.
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Sakizuke:
We start with Satsumaimo toufu umearagiri nose — Tofu (made of soymilk, sweet potato, white miso and whipped cream) topped with minced apricots - those that are fermented in Shokuzenshu Umeshu. It melts in my mouth so softly!
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Hassun course - the seasonal course, cuisine from the Earth
Just as much a piece of art as it is a meal, a great deal of attention and care goes into the presentation of the course. This Hassun dish is decorated with a thinly sliced bamboo root, shaped like a lamp (this look is inspired by a traditional custom: lighting lamp to welcome spring), accompanied by a peach branch in full bloom - a signature sign of Vietnamese New Year.
To maintain the aesthetics of the dish as well as the Chef’s intention, food needs to be eaten in the order from left to right, from the nearest to the one in the back.
- Firstly, we start with Kamo rosuni orenji - grilled duck breast with stewed orange. Duck breast has very little fat, pairs so well with orange. Such a gentle choice of opening the course!
- Next, Umetamago ikuranose hanahou soe is soft-boiled egg topped with salmon roe and perilla flower. The light bitter taste of Perilla flower helps reducing the fishy taste of raw salmon roe.
- Flower-shaped carrots stew with dashi - Umeninjin tsuyani - set off the Spring theme.
- The highlight of the Hassun is Sakidori mousouchiku denrakuyaki - grilled mousou bamboo shoot - in the very beginning of bamboo season - with miso sauce. Mousou bamboo shoot is a specialty from the ancient capital of Kyoto.
- Finally, we try Unagi to kyuri amazudzuke - copper eel with sweet and sour cucumber. The sweet and sour flavor is to ease down the taste, like a closing door of Hassun course to welcome the next one.
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Dashi soup: suimono
First thing first, have a sip of Dashi broth to ”breathe" in the gentle aroma of all the fresh ingridients. Then, enjoy the suimono: Fresh tiger prawn and basa fish are minced together, rolled up and adjusted to softness with Dashi broth, topped up with chrysanthemum - winter flavor, yuzu lemon, radish and carrot.
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Shokuji: Nigiri zushi
Literally, the term sashimi means "cut body". When cutting fishes, the Chef must not use the hand force but only the sharpness and the weight of the Yanagiba knife (usually large - about 30cm long) to slide from the tip to the end of the knife. This is the secret of how Chef manipulates the fish: all these details produce unique sashimi.
Black Tuna (Hon Maguro) is king of the tunas, probably only be served at high end Japanese restaurants!
We try 3 slices of this Hon Maguro: akami (back), ootoro (belly), chyutoro (the middle part).
It’s a heavenly taste as the slice of sashimi melts into a savoury clean tasting, almost buttery - with an ever so slight lingering touch of the sea. It is that kind of food that you may very well feel sad after you eat the first piece, knowing there is only one piece left!
This Hon Maguro was dedicated by the Head Chef of Chef Phuoc’s restaurant in Japan, as a gift to bring back to Vietnam.
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Mizukashi: Wagashi Mochi shiroan, made from white bean, with Rikyu Matcha tea.
And to the end of this Kaiseki, we have a special dessert with Mochi shirogn by the talented Wagashi House owner. The crust was made from rice, stuffed with white bean paste, not too sweet but paired perfectly with Rikyu Matcha tea.
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