Serving Japanese with a fresh spin

Japanese food first came to India around the 1980s, when The Ashok Hotel in Delhi opened Tokyo, to cater to Japanese diplomats and company executives. High-end Japanese restaurants began to proliferate in star hotels in the early 2000s. Metro cities got their fair share of standalone Japanese restaurants, but these spaces remained aspirational, or just not everyone’s bowl of soy sauce.

After 2010, with people travelling, a plethora of food shows, and the ability to explore cuisines vicariously through social media, Japanese food exploded. Besides the real deal for those who wanted it, there were experiments – think ghee roast ramens, tandoori sushi, vegetarian soba noodles and more – to make it go beyond the cliché of ‘raw fish’.

Chains like Daily Sushi or Sushi and More made takeaway and home delivery options available to the masses. This was followed by an increase in classic Japanese concept restaurants like dedicated ramen bars, izakayas, and teppanyaki grill houses. And now, in what is a new wave perhaps, Japanese cuisine has become all about interpretation and is going playful, hybrid, and deeply intentional. Think Naru Noodle Bar’s (Bengaluru) cult following or Inja’s (Delhi) Indian-Japanese approach, where one cuisine does not overshadow the other or even Mizu Izakaya in Mumbai, which stays true to izakaya principles but is tuned to local ingredients and seasons. Japan has become an inspirational canvas for experimentation, a muse that Indian chefs and bartenders are reshaping into something wholly their own. 

Intersection of cultures

One such reshaping is ZLB23 at The Leela Palace Bengaluru. It marries the concept of a speakeasy (an American construct) with a Japanese culinary programme. “ZLB23 is not a Japanese bar in the traditional sense. It’s a mixology concept inspired by Japan, expressed through our own cultural lens. It lives in that intersection of technology and art, tradition and rebellion that Bengaluru thrives on — bringing together the refined discipline of Japanese ethos with the subversive charm of a speakeasy,” says Madhav Sehgal, Area Vice President – South India, The Leela Palace Hotels and Resorts.

“We see Japanese culinary tradition as a framework, rather than a rule book and build on this foundation with global sensibilities. For instance, our Hickory-smoked duck plays with traditional Japanese flavour profiles but uses a house-fermented miso glaze and Karnataka - sourced passionfruit. Our cocktails pay homage to Japanese botanicals like Shiso Negroni, Yuzu Picante, but are reimagined with homemade amazu (sweet-salty vinegar) alternatives using regional botanicals. It’s not about fidelity to form—it’s about creating a dialogue,” Sehgal adds.

Izakaya-meets-ramen bar

Dialogues can result in something new, like JSan, an izakaya-meets-ramen bar in Goa. In Japan, an izakaya is an after-work, informal pub-style drinking space with small plates; a ramen shop is focused on ramen, often fast and casual. “I deliberately brought these worlds together because I believe there is a beautiful synergy; the hearty, deeply crafted bowl of ramen and the relaxed pace of an izakaya, with drinks and small plates. The thinking was, why should ramen be purely solo or focused on speed? Why couldn’t it sit in a space where people linger, talk, share plates, sip cocktails, enjoy the after-hours vibe?” says Vishesh Jawarani, Executive Chef-Co-Owner.

How did he make it work? By ensuring his ramen adheres to high-craft standards. The technique for the tonkotsu broth is an age-old one used in Fukuoka, Japan, known as
Yobimodoshi. The small plates and starters are suited to an izakaya style — gyoza, karaage, yakisoba, chawanmushi, and raw fish in credos and ceviches. 

“We don’t market ourselves as a loosely ‘inspired’ variant — we strive to execute real Japanese food. Because we get the fundamentals right, authenticity becomes a by-product rather than a constant debate,” Jawarani says.

Edo, classic yet modern

Edo - Japanese Restaurant & Bar ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru has long been known for authentic Japanese food. Its earlier avatar was inspired by the Edo era, when Japan saw an exuberant popularisation of art, music, theatre and literature. The new Edo, unveiled in mid-August takes the essence of authentic Japanese food and presents it in the modern Tokyo-style where the food is still classic Japanese, but the service design, interiors, music, colours and beverage programme take inspiration from the latest trends in Japan.

“Our food has authenticity without rigidity, elegance without formality, and a kind of culinary energy that thrives in flow,” says Amandeep Kaur, General Manager, ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru. The Japan-sourced Fuji oysters here are grilled and glazed with sweet soy sauce.

But they reach your table on a replica of the snow-clad Mount Fuji to add the element of surprise and engagement. The pork belly is a nimono (slow braised), cooked at a low
temperature for 18 hours, following a traditional Japanese culinary technique. It is then slightly grilled on a Robatayaki before serving to give it a modern-day Tokyo spin”. While Edo has a Tokyo spin, at Gaijin in Mumbai the approach is basically, ‘let’s take something beautiful, and make it a little unpredictable.’

For example, the Pesto Udon Bowl takes something Italian and filters it through Japanese fermentation, basil-meets-koji, creamy yet umami-heavy approach. The Spicy Salmon Gunkan wraps salmon tartar in salmon instead of seaweed, so it’s double the flavour and the fire. At the bar, you will find cocktails that use yuzu but also kaffir lime, or miso paired with gin.

“Gaijin literally means outsider,” says Rohan Mangalorkar, Partner. “We are not pretending to be a Tokyo izakaya, we are creating a space that celebrates what happens when curiosity meets craft. We love Japanese food, but we also love breaking its rules a little. Diners today want the ‘real deal’ as much as they want an honest one, something that feels true to the chef, the space, and the moment”.