When it is one of those days where you simply want to unwind and catch up with friends without having to think about what to cook or even take the pain to order from a menu at a restaurant for two people, you might want to head to the newest outlet of Nasi And Mee in Bengaluru. With a prior booking and food preferences conveyed and in place, walk straight into the restaurant located in Manyata Tech Park, Hebbal, find the chef, and say, "Omakase." You will find yourself gorging your way through seven courses of Japanese dishes that are prepared and served in front of you fresh to the pop.
Are you wondering what Omakase is? The phrase 'Omakase' literally means 'I leave it up to you' in Japanese, and at a restaurant in Japan, it means 'I trust you, chef'. Omakase is a personalised Japanese dining experience where you entrust the chef, also known as 'Taisho', to select and prepare your meal with the freshest set of seasonal ingredients, often without knowing the dishes in advance. This allows diners to experience the chef’s creativity, skill, and expertise.
The unique bond between the chef and the diner is at the heart of an Omakase experience. The chef's stories and skills on display with the blow torch, knives, and more will surprise you as they whip up your favourite mouthfuls of food and you set out on an adventure of exploring flavours, textures, and ingredients that you may not normally choose on your own. Omakase dining highlights the cultural respect for food and craftsmanship in Japan, making each meal a memorable and one-of-a-kind culinary journey.
At the newest tropical-themed Nasi and Mee outlet, vibrant murals inspired by the jungles of Borneo and its orangutans immediately catch your eye, setting the stage for a Japanese omakase experience with a casual twist. Despite the laid-back atmosphere, the dining is undoubtedly fine. Traditionally, omakase involves the Taisho serving courses until the diner is full, with no set menu or fixed price as everything depends on the freshest ingredients of the day. However, at this restaurant, the price is pre-fixed, and the chef presents a carefully curated seven-course meal, explaining each dish in detail and sharing stories that enhance the dining experience. The sushi bar, offering a range of delights from nigiri and tempura to ramen and teppanyaki, seats just six people, allowing for an intimate and personalised experience.
Ravi Nahappan, the group CEO of Foodsta Kitchens (the parent company of Nasi And Mee), started the restaurant Nasi And Mee in Bengaluru to introduce South-East Asian flavours that he grew up with in Malaysia and Singapore. After having served Singaporean and Malaysian delicacies and offering a bit of Thailand and Indonesian delights, Ravi's team is excited about providing a sushi bar experience in Bengaluru.
He says, "Initially, we did not introduce Japanese cuisine on our menu as it was something I was unfamiliar with and did not grow up eating myself. But having deep-dived into researching the cuisine and inspired by a Japanese chef and his culinary philosophy, we are excited to offer Omakase experience here at our newest outlet. We make our own ramen noodles in our facility; the broth is prepared from scratch, and the dish is assembled and served to the diner fresh in front of them. With seasonality being at the centre, we source the freshest fish and seafood straight from Japan every week."
Slender slices of fresh salmon, hamachi, and beetroot-cured salmon carpaccio are a great way to start off this seven-course extravaganza. That, followed by the crunch of ebi or prawn, Thai asparagus and shiso leaf tempura, and the glazed and torched chicken yakitori with leeks in the second and third courses, sets your appetite rolling for more.
Between mouthfuls of salmon, hamachi, unagi, or eel nigiri, and nori tacos, which are methodically presented with an explanation by the chef, it might make one curious about this Indian chef's skills and expertise to put forth the dishes gracefully. And that's when his story unfolds. "Back in 2016, I worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Dubai for the first time. Here I was inspired to learn Japanese cuisine and started practicing sushi-making while honing my knife and torching skills on the side. There has been no looking back since, and Japanese cuisine has become part of my expertise," says Chef Ujjain Singh Tanwar before placing a bowl of hot and piping ramen in front of you.
The seven-course meal ends with a Japanese ginger-lime-orange custard pudding that is light on the palate and refreshing at the same time with the zesty infusion of orange and lemon with a subtle kick from ginger.
You might wonder how they are able to maintain sustainability, and that's when Dilip pitches in. "We do not compromise on authenticity in taste, flavours, texture, preparation techniques, or the dish as a whole. To ensure this, we source authentic ingredients from various regions across Asia. When it comes to sustainability, we are Planet Mark certified and diligently track our GHG emissions, working to reduce them by 2 to 5%. We also focus on minimising plastic packaging wherever possible and utilise more efficient equipment to decrease electricity consumption. Additionally, we prioritise the use of seasonal organic vegetables, grains, fruits, and other locally sourced ingredients. Careful management of food waste is also a key focus in our operations," says Dilip Krishnan, India CEO, Foodsta Kitchens.