If all you want for Christmas is Japanese fare; this is the place
Relaxed ambience: Japanese decor with a difference
’Tis the season to be jolly, and for many of us having a good meal with friends and family is an intrinsic part of the festive cheer. Ikoi-Tei offers a refreshing alternative to the standard heavy holiday fare as they launch their new menu just in time for the season.
Located at the bustling Dutch Hospital, the Japanese restaurant offers a quiet, spacious and relaxed place for you to get your Japanese fix, comfortable sitting up to 78 patrons at a time both inside and out.
The versatile set up offers many opportunities for diners, whether it’s a quick drink at the well-stocked bar that also offers luxurious Japanese whiskeys and sakes like Yamasaki and Suntory, to a sit-down dinner at the teppan table where chefs prepare your teppanyaki meal right in front of your eyes with all the skill and showmanship to make it a meal to remember.
The additional private dining room that seats up to 12 patrons will be perfect for business meetings over bento boxes, planned get-togethers or even just a quiet meal amongst family or friends.
Appropriately, considering its central location for busy corporates, the new lunch menu is designed for speed without sacrificing all the elements of a fulfilling meal. From 11a.m. to 2.30 p.m., you can choose from a remarkably varied selection of bento lunch boxes (comprising two kinds of main dishes of meat or seafood, two sides, steamed rice and miso soup), classic Japanese set menu style teishoku (one main, side dish of the day, steamed rice and miso soup), donburi lunch, teppanyaki lunch set and more.
Dessert treat: Mini daifuku
We were invited to try a curated selection of their new a la carte dinner menu, expertly prepared by Japanese chef Hikaru Takahashi and his well-trained team.
The meal began with some light starters, including Japan’s favourite bar snack edamame (boiled green soybeans) that Chef Takahashi had spiced up with chillies to appeal to a local palate. Following that was the pillow-soft cheese potato mochi, which was deep fried cheese in mashed potato cake, and the spicy mayo tuna tartare featuring succulent chopped fresh tuna combined with spicy mayo.
We were then treated to the Sushi Combo that included a fresh and colourful variety of salmon, tuna and tobiko (fish roe) nigiri, as well as sushi rolls with ebi (prawn) tempura, spicy tuna and California in an artfully presented box. The Special Nigiri Moriawase set showcased the freshness of the ingredients, featuring special nigiri such as seared salmon, seared ebimayo, tuna and avocado, hotate (scallop), butter soy, spicy tuna, ikura (red caviar) and salmon.
Stir-fried yakisoba noodles wrapped in omelette. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
The Hot Night sushi roll, one of Ikoi-Tei’s best sellers, is a flavour explosion of prawn tempura, avocado, fresh tuna, tobiko, spring onion and spicy mayo. That, together with a few others like the crunchy ebi fry roll and soft shell crab roll, could be a small meal in itself.
Sushi is a skill, explains Chef Takahashi, and not one person can make it the same even if they have the same tools and ingredients. The talent of his team is evident in the careful pairing of delicious fresh flavours and meticulous presentation.
Next came a flavourful teriyaki chicken pan-fried on a bed of mashed potato, pea purée with a light teriyaki sauce poured over, maguronegishion (pan-friend rare tuna) with a strong spring onion infused sauce and chicken okonomi-yaki complemented with mayo.
Tuna tartarer
The mains followed, showcasing a variety of self-contained dishes like the simple but satisfying ebiTenjyu – tempura fried jumbo prawns with a sweet tempura sauce over rice. A particular highlight of the meal was the delicious and rich stir-fried yakisoba noodles wrapped in a delicate omelette blanket with seafood and vegetables.
We were also treated to Executive Chef of Hilton Colombo Robert Mujagic’s favourite item on the menu, which was the soft shell crab burger served with fries and mayo. Perhaps a surprising inclusion in a Japanese menu but tasty all the same.
Despite a heavy meal there is always room for dessert, and the selection at Ikoi-Tei is worth saving the space for. The pineapple tempura is a wonderfully light and zingy fritter with a significant crunch, pairing well with ice cream. The Instagram-worthy mini daifuku (sweetened mochi) comes in three little domes of mango, green tea and black sesame – all with distinct flavours and textures, balanced with a smear of berry coulis.
The menu is as expansive as it is consistently delicious, ensuring there is something for everyone and making it worth the steep price. Colombo’s best kept secret is truly worth the hype.