Gin, the latest izakaya, proves bar food is not just peanuts.
At a good izakaya (a sort of gastro-pub, but Japanese) it is easy to get confused. Faced with a huge list of sake and shochu, you think you are in a bar, but turn the page of the menu and list after list of Japanese dishes leap at you – what’s going on?
The food is no afterthought at these quality watering holes. Serious attention is paid to the preparation of dishes that range from the humble to the decadent, and they are all equally indulgent.
Take for example, Gin, the new izakaya opened by the owner of Kushinosato. On our recent visit, there was a group of rowdy Japanese businessmen dominating a corner of the sleek, black and blond-schemed dining room. Red-faced, they were smoking and drinking while working their way through platters and platters of food. On the other side of the restaurant, a lone diner sat at the elongated bar that faces a row of windows overlooking the CBD. His relaxed shoulders wrapped around an after-work drink and a couple of plates of yakitori.
Our party settled comfortably around a table sectioned-off from the rest of the room to create a sense of privacy. We were well attended to by the slightly timid waitresses who recommended the hirame no usuzukuri (RMB 68). This halibut sashimi is the most luxurious item on the menu. As is the custom, our slices were parchment-thin and transparent. We underestimated these delicate little morsels, and were happily surprised to find them packed with flavor and texture. We paired it with grated daikon and a bit of fermented tofu with a touch of soy sauce, but purists enjoy it plain with a sake chaser (RMB 28 and up for a generous-sized tumbler).
Our "raw" beef (RMB 48) was actually cooked on the surface and very rare in the center. The scarlet slices were incredibly tender and a dab of ginger brought out the best of the meat flavor. The beef is from cattle raised in Dalian by a Japanese company.
Many yakitori items are offered, but the highlight has to be deep fried chicken skins (RMB 28). Wait – don’t make a face just yet. Our bowls of skins were encased in a light savory batter and immersed in a briny soy sauce-mirin concoction. The outside is crisp and the inside is silky, with none of the rubbery, fatty unpleasantness associated with skins.
Feeling a little guilty after that, we balanced things out with a healthy bowl of cold buckwheat noodles mixed with mashed yam rizhome (RMB 30), also known by its more eloquent Chinese name, shanyao, and a wholesome beef and potato stew (RMB 38). Didn’t expect meat and potatoes to be on a Japanese menu? Our Japanese dining companion reckons it "tastes just like what (he makes) at home." It leans towards teppanyaki-like sweetness and may not appeal to non-Japanese palates, but the texture of fluffy potatoes and tender chunks of beef are sure to be universally appreciated.
It was exciting to move beyond ramen, sushi and teppanyaki in Japanese cuisine, and we left feeling giddy and a little tipsy – from the good food.
|