An Evening at Takashi, Sector 29, Gurgaon

I have always identified Japanese cuisine with elegance, refinement, freshest produce and a cuisine where every bite is like a dash through the rich cultural history. So when a bunch of us descended upon Takashi in sector 29, Gurgaon on a deliciously nippy December evening, the air was filled with excitement.

Three things make a meal outing worth remembering – ambience, company and food. As we stepped into this small, classy, opulent restaurant, I knew two out of the three requirements had been ticked off. All that was left was the food. And we had an insanely long menu to navigate through.

I have posted photographs to show you all that we ate. But I want to talk about a few of my favourite. The ones which were unputdownable. The ones which made me wish I could split the menu between two dinners.

We started with Gomae salad. If there is one dish that can make someone fall in love with spinach, this would be it.

This was followed by a light but delicious crab salad. We were in good hands.

The salads were followed by four kinds of sushi. The first on the table was tuna nigiri. Unsure if the sushi would taste fishy, I dunked it in soya sauce. My chopsticks hovered near my mouth and I paused for a noticeable second before taking a big mouthful. All I can say is that I was stumped. How could something so simple be so delicious?!

Another one that I loved was the gorgeously luscious rock shrimp tempura uramaki roll. Perfectly rolled with the crunch of shrimp tempura, which made most of us want seconds.

Out of the appetizers, rock shrimp tempura was the stuff of dreams. Light, fresh and crunchy. It would probably be one of the best appetizer to have with a pint of cold beer.

Buta no shogoyaki (pork) with white onion was another crowd pleaser.

At each step, through the menu, I thought we had reached the peak but the kitchen relentlessly kept sending out one good dish after the other.

From the main course, buta kakuni (Belgium pork belly) with that subtle broth was an instant hit.

I fell in love with the jumbo prawn katsu curry. The crunchy prawn in the yummy and rich sauce was perfect for a winter evening.

That gorgeous meal had to end on a high and there could be nothing better than mochi icecream! The chewy, mildly sweet outer layer encasing the cold creamy icecream made me wish for a separate dessert tummy. I gave macha pudding a miss because this Punjabi lady likes her desserts sweet!

When conversation is sparkling and laughter echoes off the walls, wine glasses are full, service is impeccable and food is fantastic, one wishes the evening to go on and on. If there was a way to define a perfect dinner, it would be our dinner at Takashi.

– Shailly Jindal