Mumbai - Wasabi

Japanese chef, Masaharu Morimoto, is a star of the American television series ‘Iron Chef’. He is a former head chef of Nobu New York and has two US based restaurants, one in Philadelphia and one on the edge of New York’s meatpacker District, and one in Mumbai – Wasabi.

Climb the spiral staircase in the corner of the Taj Mahal hotel’s ‘Harbour Bar’ to Wasabi, which modestly claims to be one of the world’s best Japanese restaurants.

Morimoto has taken the wasabi theme to the extreme, the walls and chairs being wasabi coloured. The clientele is wealthy, from the diamond quarter of Mumbai, I suspect.  The menus include sushi and sashimi menus and an a la carte selection. 

Start by ordering Endamame beans to nibble for 450 rupees.

The ‘Nobu’ favourite of miso marinated black cod is 1300 rupees.

We opted for the yellowtail tuna on rice prepared at your table in a hot river stone bowl (1200 rupees).

The raw ingredients arrived in the hot bowl, our waiter dismantled the beautifully presented mound of food and moved it around the edges of the bowl to cook, including the raw egg in the centre.  Fantastic!

We followed with Lamb Hoisin Soy (1300 rupees) which the camel’s companion found odd, feeling that duck would be have been a more appropriate meat for the dish.

Chilled wheat noodles with ginger sesame seeds and kelp-soy dipping sauce (675 rupees) accompanied the lamb, and we finished the meal with lemon and wasabi sorbet which was delicious.

The view from the restaurant is over the port, but you do need a table by the window to fully appreciate the view. However, you might prefer to be seated close to the chef and his armoury, watching the preparation of your food. It is fascinating.


Wasabi
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
Mumbai

+91 22 6665 3366

Link to restaurant