''Extra wasabi, hold the soya!''
Is your curiosity peaked?! Read on!
Of the many blessings for which I'm grateful is foodie friends appraising me about culinary gems I haven't experienced. So when one of them asked if I had eaten at 'Simply Sushi', I replied I hadn't and embarked on a strategy to seek out this new treasure at Select CityWalk Mall — spearheaded by Chef Yutaka Saito who has collaborated with award-winning restaurant Megu, Leela Palace among many luxury projects and PVR Group Executive Chef Mayank Tiwari.
Placed strategically at the mall entrance as a chic counter and also ensconced in PVR Gold Lounge, Simply Sushi targets mall-goers and movie lovers with a yen for sushi by delivering orders in bento boxes. The menu is easy to navigate, the portions are good, the pricing is low and the result is sumptuous! ''Quality sushi need not be exorbitant; it can be relished in a casual ambience at low prices'' explained Chef Tiwari as the team whipped up my first bento box — 'Salmon And Wasabi Shrimp Temaki' with wasabi and a miniature bottle of soya! The freshness and quality of the temaki i.e. a rolled cone of seaweed wrapped around the fillings, was top shelf! After all, two of the most sought after chefs had curated the menu!! Perusing it, a number of dishes like ‘Panko Prawn' and ‘Crispy Avocado And Tomato' were appealing but I chose a combo box of 'Dynamite' and ‘Tempura' which came with chopsticks, miniature soya bottle and wasabi. As I splashed 'Dynamite' with soya, dipped it in wasabi, and took a bite, the roll packed with prawn, radish, avocado and wasabi mayo launched involuntary sighs while each 'Tempura' maki roll was punctuated with nods toward the chefs observing me from the counter! An enthusiastic "Oishi" was the best I could muster as I wolfed it down!
Just when I thought I had maxed my palate, the signature JapaDog arrived! What's a Japadog? Visualise a hot dog—with a Japanese twist i.e. ingredients include kimchi cottage dog; chicken teriyaki dog; spicy chili bean dog; meatball dog. All Japanese ingredients! The chefs had ordered 'Chicken Teriyaki Dog' for me. As the thick teriyaki-laced sausage burnt a trail down my throat, the wasabi delivered its unmistakable kick. Savouring the flavours, I squelched the "wow" in my throat. First, I marvelled at the myriad textures released with the JapaDog, then at its rapid disappearance! The result is a brand unlike any!!
I left 'Simply Sushi' marvelling at the concept—simply walk up to the counter, navigate the menu onscreen, choose and click on bento boxes and swipe credit card for super-fast delivery! Trust me, you will come back time and again if you have a yen for quality Japanese cuisine with a dash of creativity. Choose takeaway or book a film at PVR Gold Lounge and carry it there! Itadake Masu!
— JASMEEN DUGAL
Simply Sushi
Select CityWalk Mall
Saket, New Delhi