Native to Nippon

Bandra gets a small eatery offering traditional and contemporary Japanese fare, and a milk pudding worthy of repeats

August 30, 2018 08:21 pm | Updated 08:21 pm IST

Hungry for more:  Nooresha Kably (below) launched Izumi in July

Hungry for more: Nooresha Kably (below) launched Izumi in July

They say good things come to those who wait. In the case of Izumi, the city’s newest Japanese restaurant, these good things take the form of big bowls of noodle-heavy ramen, delicate rolls of sushi and a pudding that’s smoother than silk.

And you will have to wait because ever since Izumi opened in July, there have been long queues outside the 15-seater eatery.

Is there a better advertisement for good food? Ask owner and chef, Nooresha Kably, and she responds with a wry grin. “I haven’t even publicised it,” she says. We tell her its social media that’s doing her publicity. Some are her regulars, back when she started the sushi delivery kitchen, Sushi Koi.

Izumi is tiny but big on heart, and portion sizes. There’s minimal décor – a few hanging lamps and wall art, and food is served in blue patterned ceramic dishes. There’s a small kitchen at the back but for display, a brightly lit live sushi counter. It’s the best seat in the house, though we have to stand to watch anything happen, especially if it is Kably blowtorching salmon.

Sushi spring

The salmon is for the Sugoi Maki, one of the more expensive dishes (₹1000 for eight pieces) on the menu. It has a lot going on: for one, the salmon placed on the roll is blowtorched, then it is topped with tobiko (flying fish roe, translucent and orange), and mayo. The uramaki is stuffed with eel, tempura prawn and avocado. In all, it’s a messy but fun dish, says Kably. We abandon the chopsticks to eat it with our hands, enjoying the different textures and how the mayo ties everything together.

The Hamachi Truffle Ponzu with Wasabi Jelly (₹800) is a revelation. Every ingredient stands out: the nutty sesame seeds, crispy leek strips, the chilli in the dark citrusy sauce, and truffle coming in as an aftertaste. The real punch comes from the tiny blobs of wasabi jelly. By the side, we drink Matcha Yuzu Iced Tea (₹200) and a Chia ink Berry Lemon Soda (₹180). The former doesn’t impress, but the latter is refreshing and sweet. Tuna comes to us in sashimi form, wrapped in nori and seared. Our favourite is the half salmon, half tuna version (₹700), which looks pretty and allows the flavour of both fish to stand out.

Crafted with warmth

Around us, people are chatting and laughing, breaking off into silence when the food arrives. While Kably busies herself behind the counter, her husband Anil interacts and serves tables; in between, stopping to munch on something prepared for him, and sometimes, sharing it with customers. It’s like being in their home – the couple welcomes every guest with warmth, and patiently explain the dishes. When we are there, Kably whips up two plates of sushi (a vegetarian and a fish version) for a group who had been waiting outside for a while.

The only vegetarian dish we eat – there is a page of options – is a Wakame Cucumber Pineapple Sunomono (₹200). This typical Japanese salad has wakame seaweed, strips of cucumber marinated in vinegar and paired with tiny bits of pineapple offering a sweet tangy combination, with an underlying hint of ginger. Our ‘main’ is a big bowl of comforting ramen, with fat homemade noodles drowning in a white bone broth. It is packed with chicken, bamboo shoot, leek, boiled egg, spinach, black fungus and nori. The Chicken Paitan (₹650) comes in five seasoning options; we choose the mildly spicy Jigoku.

By now, we are stuffed to the gills but we can’t resist Kably’s desserts. It turns out her magic finds its way to sweet treats too. Our Black Sesame Ice cream (₹180) is thick and creamy, with sesame providing just enough warmth and nuttiness (we think they may have been caramelised). It’s the pudding that sends us into raptures and makes us want to stand up and applaud the chef. The simply named Green Tea Malabi with Fruits (₹220) is served in a tiny bowl with a lid. Inside sits a perfectly made pudding, in a sweet gingery dressing, topped with bits of pineapple. The milk pudding is light and melts in the mouth releasing the subtlest flavours, enhanced by the sweetness of the pineapple and a hint of ginger for relief. It’s a fitting end to a great meal.

Kably, we learn, has trained at the Tokyo Sushi Academy and The International Ramen School in Yokohama. And it is Mumbai that’s reaping the benefits.

Izumi, Bandra West; Timing: 7 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.; 9821218003

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