As far as Japanese restaurants in Bangalore go, Edo stands, head, shoulders, and stiletto heels higher than the rest of its contemporaries. Here is a restaurant that took it upon itself to introduce us to Japanese food that went far beyond the sushi and sashimi, and to a Japanese style of after-hours enjoyment. Their menu is one that can keep you engrossed for a while. Edo recently turned 5 and Masterchef Nariyoshi Nakamura has introduced a slew of new dishes in the month of December, many of which will weave their way into the regular menu at Edo.
We were invited to try out the menu and it was a happy coincidence that the day of our visit happened to be our 12th wedding anniversary as well. Nothing like being in a favorite restaurant on your big day. With us was Nikhilesh Murthy whose blog is an unbeatable combination of music and food. Great company always makes for a great meal.
A Kaiseki meal was what was in store. The Japanese equivalent of French Haute Cuisine, a Kaiseki meal is basically the chef's vision on a plate. Over the years a Kaiseki spread has grown from being a simple 2 course meal to a multi-course one that covers a large number of cooking techniques. The meal is presented based on the wishes of the chef and is categorized based on cooking methods and ingredients as well.
What makes a Kaiseki meal much sought after is the fact that every
course is plated to look as pretty as a picture. Everything on the
plate, right down to the little garnishes of flowers and herbs are
edible, making your platter one for the picture books.
The meal started, on my request with the Soju Bomb - There is something so fun about being in an upscale restaurant like Edo and having this drink - a beer glass comes to the table over which is balanced 2 chopsticks. On these chopsticks perched prettily is a small glass of Soju. You have to yell out Ichi, Nya, Sa, (numbers in Japanese) and bang the table hard enough for the chopsticks to part ways and let the Soju fall. Tradition dictates that the glass be downed in one go. I, unfortunately ended it with three gulps.
We began with the Zensai - starters - Going left to right we had the Kani Salada - A Jayanese Mayo marinated Crab and Flying Fish Roe salad. This cold salad with strips of crab and the crunch of the roe set the right first notes for this course. This was followed with a Tori Gyoza - and minced Chicken and Ginger dumpling, pan fried to give it a nice glaze and cover. The highlight of this platter was the Toro Renkon, a lovely portion of fatty tuna sandwiched between Lotus chips. This was rounded off with the Mozuku, which I was having for the first time - string seaweed in a pickling juice that made for a palate cleanser that will have you clicking your tongue. The platter also had edible flowers, pungent microgreens and sweet-sour jam (the core ingredient I can't recall) that completed it all wonderfully.
The Sashimi
Next of course had to be the Sashimi and Sushi. Considering that Edo imports all of its fish, you can be assured that we got some beautiful cuts of Chutoro (Fatty tuna, Sake (salmon) and Young Yellow Tail. I would love to see the sushi knife that cuts through these. This was followed with the Edo signature Uramaki Roll with a stuffing of tuna and avocado in the inside and Crab shreds on the outside. Evenly shaped rolls, firmly packed, and brilliant with every mouthful. While the wasabi was served on the plate, a wasabi root was grated at the table - another signature touch from Edo.
The Edo Uramaki Roll
Moving on to another style of cooking, the Yakimono Course (From the grill) was next. We had the Negima (Chicken and Leek Yakitori) and the Ebi (Grilled Prawns). Meats on grills have to be tended to with love and care to ensure they don't turn to rubber. You know for sure that your grills here have had their TLC when the chicken is moist and the leeks impart that lovely smokey flavor. My favorite was the grilled prawns, split right down the middle and served in shells that were now translucent and crisp
Negima (Chicken and Leek Yakitori) and the Ebi (Grilled Prawns)
Next up - the Tempura course - of Ebi (Prawn), Kish (Sweet Fish)and Tori (Chicken). Besides being perfectly executed tempura, it was a dish that was perhaps all too familiar to be able to stand out among the rest of what we were being served that evening.
Tempura
Main courses were choices from from Syokuji (The Chef's special noodles) and rice. We had the Yaki Meshi - a lovely mix of Chicken, Prawn and Egg Fried Rice. For me, a good fried rice is one that allows you to eat a bowlful without having to order an accompaniment and this one was it. The flat noodles were a toss of a melange of seafood and meats and were equally pleasing.
Yaki Meshi 
Syokuji
And of course we end this Kaiseki meal with a dessert course. A Yuzu Cheesecake with a , Madagascar Chocolate mousse and a Kaboocha Kasutera (a Japanese sponge cake of sorts) with a Guava sorbet on top. And a palate cleanser in the form of a melon. For a person like me who does only one or two spoons of dessert, the platter for one went back empty. Enough said!
Edo is a promise of a great meal each and every time. The staff was so thoughtful to bring in a bouquet and cake to mark our anniversary. Tanjoubi Omedetou Gozaimasu Edo. Cheers to many more wonderful years of feeding loyal fans!
An average meal for two in EDO is Rs 3000 +++ and a curated Kaiseki meal is Rs 4000 ++ per person.
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