Enjoy flavours of Hanami, the Japanese spring fest in Delhi

While Delhi isn't the place one might want to be at this time of the year, it's a different scene in Japan. With the pink and white of the cherry blossoms taking over the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, people are celebrating the spring with Hanami, meaning 'flower viewing', a spring festival to enjoy the beauty of the sakura.

People gather in parks for picnics beneath the cherry blossoms, and food remains a major part of the celebrations. While there are sushis, dango (dumplings), and mochis (rice cakes); go-to-bento, a single-portion meal of rice, vegetables, and fish remains popular. And so is tamagoyaki, the delicious Japanese rolled omelette.

And that flavour of Japanese spring is now in Delhi as Guppy (by the Olive Group of Restaurants), the Japanese restaurant at Lodhi Colony, has unveiled a special Hanami menu, inspired by the Japanese tradition.

"The menu is curated around the fresh harvest. Then we have dishes such as cold ramen and udon, which, again, are a Japanese way of celebrating Hanami and welcoming summers," says head chef Saurabh Sharan.

While the Japanese are still welcoming the summer season, India is already deep into it, and Guppy's new menu sits perfectly well at this time of the year.

I start with a simple edamame & exotic mushroom sumai, an open dumpling with mushrooms, mascarpone, and edamame paste, flavourful yet light on the palette. Since it's the season of fresh harvests in Japan, I top this off with Veggie Volcano sushi, which comes with crispy corn and gochujang mayo, making for an interesting texture.

For the mains, the Miso Chicken Udon, which contains slow-braised tofu and grilled chicken in shichimi miso sauce, caters to the typical Indian palette yet not being high on the spice metre. Then comes the Cold Hiyashi Tantamen. While Indians are big fans of ramen, on a warm summer day, a bowl of cold ramen is the dish when looking for something refreshing that also fills you. This one comes with ramen noodles, served with sesame-flavoured broth, spicy ground chicken, and seasonal fresh vegetables.

Guppy's new drinks menu also reflects the Hanami spirit, "which also draws from the fresh harvests with the use of jamun shrub, gooseberry shrub, etc," says the chef. An interesting drink on the menu is the Bloom Bloom Baby, made with Tequila, Umeshu, Amaro, jamun shrub, tonic water, and thyme, which carries a fruity flavour with a tinge of bitterness, enhancing its bitterness. Another drink to try is the Wabi Sabi, made with Mezcal, Aperol, Cointreau, green grape shrub, and wasabi.

"Our Hanami menu might not appear extensive, but we have something for everyone," the chef says. And yes, it's simple, refreshing, and impactful.

Society