STUNNING: food artistry at Kanpai
Kanpai
8-10 Grindlay Street,
Edinburgh
EH3 9AS
www.kanpaisushi.co.uk
Tuesday to Sunday: noon to 2.30pm; 5-10.30pm
0131 228 1602
OPINIONS vary when you mention you mention you are going to a Japanese restaurant. Pre-conceptions are hard to shift.
Some people would relish the experience, others would walk the other way, but more and more people are warming to sushi.
Healthy eating is certainly a draw. The main ingredients of raw fish and rice are naturally low in fat, high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
And the dishes are colourful.
Sushi is traditionally eaten for celebrations and it first developed in South-East Asia and spread to China and then Japan.
The word means sour tasting and the first mention in the West appeared in the late 1800s.
Western palates have seen an adaption with rolls being introduced along with non-traditional mayonnaise, avocado and even cream cheese.
And the advent of sushi bars at main stations and airports, and in the centre of major cities, plus major chains like M&S stocking trays in their retail outlets, has accelerated the trend.
I’m a convert and a regular buyer when I travel domestically, preferring healthy to stodge. John, my companion, a leading promoter at the Acoustic Music Centre on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, was sceptical, but willing to try.
Well Kanpai, and our charming host, Lee Yee Lim, take a bow. The evening proved to be enlightening and entertaining, and it certainly opened our eyes to what can be done with simple ingredients prepared properly with artistry, ingenuity and skill. Some of the presentation was stunning and the fusion of flavour stunning.
Kanpai, for those who know Edinburgh, is situated near the Usher Hall, the city’s leading concert hall, and in the shadow of the popular Royal Lyceum Theatre. Shrewd move, arts lovers can also be discerning diners.
The restaurant name literally means bottoms up in Japanese. Pity, because that’s crude while Kanpai is class. It has only been open since last August but is already an award-winner.
It won the Newcomer of the Year category in the Scottish Restaurant Awards and Kanpai has quickly become regarded as one of the finest traditional Japanese restaurants in Scotland’s Capital. It is easy to see why.
The decor is minimalist, but don’t let that put you off. The welcome is sincere and the restaurant is spotless.
Undoubtedly, going into the gastronomic unknown – particularly when you are having to pay handsomely for the privilege – is daunting.
Our hostess, Malaysian-born Lee Yee Lim, put us at ease, talking us through the beautifully bound and illustrated menu, asking questions about our likes and dislikes, and suggesting what might be most appropriate.
She even consulted the chef to ensure we were not disappointed. That’s customer service.
What’s more, Ms Lim even delivered little surprises like the condiments of pickled ginger (to aid digestion and cleanse the palate) and wasabi, a piquant paste made from the grated root of a plant. It makes your eyes water so watch how much you take.
Diners at laid-back Kanpai can choose to sit at the intimate sushi bar or the open kitchen counter where they can watch their food being prepared.
We preferred a seat in the busy dining-room. Within minutes or ordering, we were eating, that’s the nature of sushi.
So, what did we savour? A tasty twist to Wakame seaweed salad with sesame was recommended. It had a hint of red chilli which kick-started the night perfectly. By the way, it is not dried but moist.
Pan fried vegetable and chicken dumplings were packed with flavour and the seared tuna with homemade dressing on a bed of finely sliced cucumber was heavenly.
John professes not to like eating anything which wriggles in the sea, his words not mine, but the powers of persuasion from Ms Lim worked.
Takoyaki octopus fish cake exploded in our mouths as we bit into the surprisingly soft centre. One disappointment was the fried mixed vegetable tempura – containing carrots, onions and beans - which was bland until dipped in soya sauce.
However, the grilled aubergine in sweet sauce more than made up for it.
The perfectly cooked, medium rare, sirloin steak, finished at the table on an aeromatic Poye leaf, was exquisite but the Teriyaki salmon came nowhere near in terms of taste.
Spicy raw tuna came next along with grilled eel. John had tried eel before and baulked until I had a mouthful. The mackerel-type flavour was both a surprise and delight to the palate.
Kanpai chefs use Scottish produce, freshly prepared and imaginatively presented. Their Dragon Roll – avocado, cucumber and king prawn – is one of the most popular picks on the menu. It is visually stunning.
The Rainbow Roll – raw tuna, salmon, cucumber and avocado – is also popular. Sadly, after such a big build up (they are also mentioned on various internet reviews) both disappointed, possibly because of the avocado.
The dishes were, however, enlivened by a splash of soy and, of course, a piece of picked ginger.
King prawn seemed popular with other diners and the raw scallops were, visually, stunning, sitting on a slice of lemon on a bed of crushed ice decorated with straw, lettuce and radish strands.
There is no doubt that as word spreads then more will find their way to Kanpai and possibly have their eyes, and taste buds, well and truly opened.
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