BENGALURU: Far & East, the much anticipated chic Asian brasserie, recently opened its doors at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru. Chef Atsushi Yonaha and chef Leong Then helm the kitchen bursting with flavours from China, Thailand and Japan while bar mixologists concoct fragrant artisanal cocktails with an Oriental twist. The restaurant exudes a rich elegance of style and substance mostly reminiscent of places seen in Hong Kong, Shanghai or Singapore.
The gleaming steel and glass hotel stands tall in the centre of a mixed-use cluster development located close to Mekhri Circle. You can’t miss the three buildings, which independently make for an office space and shopping centre, private residences and the towering hotel. Quirky decor elements such as black monkeys, green leaf patterned upholstery, brass snakes and colourful artworks welcome you to this sky-high destination. The menu is divided under specialities such as Peking Duck & Dimsums, Sushi Rolls, Nigiri, Sashimi, Wok, Charcoal Grill and few others. We started our meal with the Wild Mushrooms and Larb Gai from the appetiser section. The mushrooms had the perfect bite and the chicken dish with the aromatic leaves, lime and crunchy rice was deliciously flavourful.
The chef’s showmanship is in full display in the open kitchen from where sushi, sashimi and nigiri orders are executed with utmost precision. The sashimi is top-grade, directly imported from Japan every couple of weeks and the presentation of every dish is top-notch. You could opt for a single serving of either Salmon, Hamachi, Hotate, Tako, Mackarel, Ebi and Maguro or order a sashimi platter with a selection of six, all served with freshly grated wasabi stem.
Don’t forget to take in the sweeping views of the city’s skyline in all its illuminated splendour from the top. Apart from the indoor seating at the restaurant, you could also opt to sit in the balcony for a few drinks and nibbles while enjoying Bengaluru’s pleasant weather. Also, the bar menu has some heady cocktails concocted with an Asian twist. Take, for example, the Tom Yummy infused with vodka, galangal, lemongrass, lime and honey or the Sichuan Daiquiri with rum, Sichuan pepper, lime and simple syrup. For the mains, you may opt for a sumptuous Pad Kaprow Gai with chicken, holy basil leaves, chili and oyster sauce and a vegetarian Makhua Yaow Pad Horapa with green long eggplant, chili and sweet basil. These can be savoured with a side of Roast Garlic Noodles with haricot beans and Rice Edamame Pine Nuts with toban paste.
For desserts, we would recommend the Tub Tim Krob and the dramatic presentation of the Floating Dessert with Asian-inspired mignardises such as Matcha Opera, Thai Chai Custard, Yuzu Crémeux and Black Sesame Praline Choux Pastry.The author is a city-based hospitality professional, food lover and travel enthusiast