ADRIFT Kaya

Just a year before the first lockdown, on a balmy June evening, we had gone to Akira Back (the Japanese restaurant at JW Marriott) to celebrate Gazal's birthday! Three years down the line, on the very same date, to celebrate the same occasion, we were opening the doors at the very same spot, of yet another Japanese restaurant helmed by the Michelin-Starred Korean-American chef, David Myers.

ADRIFT Kaya, a modern Japanese Izakaya, brought to the capital by JW Marriott, is an exquisite interpretation of the chef's travelogue to Tokyo. The pandemic put a spoke in the wheel to launch ADRIFT kaya in 2020, but the two years have been Myers and the Marriott time to fine-tune and roll it out just right.

The outside was quiet and empty as any Delhi restaurant can be expected on a feverish, midsummer, Tuesday night but wisps of pop music notes wafted out in slivers as we pushed open the glass doors and stepped inside the pulsating ADRIFT Kaya. A burst of smells and textures greeted us from the open kitchen that had all the traditional izakaya staples on display. Dim without being dingy, every little detail here had been thoughtfully curated - from the intoxicating playlist and ambient lighting to the indigo-dyed wooden floors and furniture having combinations of organic hard materials such as granite, wood, and cement contrasted by soft accents of leather, and fur chairs. The cute bunnies posing as chopstick stands were sure shot show-stealers amongst the table accessories. An open kitchen and sushi bar offered counter seating, creating an intimate and personal dining experience reminiscent of that of a traditional izakaya. A thoughtfully orchestrated layout, state-of-the-art fittings, and timeless, handcrafted furniture made ADRIFT kaya, the kind of space where minutes could flow seamlessly into hours.

After some deliberation, unanimously, we all settled for omakase. Three non-veg and one veg. The food carefully paced out over perfectly proportioned courses was distinctive both in terms of presentation and flavours.

To begin with, we were served a comforting Truffle Morel Miso soup. Next, I was served the Shave Okra Salad with sesame vinaigrette drizzled over it and sudachi buckwheat soba noodles flavored with daikon radish and togarashi but what arrived for the non-vegetarians on a bed of ice was not only visually striking but had a perfect balance of taste - a lone piece of supreme sushi!

Soon I too got my l'oeuvre d'art as they placed two maki rolls with seaweed gingerly stuck at the top, on a beautiful platter of ice. This was followed by assorted Japanese tempura and a daikon dipping broth.

We had a hearty conversation with Chef Vladimir who's from Philippines and he graciously agreed to add pork belly (on my daughter's request) to the already extensive omakase menu and on my request replaced the nigiri and maki rolls with crispy eggplant, vinegar tofu, and chili mitsuba salad. Main-course had teriyaki eggplant on a bed of smoky eggplant tartare and a whole roasted burnt cauliflower head. The main course was not quite to my liking. The flavor-forward culinary high, I was experiencing on my vegetarian menu was nothing in face of the non-veg flavours that had the rest of my family mulling over each dish. From a range of delectable zensai, like the fried chicken karaage with liberal lashings of karashi mustard, to the toro tartar with oscietra caviar, they were led into entrées bursting with flavours. From the soft piquancy of the black cod, den miso, and hajikame to the brine and meatiness of the sake lees duck breast, pickled cherries, shiso, it was a culinary experience that took us straight to the buzzing alleyways of Tokyo.

The meal came to a well-deserved end with two lovely desserts - ginza parfait having rose cream, pistachios, chocolate chunks, & raspberry and chocolate praline with vanilla bean and caramel icecream garnished with a big chunk of eggy comb. Chef took a note that I didn't consume eggs so he especially prepared eggless ginza parfait for me.

To lend perfect punctuation to our omakase, we settled for Japanese sake from an array of fine wines, Japanese craft beer, and a specially curated cocktail list. The evening came to a beautiful end with the complimentary birthday cake, they brought for my daughter to cut.

All in all, it was an unequivocal culinary journey where we relished each bite, savored each sip, and soaked in an experience, unlike anything else.