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Bangkok Post

Lifestyle

BRUCE SCOTT

Festive Fusion

If Tenshino, the recently opened Japanese restaurant at the Pullman Bangkok King Power hotel, isn’t on your foodie radar yet then now’s the time to rectify that oversight. Located on the 2nd floor, this innovative dining spot debuted about five months ago and elegantly fuses both the cuisines and the artistic flair of France and Japan. To get a taste of what this kitchen team are capable of-one chef is Japanese and the other is French-the restaurant’s specially prepared Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve set menus provide a superb introduction.

Tenshino’s interior design and décor are the first indications that this is not your typical Japanese fine dining establishment. The seating is a mix of communal and individual tables, plush curved booths, and padded stools along the centrally positioned bar. Meanwhile, the bold colour scheme integrates deep blues, bright greens and scarlet reds, offset by natural and neutral tones. The art on the walls is also striking, ranging from oversize modern portraits to kitschy landscapes from second-hand shops-a touch of Bohemian chic that lends the place a casual and relaxed atmosphere. If Wes Anderson decided to open an Asian fusion restaurant it might look something like this.

The 5-course Christmas Eve dinner set begins with two square wedges of silky smooth Ankimo (monkfish) liver paté. Aptly described as the “foie gras of the sea”, this is one of the great delicacies of Japanese cuisine and is here served atop a bed of grated daikon radish, along with a dollop of wonderfully tangy ponzu jam. To be honest I never knew fish liver paté was even a thing until now. At any rate it’s all incredibly good, and definitely sets the tone for what’s to come.

The next course is an assortment of fresh sashimi from Hokkaido, including chopstick challenging morsels of red snapper, scallop, sole fish, and two prime cuts of tender blue fin tuna belly-otoro and chutoro. Following in its wake comes the third course, comprised of three plump avocado sushi rolls stuffed with succulent white snow crab, a popular winter season seafood in Japan.

While the first three courses had a decidedly Japanese slant, the evening’s main entrée of venison steak with foie gras introduces a Gallic touch to the line up. The meaty venison may hail from Hokkaido, but it is complimented here with a handmade red wine sauce, a swash of creamy celery purée, and thick slices of buttery smooth quintessentially French foie gras.

To cap off the meal a black slate tray bearing a carefully sculpted mocha-flavoured Buche de Noël (Yule log) cake arrives, together with a bowl of fresh mixed berries on the side and your choice of coffee or tea.

One week later, on December 31st, Tenshino tempts diners once again with a 6-course New Year’s Eve dinner set that is entirely different from the Christmas Eve menu. This particular evening begins with a bowl of lovely Japanese-style salmon tartare, garnished with three thin wedges of deep fried kabocha squash that you can use to scoop up the finely diced fish. The seafood showcase continues with a lobster, cucumber, and mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) salad. The hefty chunks of Canadian lobster are perfectly cooked and go beautifully with the nicely tart yuzu dressing served on the side.

The meal continues with the inventive East-West pairing of foie gras and Fuji apple compote. Served with a raspberry sauce, this precursor to the entrées is a divinely decadent treat, with the tartness of both the apple and the raspberry nicely balancing the oozing richness of the duck liver. It will no doubt elicit a chorus of ecstatic “oohs” and “aahs” from around the table.

The two mains are contrasting courses that highlight land and sea. First up is the grilled miso black cod on houba leaf. Extravagantly presented, the thick cod fillet luxuriates on the large aromatic leaf, which in turn sits on a bed of heated stones placed in a large white bowl. The cod itself-sustainably fished and full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids-is adorned with a frizzy crown of deep-fried Japanese shallot and drizzled with miso.

The dramatic plating of the cod makes it a tough act to follow, but the final entrée of Kagoshima Wagyu beef steak positively brings the house down in terms of sheer flavour. Gently seared, these magnificently marbled medallions of A5 Wagyu-imported directly from Kagoshima prefecture-are sensational just as they are. However, don’t ignore the two sides that accompany this dish. In one bowl sits a cube of airy ponzu jelly foam, and in the other a half teaspoon of curry salt. Either, or both taken together, beautifully enhance the quality of this world-class cut.

As the evening concludes, a dual dessert plate arrives at the table. In one bowl, five purple spheres- Japanese adzuki red bean balls-float in a pool of light green matcha, while in the other bowl a generous golden scoop of Nikka whiskey ice cream says, “Eat me first before I melt.” Both desserts are delicious, but the whisky ice cream, which has a distinct coffee flavour undertone, is the one I desperately wish I had more of in the freezer at home.

The meal concludes with a coffee or tea selection, but if you wish to pair either of these holiday set dinners with something stronger, the knowledgeable and attentive staff can offer assistance. The bar menu lists quite a few carefully selected Japanese sakes, and both the Kizakura Premium Junmai (B220/B1,100; glass/bottle) and the Tatenokawa, Honryu Karakuchi (B400/B 2,000; glass/bottle) pair nicely with these dishes. There’s also many Japanese whiskies available, as well as red, white, rosé and sparkling wines, plus beers, cocktails, and anything else you may need to raise a glass and toast the festive occasion.