Personally, I yearn for the good old days when samosas, and not sushi, were staple cocktail snacks! But how plebian is that, especially in an age when affectation is an art and pretension has invaded even our palate.

There's no escaping the fact that food is now a fad, and the host-with-the-most wants to boast. How better, then, than to treat guests to Japanese cuisine, with a multitude of restaurants and caterers pressing their skills into service and turning out rainbow-hued gourmet platters from the Land of the Rising Sun. So, here we were having a little fun!

Upper Crust had gotten together an epicurean assortment - Vineeta and Anish Trivedi, Monica Vaziralli, Sherry and Tony Singh, Soni Razdan and Raja, Prashant Chaudhri with his new-as-dew wife Meenakshi - at the elegant home of Nisha and K.R.S. Jamwal, partaking of a grand Japanese spread. Three of Mumbai's superlative eateries, The Oberoi's 'Tiffin', J.W. Marriot's 'Spices', and 'Tetsuma' had sent in their chefs and, really, looking at all that was on offer from sushi to sashimi to tempuras and the adorably addictive edamame beans, I had to concede that the stodgy ole' samosa could, indeed, stuff it!

The evening was educational, but only for a gourmet goof like me, as most of the others were well schooled and spooned in the fine flavours of the East. Since the beans were delectable, and something of a novelty, we asked: What is edamame (pronounced ed-ah-mah-may)? 

Nisha, who lived in Japan for several months during her student days, explains that they are simply baby soybeans. Soybeans are usually harvested at the end of their life cycle, after they have dried in the pod. Edamame are harvested early, like baby sweetcorn cobs, while the beans are still immature. Steamed gently in their pods, and salted delicately, the small green beans have a unique taste and texture and make a delicious accompaniment to any meal. The lot of us must have gone through endless bowls of edamame, and, like Oliver Twist, were happy to ask for more!

But there was more on the menu - the aforementioned sushi, sashimi, and tempuras, served with warm sake and the famous wasabi that Monica Vaziralli just loved. Tony Singh, the rather tony and well-traveled gourmand, along with wife Sherrie, founders of the fashionable Designer Studio, are self-confessed sushi lovers. "In Mumbai, Tiffin does great sushi," Tony says, and confesses how he cooks a pan-seared salmon marinated in miso quite often!

Raja, who lives in Italy most of the time, wondered why Mumbai, with its cache of fresh fish, doesn't have more sushi bars proliferating. "Japanese food is taking off in a big way in India, and it's only a matter of time I guess," he reckons. While friend Soni Razdan confesses to going all the way to Hong Kong for her Teppanyaki! "It's very healthy," she explains, "because it's cooked just right on the grill." She does drop in for some sushi at Spices, but is yet to try the Teppanyaki. "Japanese food has a great future in India and is here to stay," she believes.

For sushi lovers, there's nothing quite like it. Raja recalls his first taste of it in America years ago. "Today, I'm a complete sushi person," he beams. "I love tuna, red snapper and shrimp in my sushi. But I must say that Japanese food in India is still just okay-ish. I think there's a problem with freshness, because many of the ingredients are being imported."

Anish Trivedi, man-about-town, single malt lover, cigar aficionado and mascot-at-large for the good life, recalls how the Mumbai Shereton, in the 1970s, had a Japanese restaurant, but it lasted all of six months. "I think about the only people who ate there were the Japanese Consulate guys!" The market is still small, he believes, and people need to be educated as the cuisine is most certainly a cultivated taste.

But times they are a-changing and Anish adds, "A lot of first rate restaurants in Mumbai are serving some very good vegetarian Japanese food. They have, wisely, adapted to the market." Anish himself is averse to sea food, so he's limited in what he can eat off a traditional Japanese menu, but he enjoys the delicacy and textures of the cuisine. He was first introduced to it by his Japanese student friend in America, when he was invited to his house for New Years in Los Angeles. There was a lot of sea food, cooked traditional Japanese style, and being a good Indian guest he just quietly ate it. Strong cups of coffee after the meal came to his rescue!

Talking about the proliferation of Japanese cuisine in Mumbai he says, "It's not cheap. But they are doing it right. They are flying in most of the ingredients to maintain authenticity. The problem with most restaurants in India is that they start off really well, but then compromise. The standard excuse is that clients dictate the dilution of authenticity but that isn't true."

Prashant Chaudhri, himself a restaurateur, concedes: "People are willing to experiment with food, as long as you give them quality."

But the real love for all things Japanese comes from someone who has lived in Japan. Nisha, who has an adoptive Japanese family, and even today drinks miso soup out of packets she gets sent in from Tokyo, recalls: "The day I landed in Japan I had my first meal sitting on the floor with chopsticks. Soon, I started devouring all their food including silken tofu and eel! Japanese food is so light and so fresh. It is really the most beautiful food, even visually, and I am sure it is bound to proliferate in India."

Her husband, K.R.S. Jamwal, tried Japanese food at her insistence 11 years ago and didn't quite fancy it at first. But he has revised his opinion. Last year, Nisha and he went to Japan. He came to understand the formality and decorum that goes along with their cuisine. "While we were leaving they gave us melons," he reveals, "which is a tradition. These were very special melons costing $500 each and they came beautifully packed in special boxes. That's their devotion to detail, it was fascinating to observe and experience this."

Nisha says food reflects philosophy in Japan. "The Japanese are very deep," she explains, "and their meditativeness reflects through their food. There is no fuss, yet there is so much thought put into everything."

Tony Singh adds, "All over the world Japanese food is coveted and is the most expensive cuisine. This is because, like couture or art, it has a tangible and an intangible value. It's all done exquisitely by hand, which makes mass production impossible."

But is Japanese food here for keeps? Or is it a fad that will fade? Prashant, being in the food business, explains: "People in India are getting more adventurous and experimental. They are traveling a lot. The segment that enjoys international cuisine is growing. Perhaps, as of right now, Japanese food is a fad. But it is very healthy, light and refreshing and, looking ahead, people will be hooked to Japanese food. It will definitely not be as popular as Chinese food. It will be a niche audience and that will be the crowd that will go to a good Japanese restaurant. I think Teppanyaki counters will become the mainstay soon. They will be able to pull the crowd in. Teppanyaki is the freshest form of food, and it is entertaining. Sushi will be popular as an entrée, but I doubt you can make a meal of it!"

Well, clearly sushi will have more takers than samosas on the cocktail circuit in the days to come! But, did you know that these fancy, almost snobby little rolls of sticky rice actually began as poor man's food? People in Japan, who couldn't afford tuna, had sushi, which is basically rice mixed with the flesh of cheaper fish, flavoured with the essence of tuna! So, maybe, there's life beyond sushi after all.

Personally, I yearn for the good old days when samosas, and not sushi, were staple cocktail snacks! But how plebian is that, especially in an age when affectation is an art and pretension has invaded even our palate.

There's no escaping the fact that food is now a fad, and the host-with-the-most wants to boast. How better, then, than to treat guests to Japanese cuisine, with a multitude of restaurants and caterers pressing their skills into service and turning out rainbow-hued gourmet platters from the Land of the Rising Sun. So, here we were having a little fun!

Upper Crust had gotten together an epicurean assortment - Vineeta and Anish Trivedi, Monica Vaziralli, Sherry and Tony Singh, Soni Razdan and Raja, Prashant Chaudhri with his new-as-dew wife Meenakshi - at the elegant home of Nisha and K.R.S. Jamwal, partaking of a grand Japanese spread.

Three of Mumbai's superlative eateries, The Oberoi's 'Tiffin', J.W. Marriot's 'Spices', and 'Tetsuma' had sent in their chefs and, really, looking at all that was on offer from sushi to sashimi to tempuras and the adorably addictive edamame beans, I had to concede that the stodgy ole' samosa could, indeed, stuff it!

The evening was educational, but only for a gourmet goof like me, as most of the others were well schooled and spooned in the fine flavours of the East. Since the beans were delectable, and something of a novelty, we asked: What is edamame (pronounced ed-ah-mah-may)? 

Nisha, who lived in Japan for several months during her student days, explains that they are simply baby soybeans. Soybeans are usually harvested at the end of their life cycle, after they have dried in the pod. Edamame are harvested early, like baby sweetcorn cobs, while the beans are still immature. Steamed gently in their pods, and salted delicately, the small green beans have a unique taste and texture and make a delicious accompaniment to any meal. The lot of us must have gone through endless bowls of edamame, and, like Oliver Twist, were happy to ask for more!

But there was more on the menu - the aforementioned sushi, sashimi, and tempuras, served with warm sake and the famous wasabi that Monica Vaziralli just loved. Tony Singh, the rather tony and well-traveled gourmand, along with wife Sherrie, founders of the fashionable Designer Studio, are self-confessed sushi lovers. "In Mumbai, Tiffin does great sushi," Tony says, and confesses how he cooks a pan-seared salmon marinated in miso quite often!

Raja, who lives in Italy most of the time, wondered why Mumbai, with its cache of fresh fish, doesn't have more sushi bars proliferating. "Japanese food is taking off in a big way in India, and it's only a matter of time I guess," he reckons. While friend Soni Razdan confesses to going all the way to Hong Kong for her Teppanyaki! "It's very healthy," she explains, "because it's cooked just right on the grill." She does drop in for some sushi at Spices, but is yet to try the Teppanyaki. "Japanese food has a great future in India and is here to stay," she believes.

For sushi lovers, there's nothing quite like it. Raja recalls his first taste of it in America years ago. "Today, I'm a complete sushi person," he beams. "I love tuna, red snapper and shrimp in my sushi. But I must say that Japanese food in India is still just okay-ish. I think there's a problem with freshness, because many of the ingredients are being imported."

Anish Trivedi, man-about-town, single malt lover, cigar aficionado and mascot-at-large for the good life, recalls how the Mumbai Shereton, in the 1970s, had a Japanese restaurant, but it lasted all of six months. "I think about the only people who ate there were the Japanese Consulate guys!" The market is still small, he believes, and people need to be educated as the cuisine is most certainly a cultivated taste.

But times they are a-changing and Anish adds, "A lot of first rate restaurants in Mumbai are serving some very good vegetarian Japanese food. They have, wisely, adapted to the market." Anish himself is averse to sea food, so he's limited in what he can eat off a traditional Japanese menu, but he enjoys the delicacy and textures of the cuisine. He was first introduced to it by his Japanese student friend in America, when he was invited to his house for New Years in Los Angeles. There was a lot of sea food, cooked traditional Japanese style, and being a good Indian guest he just quietly ate it. Strong cups of coffee after the meal came to his rescue!

Talking about the proliferation of Japanese cuisine in Mumbai he says, "It's not cheap. But they are doing it right. They are flying in most of the ingredients to maintain authenticity. The problem with most restaurants in India is that they start off really well, but then compromise. The standard excuse is that clients dictate the dilution of authenticity but that isn't true."

Prashant Chaudhri, himself a restaurateur, concedes: "People are willing to experiment with food, as long as you give them quality."

But the real love for all things Japanese comes from someone who has lived in Japan. Nisha, who has an adoptive Japanese family, and even today drinks miso soup out of packets she gets sent in from Tokyo, recalls: "The day I landed in Japan I had my first meal sitting on the floor with chopsticks. Soon, I started devouring all their food including silken tofu and eel! Japanese food is so light and so fresh. It is really the most beautiful food, even visually, and I am sure it is bound to proliferate in India."

Her husband, K.R.S. Jamwal, tried Japanese food at her insistence 11 years ago and didn't quite fancy it at first. But he has revised his opinion. Last year, Nisha and he went to Japan. He came to understand the formality and decorum that goes along with their cuisine. "While we were leaving they gave us melons," he reveals, "which is a tradition. These were very special melons costing $500 each and they came beautifully packed in special boxes. That's their devotion to detail, it was fascinating to observe and experience this."

Nisha says food reflects philosophy in Japan. "The Japanese are very deep," she explains, "and their meditativeness reflects through their food. There is no fuss, yet there is so much thought put into everything."
Tony Singh adds, "All over the world Japanese food is coveted and is the most expensive cuisine. This is because, like couture or art, it has a tangible and an intangible value. It's all done exquisitely by hand, which makes mass production impossible."

But is Japanese food here for keeps? Or is it a fad that will fade? Prashant, being in the food business, explains: "People in India are getting more adventurous and experimental. They are traveling a lot. The segment that enjoys international cuisine is growing. Perhaps, as of right now, Japanese food is a fad. But it is very healthy, light and refreshing and, looking ahead, people will be hooked to Japanese food. It will definitely not be as popular as Chinese food. It will be a niche audience and that will be the crowd that will go to a good Japanese restaurant. I think Teppanyaki counters will become the mainstay soon. They will be able to pull the crowd in. Teppanyaki is the freshest form of food, and it is entertaining. Sushi will be popular as an entrée, but I doubt you can make a meal of it!"

Well, clearly sushi will have more takers than samosas on the cocktail circuit in the days to come! But, did you know that these fancy, almost snobby little rolls of sticky rice actually began as poor man's food? People in Japan, who couldn't afford tuna, had sushi, which is basically rice mixed with the flesh of cheaper fish, flavoured with the essence of tuna! So, maybe, there's life beyond sushi after all.

Gourmet  Glossary
Some delectable Japanese
delicacies demystified

SUSHI
Sushi can be defined as a dish which contains sushi rice, which is basically cooked rice that's prepared with sushi vinegar. Sushi is the signature dish of Japan and is, as explained earlier, a vinegared rice topped or mixed with various fresh ingredients, usually fish or seafood. There are various kinds of sushi dishes...

Nigiri-sushi: This is sushi with the ingredients on top of a block of rice.

Maki-zushi: Translated as 'roll sushi', this is where rice and seafood or other ingredients are placed on a sheet of seaweed (nori) and rolled into a cylindrical shape on a bamboo mat and then cut into smaller pieces.

Temaki: Basically the same as maki-zushi, except that the nori is rolled into a cone-shape with the ingredients placed inside. Sometimes referred to as a 'hand-roll'.

Chirashi: Translated as 'scattered', chirashi involves fresh sea food, vegetables or other ingredients being placed on top of sushi rice in a bowl or dish.

SASHIMI
Sashimi is raw seafood. A large number of fish can be enjoyed raw if they are fresh and prepared correctly. Most types of sashimi are enjoyed with soya sauce and wasabi. Less common variations include:

Fugu: Sliced poisonous pufferfish (sometimes lethal), a uniquely Japanese specialty. The chef responsible for preparing it must be licensed.

Ikizukuri: Live sashimi!

Tataki: Raw/very rare skipjack tuna or beef steak seared on the outside and sliced, or a finely chopped fish, spiced with the likes of chopped spring onions, ginger or garlic paste.

Basashi: Horse meat sashimi, sometimes called sakura, is a regional specialty in certain areas.

Rebasashi: Usually liver of calf, completely raw, dipped in salted sesame oil.

Shikasashi: Deer meat sashimi, a rare delicacy in certain parts of Japan, frequently causes acute hepatitis E by eating hunted wild deer!

SOBA
Soba noodles are native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat and wheat flour. Soba are about as thick as spaghetti. They can be served cold or hot and with various toppings.

YAKITORI
Yakitori is grilled chicken pieces on skewers. Most parts of the chicken can be used for yakitori.

MISO SOUP
Miso soup is often served as a side dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's made by dissolving miso paste in hot water and adding additional ingredients such as wakame seaweed and small pieces of tofu.

TEMPURA
Tempura is seafood, vegetables, mushrooms and other pieces of food coated with tempura batter and deep fried. Tempura was introduced to Japan by the Portuguese in the 16th century, but has internationally become one of Japan's most famous dishes.

SAKE
Sake is a rice wine that contains 12-20% alcohol and is made from fermented rice. In Japan it is usually not had simultaneously with other rice food except sushi. This is because sake is itself considered equivalent to rice! Side dishes for sake are particularly called sakana. Contrary to popular perception, sake is not the traditional drink of Japan, but rather more of a cooking ingredient! Sake is used in everything from soup stock to dipping sauces. Mirin is a sweet sake used for cooking.

TEPPANYAKI
Teppanyaki is a type of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food. The word 'teppanyaki' is derived from teppan, which means iron plate, and yaki, which means grilled. In Japan, teppanyaki may refer to any of a number of dishes cooked using a teppan, frequently with the hot plate located in the center of the diners' table. Typical ingredients used for teppanyaki are beef, shrimp, scallops, lobster, chicken and assorted vegetables. Soybean oil is typically used to cook the ingredients. In Japan, many teppanyaki restaurants feature Kobe beef. Side dishes of 'mung' bean sprouts, zucchini, garlic chips or fried rice usually accompany the meal. Some restaurants provide sauces in which to dip the food; usually, only soy sauce is offered.