/ Reviews / Japanese
Diamond in the Rough
by Ruth Waldron
on Friday, January 28, 2011 12:00 AM
If you work or live in the HongQiao or GuBei areas, then you would be well advised to take a trip to PuTuo for a little after-work relaxation over a delicious Japanese dinner at I.Z.K.Y. in the recently opened Guoman Hotel. I.Z.K.Y. is a serene and calm space offering an "izakaya" sake house experience, with a cre¬ative and exciting menu to compliment the wide variety of rice wines available.
The extensive à la carte selection offers all the delights of Japanese cuisine, including sashimi, sushi, tempura, noodles, marinated meats and so much more. Prices are reasonable and set meals are particularly good value, offering variety for around RMB100 per person. For a quartet of diners, the generous RMB458 menu contains three appetizers, a chef's salad, grilled cod, beef tenderloin, prawn tempura, sushi and sashimi.
Of the appetizers, the divine foie gras with marinated apple deserves a spe¬cial mention, though the quality of the fish used in the sushi and the sashimi should not be overlooked. Equally worth noting, the marinated cod as pleas¬ingly crispy skin with a delicious, slightly sweet flavor; while the bite-size chunks of beef fillet are beautifully tender.
Decor is inspired by Japanese gardens, leading to an unfussy and relaxing interior with both booth seating and open tables. Special blind partitions between each table make the space seem intimate and offer every customer a sense of privacy.
Despite being a local Shanghai citizen, the chef's true passion has been for Japanese cuisine ever since he visited the country as a young man. He endeavors to provide a very authentic menu, but also makes the tastes and recipes special by using fresh, and sometimes "secret", ingredients. Much of the produce used in the kitchen is imported, with the beef coming from Australian and some of the more delicious fish as far afield as Norway.
True, PuTuo is still a fairly underdeveloped district and is undergoing a great deal of change at the moment, no doubt putting it lower down on most lists of interesting city destinations. Nevertheless, hidden among the build¬ing sites and renovation projects, there are some gems for the gourmand: I.Z.K.Y. certainly qualifies.
The Bottom Line: A great reason to stray into the little-known regions of PuTuo.
