Sumptuous Sushi, Failed Fusion

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by Selena Schleh
on Friday, March 18, 2011 12:00 AM

As any Japanese person will tell you, junsai, a member of the water-lily family, is prized not for its maroon flowers that unfurl so prettily across the surface of a pond, but for the delicately flavored jelly covering the young sprouts. Consumed seasonally, it's believed to fight the growth of certain cancers with its anti-oxidising powers.

On first glance, the PuDong restaurant Junsai possesses little of the outer beauty or the mystical inner properties of its botanical namesake. Located on the second floor of a DongFang Road mall, and stuffed to its lacquered rafters with businesspeople letting off some post-work steam, the decor is cookie-cutter Japanese minimalism with a menu to match.

For some in-your-face action, take a ringside seat at the bar alongside rows of fresh tuna, mackerel, octopus and other denizens of the deep, and watch the perennially smiling staff wield their sashimi knives. Those seeking more privacy should opt for one of the traditional private dining rooms on the first floor.

The extensive menu is divided into sushi, sashimi, salads, appetizers, fried food, grilled food and BBQ. Of the cold dishes, the ocean-fresh sushi is a clear winner, the simple specimens presented on clinically white porcelain.
There are also some interesting variations on the traditional California/maki-style rolls, such as Baked Japanese Amberjack Rolls (RMB15 per piece) and Okinawa Avocado Rolls (RMB28 for four pieces), topped with glistening salmon roe.

Grilled and fried items are rather less consistent, in some cases due to misjudged fusion. Illustrating this point perfectly are the cloying Cheese-baked Oysters and Scallops (RMB12 each): an unhappy marriage of two constituent ingredients that would have been more content and more palatable on their own. The Chicken Mincemeat Roll (RMB7) is unsettlingly crunchy in texture, and definitely needs washing down with a good slug of draught Asahi or plum wine.

The moreish, crispy Broiled Dried Mackerel (RMB50) is much better, with a lip-smacking, salty kick. Grilled Foie Gras and Veal (RMB55), a house specialty, is cooked to juicy perfection. To top things off, the Pork Hot Pot (RMB48) is a generously proportioned offering for the price, with plentiful fresh vegetables and a traditional raw egg dipping sauce.

The Bottom Line: This reasonably priced eatery is a clear case of getting what you pay for.

莼菜属睡莲科，就像任何日本人会告诉你的一样，它并不沽名于在池塘上迎风摇曳的美丽的深褐色花朵，却为其覆在嫩芽上风味曼妙的凝胶而享名。因为其具有抗氧化物质，人们相信这种节令植物可以抑制某种癌症的恶化。

一眼看去，浦东餐馆纯彩和它的同名植物并不相符，既没有美丽的外表也没有神秘的内在。餐馆坐落在东方路某商厦的二楼，椽子包漆。公司白领们工作结束后在这儿纾解压力，内部装饰是普遍的日式简约型，菜单也是如此。

想要观看现场表演，就要坐在吧台边的场边位，旁边有一排新鲜的金枪鱼，鲭鱼，章鱼和其它深海动物，能观看到永远挂着微笑的厨师们挥舞着他们的切鱼刀。那些想享有私密空间的顾客就应该选择一楼的传统包间。

花样丰富的菜单上有寿司，生鱼片，沙拉，开胃菜，油炸食品，烧烤食品，和BBQ。冷菜方面，新鲜海产品做成的寿司显然是主打菜：样品都呈在洁白的瓷碟上。也有一些有意思的传统加利福尼亚/日式卷的变种，像是烤日本琥珀鱼卷（每块15元）和冲绳鳄梨卷（四块28元），它们上面都覆有亮闪闪的三文鱼子。
烧烤和煎炸类食品就没有那么水准如一了，某些情况下是因为混合搭配搭得不好。让人倒胃口的奶酪烤牡蛎和扇贝（每个12元）就是说明这一点的最好的例子。这两种食材分别拿出来明明都可以发挥出更可口更令人满意的味道，却偏偏错误地结合在一起。鸡肉甜馅儿卷（7元）吃起来吱嘎作响，但一定得喝一大口朝日啤酒或者青梅酒才能把它们咽下去。

脆烤干鲭（50元）就好太多了，滋味咸香，好吃得让人咋舌，回味无穷。烤鹅肝和小牛肉（55元）是这一家的招牌菜，烤得鲜嫩多汁，相当完美。而其中最好吃的则要数猪肉火锅（48元）了，这道菜的分量很对得起这个价钱，一起上来的还有大量的新鲜蔬菜和传统的生鸡蛋蘸酱。

结语：一分价钱一分货，这家价格合理的小店就是典型的例子。