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By Marie Moon
It is common practice for a chef to seek the freshest, most tender
meats and seafood for their creations. At the Kabuki Sushi Bar Chef
Suwat has gone a little further not only to procure products that
are fresh and succulent but also to search the globe for the ultimate
ingredients. Salmon and mackerel from Norway, tuna from Indonesia,
octopus from Africa, Taiwanese eel and Korean ark shell, the list
goes on to include some very well travelled constituents.
So, I challenged, why have you gone to all the trouble of importing
these ingredients when fresh local produce is available? Modest
Chef Suwat appeared perplexed but answered simply, “They are
the best products in the world. I wouldn't use anything but the
best!”
The best. From a resort, which is hailed as perhaps the best on
the island of Phuket,
it is fitting that the Japanese outlet of the JW
Marriott Resort and Spa supports this benchmark.
Kabuki is a form of traditional Japanese drama performed by men,
with highly stylized song, mime and dance. Founded in the early
17th century, this sophisticated discipline is colourful and dramatic,
steeped in tradition and revered by the Japanese people. The concept
of Kabuki Sushi Bar is to reflect the same spirit and enthusiasm
that inspired the ancient kabuki actors.
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The menu is basic, including all the favourite sushi dishes that
the world has come to appreciate so much over recent years. Sashimi,
traditional and specialty rolls, udon, ramen and soba noodle dishes,
tempura and the meat dishes called yakimono are all present. While
the menu is not elaborate, the quality of the meats, seafood and
vegetables used is second to none and for this reason, the many
Japanese guests who frequent the restaurant are wholly satisfied
with their orders. One Japanese customer actually invited Chef Suwat
to accompany him back to Japan to be his personal chef; a compliment
that makes him blush with pride. Known for their dogmatic expectations
of their own specialized cuisine, such a tribute from a Japanese
man to a non-Japanese chef is rare and speaks as a recommendation
in itself.
Upon my visit to Kabuki, Chef Suwat prepared his signature dish,
tempura roll, with simple elegance. Thin crispy batter covers a
king prawn which is then grouped with sliced avocado and rolled
in nori seaweed, cut into chopstick friendly pieces and topped with
salmon roe and a drizzle of mayonnaise. The creamy avocado mixed
with a tender bite of prawn, slides down like silk, the salmon roe
adding a pop of flavour.
The sushi moriawase is a large plate of mixed sushi including slivers
of fresh tuna, salmon, mackerel and other fish, prawns, egg and
salmon roe neatly cut and laid over rice. Accompanying the sushi
were some wonderful California rolls that had been rolled in bright
orange caviar adding a zesty colour to the spread. The tempura moriawase
is a plate of mixed battered prawns and vegetables. The art of good
tempura is in creating a batter that is neither greasy nor dry.
A Japanese meal usually comprises a selection of different dishes
and over the course of the meal, the tempura items inevitably lose
their heat. Good tempura will remain crispy and is delightful even
when cold. Chef Suwat certainly has the tempura batter well rehearsed
as after a lengthy interview, when we finally sat down to indulge,
the tempura was delicious.
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Chef Suwat was trained by venerable Japanese Chef Yamada-san at
the Bangkok
Hilton International Hotel. Here he learned all aspects of Japanese
cuisine including how to make all the sauces and condiments from
scratch. The lift and dip philosophy of Japanese dining uses a number
of tasty dipping sauces that have been perfectly matched to each
dish over thousands of years of practice. Nowadays you can buy these
sauces in bottles at almost any supermarket but they often lack
the authenticity that home made versions have.
The setting of Kabuki Sushi Bar does not openly resemble a Japanese
restaurant for it is located adjacent to the open bar area and is
quite small having only counter seats and six tables, seating a
total of 20 people. The preparation area is decorated with sleek,
stylish Japanese elements and while there are no geisha to be seen
nor shamisen tunes to be heard, there is an extraordinary view to
behold. The tables run along a large reflection pool which cools
the breezes racing in from the sea and underlines the gorgeous view
out to the ocean.
The restaurant is open daily from 2:00pm to 11:00pm and due to
its small seating capacity, reservations for Kabuki Sushi Bar are
recommended.
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