The Hanami Summer menu at Guppy by ai is all about fresh ingredients, simple flavours and comfort food for the weather. Hanami – to look at flowers – is the festival of welcoming the spring and the end of the harsh weather. Chef Vikram Khatri, the brain behind the Hanami summer menu does full justice, and presents the freshest ingredients in visually appealing dishes.

The Corn and Avocado soup – served chilled – provides the immediate respite from the heat. The mild flavour of wasabi compliments the sweetness of the soup – adhere to the tip of the chef and add a bit of salt and lemon after a few spoons and see the taste completely change.

Smoked Pumpkin Salad, 3 Melon Salad, Hiyayakko Chilled Tofu & Tomato, Edamame, Gingo nut and Konjac Jelly Ceviche made it to the table. 3 Melon salad stole the show with chilled melons and a plum dressing, it is the apt thing to have in this weather. I couldn’t feel the smoky flavour in the pumpkin salad. The tofu was in real terms ‘silken’ with a light citrus soy sauce.

3 melon salad

hiyayakko chilled tofu

smoked pumpkin salad

cured tomato, edamame, gingo nut & konjac jelly ceviche

Coming to Sushi and Sashimi – we had Mango and Avocado cream cheese roll, mango and tuna roll, eel and avocado sushi roll, hanami roll and Sashimi Scallop Carpaccio. The mango and tuna roll stood out amongst everything. Hanami roll is a piece of art. Scallop Carpaccio is a treasure house of freshness, with the scallops imported from Hokkaido.

scallop carpaccio

mango and tuna roll

eel and avocado sushi roll

hanami roll

The 2 varieties of cold noodles – a first for me – Hiyashi Tanuki Cha Saba & Hiyashi Somen – are an acquired taste, at least for Indians. I liked the former more than the latter, which had a thick’ish gravy and the crunch provided by the tempura fritters.

hiyashi somen

hiyashi tanuki cha saba

From the beverages menu – Gooseberry Fizz – the well known combination of gin & tonic with the topping of fresh gooseberry compote, if you like the combination of gin & tonic, you will like this. Plum Blossom has the base of Shochu, which is Japanese hard liquor made from grain and vegetables fresh plum and lime – a balanced drink I would say. I really liked the Umetini – sake, umeshu and lime. The sweetness from the umeshu blended with the sake well and the gold petals just gave it a lovely presentation.

cucumber cooler

plum bossom

gooseberry fizz

umetini

Fact Sheet:

Address- 28, Main Market, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi
Timings: April 25 – May 30 ; 12 to 3.30 and 7pm to 1am
Lunch for two: 1300 ++
Dinner for two: 1800 ++
For Reservation – 01124690005 / 6, +919650185005
Website http://guppybyai.com