Asian countries have been known for their rich history and culture that dates back to the early times. Many western countries seek to adopt the values that these countries have imbibed since generations. Of all these aspects, Asian food is renowned all over and is popular in all countries. Keeping this love for Asian food in mind, Marriott’s Edamame Restaurant has recreated a little global village of sorts. This global village comprises of Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. With recipes borrowed from these countries, Edamame promises a tasteful experience where rich culture meets modern mélange.
As is with most Marriott experiences, the restaurant’s hospitality is impeccable. The staff are on their feet, ensuring everyone has a good time. Edamame is a preparation of immature green soybeans in the pod, found in cuisines with origins in East Asia. Thus, the name of the restaurant was inspired by this simple seed.
With tiny cylindrical chandeliers placed above all tables, the restaurant is perfectly lit. A keen eye will soon notice the green theme of the restaurant owing to the fact that Edamame itself is the same colour. With plush sofas and cushions, comfort is a forte already taken care of!
Once seated at the table, a jasmine scented cloth is provided. Along with this, Jasmine Tea is served. The tea is served throughout the night, just as if it was water. This is on par with the Asian theme of the restaurant. The bar has unique drinks, many of which are inspired by Asian flavours and spices. A handy skill one can use at this restaurant is eating with chopsticks!
The night of feasting began with a Macaroon. This pastry has cream frozen on the inside and wasabi mayo on the bottom. It also has a distinct seaweed taste. This is combined with a sweet flavour. Together, the appetiser teases the taste buds. All customers are served this as a special gesture of Edamame.
Wasabi Paste and pickled ginger was served which acted like palate cleansers.
The first appetiser of the night was the famous Japanese dish- Sushi. Edamame has a Sushi Bar dedicated to perfecting and satisfying customers with their unique tastes. Although sushi is essentially a non-vegetarian dish with raw fish on the inside, Marriott serves vegetarian sushi too. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes have a variety of options to choose from. The sushi was prepared by Chef Biraj Malla.
Non- Vegetarian Maki Rolls
In the non-vegetarian platter, three types of sushi were served.
California Roll- Made of crab sticks, avocado, cucumber and Tamago (Japanese omelette) with Tobiko (flying fish eggs) on the top, the California Roll was delicious and can be savoured in one bite!
Spicy Tuna Roll- Made of Tuna, mayo, avocado and Togarashi sauce, this sushi, as the name suggests was fiery but with a milding effect from the avocado.
Salmon Roll- Made of Salmon, cream cheese and Ikura (Salmon Egg), the sushi marathon ended on a cheesy and tangy note. The salmon had a light flavor.
Vegetarian Rolls
Veg California Roll- The Veg California Roll was similar to the non- vegetarian California roll without the crabsticks and Tobiko (flying fish eggs).
Tamari Sushi- A variety of ball sushi, the ingredients of this roll were tomato, cucumber, avocado and mango.
Kappamati- Made of shiitake mushrooms, cucumber and sesame seeds, this sushi roll was unique in its taste and flavour with the mushroom combining with the cucumber to give it a healthy touch.
Wakame Seaweed
The signature dish of Chef Binay, Wakame Seaweed was on fire. Literally! The flamed salmon was lit on the table itself. Made of mantaiko mayo, rice and salmon, this dish will leave you satisfied with its taste and its presentation.
A side salad of radish and cucumber was served along with a few edamame beans.
The second dish was enjoyed at the display cooking counter. The Ninja Chef, a cook with over 19 years’ experience from Thailand, walked us through the rest of the dishes of the night.
Dim sums are a style of Chinese cuisine and are prepared as small bite-sized portions of food which are served in small steamer baskets. The Dim Sum Chef, Obi Ram, prepared four kinds of Dim sums- Prawn and Chicken were the non-vegetarian options and Edamame Truffle and Asian Mushroom were the vegetarian options. The Edamame Truffle is a signature dish here. Although all four dim sums were made of varying ingredients, they all had a distinct cheesy taste that added to the overall taste of the dim sums. Soft on the outside with a delicious filling on the inside, the dim sums are the perfect appetiser- light, tasty and slightly filling.
An interesting fact to note is that the vegetarian Edamame Truffle was green in colour and the chicken dim sum was red in colour, thus denoting the vegetarian and non- vegetarian options. The colour too is totally natural with no added preservatives, green coming from celery and red from beetroot!
Yakitori is a delicious Japanese dish that is not only popular in its country of origin, but also in other parts of the world. The barbeque here is perfectly charred on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. Marinated in various sauces, some of which are kept overnight and then roasted, these grilled dishes are little tastes of Japan in Kathmandu, with a local touch.
The non-vegetarian Chicken BBQ was marinated with chicken peanut sauce- a sauce originating from Thailand. The sweet and fiery taste of the grilled chicken make you want more. It carries with it the perfect balance of soft on the inside and charred on the outside.
For the vegetarian option, Vegan Tofu and Leek and Shiitake was served. The BBQ was first marinated in honey sauce and kept overnight. It was then served with sriracha.
The Ninja Chef explained the ingredients and the making process of all the dishes and brought out the main course platter.
After having tried, Chinese and Japanese dishes it was now time for a Thai Specialty.
Jasmine Rice and Green Curry were served. The Green Curry was a homemade recipe of the Ninja Chef thus adding to its specialty! The Green Curry consisted of various vegetables and was the perfect mix with the plain Jasmine rice. The curry was spicy and creamy at the same time! This unique taste can be attributed to Thai herbs.
Pad Thai, the signature dish, was a delicacy straight from Thailand again. The portions were very filling. This signature dish is a must try here for its taste is familiar yet distinct!
Saba Miso, a Japanese fish dish was also served. Not only was its presentation beautiful but the strong taste goes perfect with plain rice!
After a wholesome meal comprising of various cuisines and cultures, a light and refreshing dessert was served. Served in a cocktail glass, Tub Tim Krob is a Thai dessert. It has in it water chestnuts and tapioca along with milky coconut water. Its distinct sweet coconut taste along with fresh cut fruits makes it seem less like an unhealthy indulgence and more like a healthy alternate. However, the sweet sugar rush it provides confirms that it is a dessert. The best of both worlds!
The experience of fine dining with a multitude of cuisines along with the serene environment makes Marriott’s Edamame Restaurant a perfect place to indulge in cultural feasts!
For more information:
Edamame Restaurant, Kathmandu Marriott Hotel
Manakamana Marg, Naxal
Opens 6:30 pm onwards
Contact: 01-4443040