Latest news with #Japonico
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- The Hindu
Latango in Delhi blends rustic European flavours with whimsy
'After Japonico, our contemporary Japanese bar in Gurgaon, I knew I wanted to create a European space next — one that is layered with stories and experiences,' says Sahil Sambhi, founder of Delhi's newest culinary hotspot, Latango. The 165-cover space, spread across two floors and a large alfresco area bears the signature flamboyance of Sahil's restaurants — a sculptural bar, double height ceiling, Instagrammable washrooms and arguably India's only two-storey show kitchen. And, like his other restaurants, the focus equally extends to the food and beverage programme. A European diner with a Japanese accent (as the team likes to call it), Latango brings home two European chefs. Chef Roberto Blondi, who hails from Parma in Italy and has worked in kitchens like Eleven Madison Park, is the current head chef at Japonico. Chef Joe Stanchi, who trained at Naples' legendary Starita a Materdei, is known to be among the finest pizzaiolos in the world. The bar programme is headed by Vikram Achanta and his team at Tulleeho. 'At Latango, our recipes are drawn directly from my mother's recipe books, passed down through generations. Every dish reflects the tradition, warmth, and rustic technique that defines true Italian home cooking — no shortcuts, just honest, hand-crafted pasta,' explains Joe. We are served a house bread and butter combo upon settling on a table at the cusp of the indoor and outdoor spaces. Pristine table covers, etched porcelain plates, and delicate crystal glassware lend an unmissable European vibe even as lush plants and soft waterfalls let in cool breeze. The bread, soft and warm, is comforting; the butter is unusually — and pleasantly — tart. We later learn that it is made by whisking a house-made onion and white wine compote with salted butter and served topped with Italian lemon zest and fresh roe. Next, we sample salads. While I am excited to try the spinach and parmesan, a safe choice, I am unsure about the octopus. It however surprises me. There is no smell or chewyness, two things I have always experienced with octopus. The octopus, Joe tells us, is sourced from Japan and the salad is put together to suit the city's palate — cooked with lemon and herbs, trimmed and arranged in a roulade and sliced just before dressing. The result is a beautifully delicate flavour and comfortable texture. The sliced tenderloin is great quality but feels drier than I like my salads to be. Besides the melange of Japanese and European, the menu also presents a good mix of novel flavours and comfort staples. So, on one hand we see octopus, tenderloin and scallops, on the other are grilled brie, patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo. The idea, says Joe, is to offer something for everyone. 'We work with trusted international vendors and source our seafood from Japan, Australia, Canada, and Denmark,' he says. After tasting mostly Japanese inspired small plates — scallop sashimi with smoked ponzu that is balanced and delicious, Chilean seabass yakitori with ryotei miso that stands out for the quality of fish, and prawn takosu that is crispy, umami and very hearty — we move on to the mains. Given how rare it is to find lobster in landlocked Delhi, we zero in on the homestyle lobster linguine, which is perfectly al-dente, with enough sauce to be mopped with bread. I also order the king mushroom, but it has too much dill which takes away all the flavours from the mushroom. The bar programme shines not just in its offerings but also in the design. Titled 'Letters From Two Worlds' and conceived as a series of letters between artists of the West and East, it depicts them on picture postcards bound in the form of a book. 'For me, designing cocktails has always been about breaking them down into their core flavour components — alcohol, bitterness, sweetness, acidity — and then finding ways to elevate each one without disturbing the natural balance,' says Abhishek Banerjee from Tulleeho. We taste the Cubist Negroni, a letter from Piccasso to Amrita Shergill. A take on the classic with a twist (a compari pop), it is nice and smooth and the taste keeps changing as the pop melts. The Nudist Picante — a letter from Donald Judd to Raza Abidi — is a refreshing change from the overtly spiced picantes that have become the norm. The Dali Bloom, a take on the Paloma with blue-pea-tea, looks beautiful but lacks depth. 'The Nudist Picante meanwhile is an exercise in restraint; we wanted to see how far we could go with minimalism — to deliver the full taste experience of a spicy Picante, but without the visual cues. It's made with tequila, kaffir lime, apple, and a house-made spice tincture, and it appears completely clear — almost like a glass of water,' explains Abhishek. With desserts becoming an integral part of all menus, Latango's dessert section does not disappoint. Our pick is the tableside chocolate mousse and tiramisu with chocolate caviar. 'We wanted to offer a sense of surprise to our guests — so we reimagined tiramisu to look like a caviar tin,' says Joe, as he walks us through the making of the coffee caviar that sits over the tiramisu. 'It's an illusionist dessert — familiar in flavor, but completely unexpected in presentation.' Delicious if a bit disillusioning, the final course truly embodies the ethos of Latango.
New Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Inside Japonico's new menu: Avocado, umami & Japanese simplicity
Japanese fine-dining spot Japonico — one of Gurugram's buzziest new openings this year — is already making waves. Their latest menu refresh takes things up a notch, and avocado is having its main character moment. The updated spread leans into plant-forward creations alongside more protein- and fish-based dishes, and subtle fusion twists. 'In the previous menu, protein options were fewer than what customers were looking for, especially omega-3-rich dishes,' says chef Roberto Blondi, who heads the kitchen. 'Japanese cuisine typically offers a variety of fish, so I developed new dishes to meet that demand.' Alongside new seafood items like Hamachi Carpaccio and Sake Hakozushi, the updated spread embraces a plant-forward direction, anchored by versatile staples like avocado. Blondi says the ingredient is not only widely used in Japanese cuisine, but also incredibly versatile. 'I wanted to spotlight avocado using modern techniques, offering it through traditional preparations, presentations, and ways of eating.' But there's still room for heartier fare by the fusion of unexpected ingredients coming together to create a symphony of different tastes. Even lighter fare like the returning Iceberg Wafu Salad gets a subtle upgrade, with a caramelised onion dressing that hits sweet and savory notes in equal measure. But there's also heartier fare, like the newly introduced Japonico Pressed Chicken Steak. 'I was trying to replicate the technique we use to press black cod overnight,' Blondi explains. 'At first, the chicken came out chewy. Then one of the boys in my kitchen said, 'What if we marinate it?' That changed everything.' The final dish is firm, flavourful, and a personal triumph for the chef. 'It looks simple, but it gave me a hard time. It had to live up to both my standards and our customers' expectations.' Blondi, who has cooked across 10 countries in the last 16 years, says the new menu reflects the essence of Japanese cuisine: its humility and thoughtful nature. 'Fine dining today has become too complicated — too many ingredients, too many techniques, as if complexity equals quality. But I believe simple things done right are still the key to a great fine-dining experience.' he says. 'The most important thing is seeing the customer's expression — their satisfaction — not how many techniques I used, or how 'clever' it was. Just pure joy, on the plate.' On the second floor, Tower D, Vipul Tech Square, Golf Course Road, Sector 43, Gurugram. Open seven days a week, 12pm to 2am. Estimated cost for two Rs 4,000 plus taxes (without alcohol)
