"THE CHINA-JAPAN DEBATE ON A PLATE" AT ITC SONAR, KOLKATA

ITC Sonar, a luxury hotel in Kolkata having a distinctively modern and sleek architechtural design contrasting with the rich historical essence of Kolkata. After Delhi and Mumbai, an exquisite event is going on at Pan Asian, ITC Sonar, Kolkata; named  'The China-Japan Debate On A Plate' partnered with Johnnie Walker for a very short period from 7th Nov to 10th Nov. In this, the Corporate Chinese Chef Liang Xiao Ping and Contemporary Japanese Expert Chef Vikramjit Roy, both are offering delectable menu and contesting against each other. The pair have offered outlandish menu pairing with delicate blended Johnnie Walker Black Level. Join this event through Twitter, Facebook or Google+. Visit http://wcom.in/chinajapandebate and put in your words to get a chance to win exotic signature culinary experience in this short event. 

Before the main event begins, we were asked with a lovely cocktail as a welcoming drink, I choosen 'Wasabi infused drink Rising Sun'. It was an exquisite cocktail of pomegranate, whiskey, pickled ginger and some other ingredients, shaken well and served over ice cubes. This was a Japanese version of cocktail, on the other hand Debi parna choosen Chinese tea infused cocktail, which I tasted, a lovely stong cocktail of Chinese tea and Johnnie Walker Black Lebel whiskey.

Before sitting up in dinning table, Chef Vikramjit told us that he would have a special drink for us to start and when it came in our table, I was really very excited and that vodka based peachy drink, the glass rimmed with soy based salt and served in a very special manner. I really surprised to see how it was presented so wonderful way. Chef Vikram describes us how to drink it with plum tomatoes, bean curd, wafer with pinch of celery salt.

I choosed option for starter and soup, starters 'Golden fried prawns with crispy garlic chilli powder and sesame seeds', a Chinese classic; where as soup 'Edamame soup sansho crisp, foie gras foam', a fusion Japanese contemplation. In golden fried prawns, prawns were crisp from the outer side but soft and tender from inside, truely a mouthmelting dish.  On the other hand, 'Salmon with confit melon, miso cream cheese, bubuarare smoked corm mash' was made as Japanese non-veg starters. The second dish which was an absolutely delectable soup offered by Chef Vikramjit where 'Foie gras' i.e made of the liver duck or goose that had been specially flattened. Its flavour is rich, buttery, delicate and not like ordinary duck or goose liver. The speciality of soup served a covered dome, when it opened a roundel of sansho crisp with a slice of foie gras, warm Edamame soup poured on it, simply a super fusion and delightful Japanese combo soup. Mr. Raveen Mishra, Regional Brand Ambassador, Diageo India who describes about three types of Johnnie Walker whiskeys which we would be served with Four courses of dinner. The first it came with starters was Johnnie Walker Gold Lebel. I must say it was a wonderful paired menu.

For main course I opted Chinese classic, 'Double Fried Pork with mild chili and hoisin sauce' with chinese fried rice, actually a traditional and popular dish in Sichuan, China. Pork was tender, tasty, slightly sweet but I missed its crispyness. Raveen brought out for us 'Johnnie Walker Platinum Label' for pairing with this delectable Chinese speciality. Both flavours so well, which tuned with me for a long time. But Japanese segment's 'Blue cheese and spinach stuffed chicken breast, freeze dried tomato, whiskey ponzu reduction' caught definitely my attention, I tasted it little bit and it was just amazing!

For dessert, I choosen Japanese delicacy, 'Poarched pear carpaccio yuzu probiotic Yoghurt ice', it was absolutely delicious and wonderfully paired with 'Johnnie Walker XR 21' a whiskey which preserved in cusk at least for 21 years. The whiskey smelled so well and tasted divine with desserts. On the otherhand, PB went with fried ice cream from Chinese segment. It was also a mouth watery dessert.

Another surprise came from Chef Vikramjit, a fusion dessert and which was not in menu list. A lovely combo of sweet-bitter combo in a one dish, valhrona mousse based with crumbled biscuits and a scoop of yummy mint ice cream; small balls of fruits - a total fusion dessert, simply awesome!!! 

(Group Photo - Picture courtesy: Poorna Banerjee)

Lastly, we were gifted with a lovely pack of goodies by ITC and returning back to home with a ton of sweet memories, will remain with me forever.

Pan Asian, ITC Sonar
Date: 7th - 10th November 2013
Timing: Dinner Only - 7.30 to 11.45 pm
Price: INR 4000++ per guest
For reservation and further information call 033-23454545.