www.bahrainthismonth.com June 2013 127 Modern Asian Delicacies MEISEI RESTAURANT Meisei Restaurant, in the heart of Adliya’s 338 is chef Lee’s newest transformation of original, authentic and inspired food. In his 11-year association with Bahrain, he has been behind such entities as Café Spasso, Sushi 101 and Mirai. He has in the past teased us with amazing food but it is his vision and passion behind Meisei which will take him global; Meisei London is already in the works. The restaurant is a creation of Remza Investment Company of which Lee is director of food and beverage operations. Meisei is as much about modern food as it is about himself. The word ‘Meisei’ stands for honour, elegance and integrity, three sentiments which are close to the heart of the chef in his cooking style, the food he utilises, the dishes he cooks in, serves food upon and the names he has given to each culinary creation. With a personal heritage of Japanese, Korean and Canadian, and with a well-travelled resume in food Lee can be seen to utilise his entire life in the food served here. It is his mother’s Osakan heritage on which he draws most for the restaurant and the Japanese form of tapas; small dishes of perfection, filled with flavour and with multiple textures and styles for which the diner can enjoy. Pizza, for instance, with a croissant pastry base make for a mouthful of light-as-air perfection. Crispy chestnut crisps highlighted with vanilla bean serve a Meisei duo of salmon tartar, perfectly combining smooth and succulent with crisp and delicious. Tacos of Norwegian salmon, Peking duck and foie gras dim sum show his skills and playfulness with food. Meisei hits every note it plays to its diners with perfection. Inspired by the five elements of Japanese philosophy, earth, water, fire, wind and spirit the ambience is truly one of a kind. The restaurant is a visual feast as well as a gastronomical one. Chef Lee has developed an impressive menu, offering his take on Asian cuisine with inspirations from life and travel, bemoaning the word ‘fusion’, making it clear that he serves inspired modern Japanese food, nothing more, nothing less. Inspirations are his wife, upbringing, culinary mentors and if any region plays a bigger part than most it is the Mediterranean for its utilisation of freshness. On June 7 Meisei partners with Kirin beer for its launch in the third floor rooftop dining and entertainment deck by celebrating the love of the outdoors. I am happy to say that I went to Meisei Restaurant to eat fine food, but came away having sampled an inspiring life, a cuisine unparalleled and having found a gorgeous home for us all that serves modernity with tradition, honour, elegance and integrity — delicious! E Call 17 007-770. Our country has many fine chefs, but few have ever given the country so much and changed the way we feel about food and understanding of dining as much as Michael Sang-Kyu Lee.
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