Bonsai Dishes at Kanpai

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Kanpai, situated on the first floor of Souk Al Bahar, has been on the Veggiebuzz radar for a little while because of its separate vegetarian menu. Unfortunately, we found out that they don’t have that as an option anymore. The good news is that their regular menu is quite suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. So when I was invited to have lunch one afternoon, I was more than happy to go!

As you make your way around the various restaurants housed in Souk Al Bahar, Kanpai makes its presence felt with a bright orange sign that’s hard to miss. The outer façade has some display cases embedded into the wall with fearsome looking samurai masks backlit in bright orange. It’s an unusual mix of traditional and contemporary that extends to the interior of the restaurant as well. The space is divided into a bar and lounge on one side and the dining room on the other. The lounge has an almost futuristic look to it, dimly lit with splashes of neon purple. I settle myself in the dining room, where the lighting is brighter but still subdued.

Before the meal begins, I’m presented with an aperitif of pomegranate juice with a sweet and sour mixture. It’s a tiny shot of refreshment, with a nice tangy flavor that gets the appetite going. I’m ready for the meal itself, which consists of a selection of some vegetarian favorites at the restaurant.

The meal starts off with Omisoshiru, traditional Japanese miso soup with large chunks of shiitake mushroom, small cubes of tofu, chopped scallions and wakame seaweed. The sharp flavor of the shiitake and the briny seaweed dominate the dish. A small plate of edamame is served alongside this, steamed and coated with sea salt. They’re alright, but not too memorable.

My next appetizer is Miso Nasu, Kanpai’s take on a classic Japanese baked eggplant dish, topped with miso and pink peppercorn sauce and a garnish of pink peppercorns. Traditionally, it’s served as eggplant halves on a plate. This version serves them as little eggplant roulades in a crinkled paper bowl. The miso nasu is quite sweet, but not cloyingly so. It’s more like the rich sweetness of honey, backed up by the smoky eggplant flavor and a little spice from the peppercorns.

For the main course, there’s tofu steak. I was quite skeptical about this dish. Tofu has never been a favorite ingredient of mine and I’ve never really enjoyed any vegetarian ‘steaks’ unless they’re Portobello mushrooms. Still, I’m curious to see what Kanpai can bring to the table. The presentation of the dish is interesting, concealing the tofu under deep fried lotus stems, micro cress and a shredded root garnish. Grilled asparagus and courgettes sit alongside the tofu. My first impression is that it’s a bit on the small side for a main course.

Asparagus is another vegetable that I generally find quite boring, so I’m surprised by how flavorful it is in this dish. Maybe it’s just some extra seasoning, but the taste of the asparagus and the courgettes really pop. The main component of the dish consists of three small slabs of tofu, grilled so the outside is nicely caramelized and almost crisp, while the inside is melt-in-your-mouth soft. The major downside for me is the thick sauce under the tofu, which is aggressively salty and overwhelms my palate with just a small taste.

Everything’s been quite light so far, and I’m expecting there to be at least one more main course dish, so it’s very surprising to see dessert show up already. The dessert is a scoop of lemon sorbet, served in a bowl covered by a bamboo leaf. The sorbet is quite tart and though the presentation looks interesting, the leaf ends up sliding all over the place as I’m eating and becomes a bit of a hindrance. Maybe just the bowl would have been enough.

However, ending with just a scoop of sorbet hardly seems satisfying. I’ve heard quite a bit about Kanpai’s signature green tea tiramisu, which the chef obligingly prepares on request. Unlike the rest of the meal, it’s not vegan (though it is vegetarian-friendly), but I’m happy to indulge myself.

The tiramisu has the most playful presentation by far. A flat wooden box covered with artificial grass is the ‘plate’ for this dish. Sprouting from the grass are two small branches, and between them sits the tiramisu, a perfect square that’s like a miniature version of the box it’s sitting on. A topping of green tea powder mimics the grassy look, and sliced strawberries add a splash of contrasting color. It tastes even better than it looks, as the indulgent mascarpone and spongy lady fingers are brought together with subtle notes of green tea in the background. It’s a perfect ending.

My overall experience at Kanpai isn't very fulfilling. While the lack of a vegetarian menu is disappointing, there appears to be a decent spread of vegetarian dishes on their regular menu. However, I was only served a handful of appetizers and one main course that was barely more than an appetizer itself. While the dishes tasted fine for the most part, the overall meal wasn’t designed with a proper vegetarian perspective in mind. If not for my last minute tiramisu request, I would have left almost as hungry as I was when I came in.

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