Rolling with it

Food ExcellentAmbience FunctionalService PromptCost ExpensiveVerdict 254On a Monday evening the maicirctre ds outside Linking Roads Izumi mdash chef Nooresha Kablys passion project that moved out of a cheekbyjowl space behind Carter Road in May mdash look perplexed But that is natural Its 1015 pm and guests without reservations are still trickling in Two parties have already left after waiting for 15 minutes two others us included wait with foottapping restlessness It takes a total of 50 minutes to get a table for two 10 minutes before the last order We will take your orders since you have waited one of the maicirctre ds reassuresPork tsukemein ramenIt can be a little too much the ceremony around getting a table at Izumi each time something we had to grapple with even when we visited the then newly reopened diner back in May But the buildup oddly enough alludes to a certain quality After all nothing good comes easy in lifeChicken katsu curryWith just an hour left in hand we waste no time and call for a Philly smoked salmon sushi Rs 660 and pork gyoza Rs 370 for three and a smokey GampT and wasabi whisky sour Rs 600 for each for drinks They all arrive in quick succession beginning with the cocktails of which we love the tangy twist on the whisky sour that tastes better than a regular one because of the complexity of flavours thanks to the wasabi The GampT on the other hand is a more refreshing tipple where the addition of orange juice to tonic water creates a flavour profile that is slightly reminiscent of sugarcane juice Were excited about the gyoza because we havent tried Kablys version before having always veered towards sashimi or yet another roll of sushi mdash she does a great job with the prawn tempura roll while the Philly smoked salmon bursting with umami goodness and boasting a delightful crunch from the peppers comes a close second The gyozas though are not the best mainly because the gari ginger is overpoweringSmokey GampTBut the slightly offputting mdash if not straightout unappetising mdash taste of the dish is soon replaced by the comforting pork tsukemein ramen Rs 750 The term tsukemein is used for ramens where the noodles other condiments and the broth are served in separate bowls The version here comes just that way making it easier to split the portion between two people and its as delicious as we remember it to be from seven months ago The earthy broth soft possibly imported eggs and supple noodles are a winning combination along with the tender pieces of meat The chicken katsu curry Rs 550 too is a bowlful of perfection though we are perhaps a little biased towards the version at Worli diner Happy Thai that mdash apart from pankocrusted chicken rice and gravy mdash also has diced veggies including potato This addition was introduced by William S Clark of the Sapporo Agricultural College now Hokkaido University in the late 1870s because Japan was facing a rice shortage at the timeBut thats enough of triviaAll you really need to know is this mdash you may have to wait longer than you like for a table at Izumi and the prices are high but if your only question is is it worth it our answer is yesAt Izumi Linking Road Bandra West Time 1230 pm to 230 pm 7 pm to 11 pm Call 8657455585The Guide first reviewed Izumi in May 2019 We conduct select anonymous followups to assess maintenance of standardsIzumi didnt know we were there The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for mealsFood review rating 44 EXCEPTIONAL 34 EXCELLENT 24 VERY GOOD 14 GOOD 054 AVERAGECatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates