A vision in pink awaits you at Pink Wasabi, a new Asian restaurant in the heart of Juhu. Opened on July 23rd, it’s already a hot favourite, buzzing with groups of party-ready girls, formally attired families and young 20-somethings from the area. The restaurant is the brainchild of Prasuk Jain and is managed by Suved Lohia hospitality.
Pretty in pink
The decor immediately catches your eye and floods your senses. Patrons are greeted at the entrance itself with a photo op, a London-style phone booth is dressed in pink, nestled in the shadow of a cherry blossom tree.
Pink Wasabi
Pink and gold furniture covers the decently sized outdoor section. In the inner section, a cosy vibe reigns; floral arrangements and millennial quotes dot the walls. Pose by a ‘Hello Gorgeous’ sign for that perfect Insta-worthy image. The most desirable table of the lot lies under a cherry blossom; one can almost visualise the sea of pink that would fill a camera roll after a visit here. The décor was completed in the span of 3-4 months, and all the furniture was made in-house.
Pink Wasabi’s Cherry Blossom tablePink Wasabi
Asian all the way
A thoroughly Asian menu awaits you, with categories written in Japanese. My dinner date and I started our meal with a Pink Wasabi Special Martini and Maidenhood, a fresh and floral gin-based cocktail with muddled cucumber, elderflower and a dash of rose water. The martini was deliciously addictive, flavoured with litchi, the bitter hit of kaffir lime and spiked with vodka.
Pink Wasabi
On the menu there’s a huge variety of dim sums and sushi; we started with the Spicy Prawn Har Gao, a bright orange set of dumplings with tenderly cooked prawns inside. The Oyster Baby Lamb dim sums were nearly translucent with a melt in your mouth consistency, the Hot Basil Chicken flavour is also a good option for less experimental eaters.
Assorted dim sum
Next in the lineup was sushi, and this is where the restaurant stays true to its name, with the quality of wasabi. As a huge sushi fan, the way I affirm good sushi is the accompaniments. In this case, just a dot of wasabi is sufficient for a good pungent hit. We started with the dish that seems to be a favourite, being delivered to virtually every table, the PW special sushi roll; layered with shiitake mushrooms, cucumber, carrot, cream cheese, and pickled jalapeños.
Pink wasabi special roll
The star sushi though was the Tempura Fried Prawns with spicy mayo and togarashi. The roll was crunchy and spicy, with perfectly cooked prawns. The Tuna & Avocado inside out roll is generous with the tuna, which itself is fresh and meaty.
Tempura Fried Prawns Sushi
We also tried the PW Special Truffle Mushroom and Edamame Chueng Fun, though unfortunately, I tasted no edamame in it; my recommendation would be to stick to the sushi and dim sums because they are delicious!
PW special truffle mushroom and edamame
As we foray into the main course, our plates resemble a cacophony of colours. Bright Pink Wasabi Noodles occupy one side of the plate, Blue Fried Rice with Truffle and Edamame, contrast the pink, and a Chilly Basil curry pools in the middle. The noodles are served with a side of sauce that only reinforces the flavour of wasabi; an ingredient that really shines through this unusual dish, leaving you with a lingering heat. The fragrance of truffle wafts across the table as soon as the blue rice is set down by our server, who was great with recommendations, as the fried rice was buttery and flavourful. Peppered throughout with edamame, the rice was the ideal carrier for the curry, which had all the umami flavours you would expect from an Asian sauce.
Pink Wasabi NoodlesBlue fried rice with truffle and edamame and Thai yellow curry
For desserts, we sample yet another pink dish, Jasmine Raspberry Mousse with berries on the side, a concoction that is creamy and tangy. My personal favourite was the Coconut & Passion Fruit Mousse, a light, airy coconut mousse served in a chocolate shell with passionfruit compote oozing from the middle. It looked and tasted like an absolute dream.
Jasmine Raspberry Mousse
On what’s next
Considering repeat customers, Pink Wasabi plans to make changes to the menu every 2 to 3 months, providing patrons with exciting dishes each visit. The buzzing space already has plans in the pipeline for the future. Picture special menus for breakfast and lunch, lavish high tea and romantic dinner. Moët & Chandon brunch, and special Sunday brunches are also on the cards for this Juhu restaurant.
