Promising PaPaYa - the restaurant, has far outgrown in gumption the fruit it borrowed its name from!
Fledgling and delicately poised on 11th floor of an edifice at the centre of upbeat Park Street, PaPaYa contemporises tradition – creatively, sincerely and deliciously – typifying the oriental tenets of minimalism and perfection. Encouraging.
I, as always, walked in pursuing savour.
Held to the amusing task of palate-cleansing, Amuse-bouche of Watermelon in Basil and Lemongrass air – two bright, veiled and wiggly bits of watermelon served on scallop shells, tripped inches short of turning savoury. They discreetly came, just cleansed and as much discreetly walked away – seriously losing out on drama. Here, I would pit Farzi against Papaya! With gentle foams, a fruit with a deeper aftertaste, like the ‘reverse-spherified’ Alfanso at Farzi, would have contrasted delectably. Conversely, I suggest zesty foams to offset the modesty of tamer fruits like watermelon. A cleansed palate left me feeling fresh though! Just the flavorous bomb didn’t explode!
California rolls [Inside-out Makizushis] of raw Yellowtail came topped with mango shreds - elegant, dramatic and unequivocally delicious. I ate it chaste – unaided by any sauce. Mango and the fish blended splendidly playing up a perfectly layered relish. I had serious fun with it.
Takoyaki with octopus and pork sausage - ball-shaped snacks straight from Takoyaki pan, stuffed with grilled octopus (Tako), pork sausages and pickled ginger barely pleased with an unvarying savour. Had the flatness anything to do with the Octopus and Pork pairing?
Truffle-centred Mushroom dumplings looked elegant but failed to impress with taste. Honestly, being a carnivore, I didn't stake much hope on it. They just added green to my meal. I hung on.
Satay of delicate and succulent Miso Sea Bass came, saw and conquered - redeeming all that had faltered. The garnishing house-sauce, discernibly with a mid-western tilt to sweetness, added much bounce to the delicious fillets. I sprung back!
What followed close was Chilli Hoisin Duck-Dog [or, HotDog] with dried Bonito flakes (Katsoboushi) - slender buns stuffed with barbecued duck and Tuna flakes - and cheese, spicy mayo and onion-ring tempuras as sides – tasty, contemporary and lingering. I dawdled through the course, letting the Barbequed duck and bread mingle and waltz; and straightened up for more! It was ecstatic.
Cumin and lamb’s is a pair made in heaven. So is Xinjiang Lamb – a dramatic, cumin-rich, minced lamb stir-fry that at once overwhelmed and elevated the feast. I would have fancied it with a bun or a bread of some kind!
How could a dish so delicious be called ‘Twice-cooked pork belly’? Shanghai-styled twice-cooked Kurobuta pork belly in sweet house-sauce – a course extraordinaire – had it all. The pork proved deceivingly crispy belying a tender within, expertly cooked and temperately tossed with sauce. For the uninitiated, Kurobuta pork belongs with ‘Kobe Beef’ for its flavoury richness and unique melt-in-mouth texture. I beamed!
I adore lean pork. But, Yakitori Buta - bite-sized cubes of fatty pork skewered, grilled with Mirin, Shichimi and slathered with a sweet Tare (sauce), made me take a brief liking to melting belly-fat. I ogled, deftly tore the fat off some bites and ate the rest! Apple and betel leaf tartar sauce aided wonderfully.
Plated wrapped in Banana leaf, Penang-styled grilled Snapper – masterfully seared and steamed with mushroom and coriander, recalled the Paturis of Bengal. Dominant Coconut milk added poise to its rich and round oriental appeal. I loved!
Mains were unlocked with Udon Pad Siew with Seabass and spiced Ratatouille. Seabass smelt rancid summarily burying the merits of a laudable texture and juiciness. Stir-fried udon with coconutty Massaman curry redeemed to its best! Shrivelled Ratatouille reeked and repulsed. I leave the chef with one question. How could even remotely a dehydrated Ratatouille lift the game?
Truth be told. Only something as imposing as Lamb Rendang Curry could resurrect the wobbly meal. Long-braising lent the Lamb-shanks an amazing tenderness and capacity to soak up the robust, flavoursome and coconutty Indonesian curry beautifully tossed with fresh herbs and spices. Soft and flaky Laccha parathas paired well with the gravy. Absolute pièce de résistance!
Yes, I had it too. Chocolate ball on fire - roasted nuts, chocolate sauce and gooey brownie topped with vanilla Ice cream stashed in a chocolate ball that melted under blazing anise-seed flavoured rum poured from top. Peachy but pointless!
The meal extraordinaire left me progressively hungrier with every course. Many were loved with a few regretted. But every dip in taste turned the next tastier. Choices abound. I wished Pa Pa Ya the one that had made Café Du Monde pursue Beignets ages ago. The rest you know!
Calcutta needs a maverick like Pa Pa Ya. And, so do I.
Tip: Todd Crowell’s ‘Dictionary of the Asian Language’ may prove handy.
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