Legally pink

A new Asian-themed restaurant in Juhu puts on rose-tinted glasses on sushi, noodles and decor

Till date, the Reese Witherspoon-starrer Legally Blonde is remembered for showcasing the pinkest wardrobe in Hollywood. Pink Wasabi, a three-week-old Asian restaurant in Juhu reminded us of that franchise in every detail throughout our meal there last week. The brainchild of Prasuk Jain, the operations are run by management partner Suved Lohia.

Our pink journey begins at the pretty cherry blossom groove at the entrance, which resembles the Japanese bloom season. We encounter all shades  of the colour — baby pink seating covers, floral installations on the ceiling and walls, neon pink lights that read: ‘Pour some sugar on me’ and one at the bar that says ‘Hello Gorgeous’. The first dish to arrive at the table is also pink. A pink wasabi special sushi (Rs 645) that is tightly packed with shitake, avocado, carrot, cucumber and cream cheese. Once we taste it, the hint of pickled jalapenos and sesame crunch sheds the jarring pink sight.

Pink noodles

The tuna and avocado sushi (Rs 645) topped with roe, has neat Asian flavours and the togarashi (Rs 645) has a spicy tang. While the flavours are intact, the rice isn’t the freshest and feels a little dry instead of being sticky. The crispy prawns cheung fun (Rs 695) is a delicate thin rice roll wrap and the soy sauce lends a well-rounded salty umami.

Pink wasabi sushi. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

For drinks, we sip on the highly recommended amore raspberry, litchi, guava and elderflower (Rs 395) mocktail. The refreshing raspberry hit reminds us of our childhood visits to Mapro Farm. The mushroom bao (Rs 595), shaped as button mushrooms, arrives on an umami black bean sauce puddle and makes a light small plate. The bao is generously stuffed with enoki and portobello mushroom mix, and tastes earthy and flavourful. Mala chicken stir-fried with dried chillies and blended with homemade sauce (Rs 610) greets us with a well-spiced star anise-forward punch. The spice fires mingle with gentle honey chilli. The cheese and leek dimsums are bags filled with flavour, but the dimsum coating is too thick and rubbery. 

The pink Wasabi special noodles (Rs 485) are pink, and taste a tad sugary. The wasabi sauce comes to the rescue to cut the sweetness. The dish highlights the generous use of colouring agents on the menu. The noodles are paired with the Mongolian chicken that could pass off as a desi dish we’d eat with naan. Our next pick, maidenhood (Rs 695), a gin cocktail with a dash of rose water is promising. Dessert is a fresh Jasmine mousse with raspberry insert (Rs 490). The perfectly-set white mousse cuts into a luscious compote for a sweet ending.

Throughout our time here, we notice that diners are dressed to play their part in this pink-hued universe. It is afternoon, and their bright formal attire makes us believe that their newest picks have found the right place to be flaunted.  

At: Eden Square Building, Ground floor, 10th Road, NS Mankikar Road, JVPD Scheme, Juhu,
Time: 11 am to 10 pm
Call: 9967967596, 7208862235

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!