Chef David Myres likes to be called the ‘Gypsey Chef, ‘ combining his two loves — food and travel. When he had the first stamp on his passport to France, he didn’t know that his wanderlust would led him to open 20 restaurants in 9 cities across America, Asia and the Middle East, along with a worldwide appearance on TV with Master Chef US, Master Chef China, Hell’s Kitchen and more.
Having grown up in a food-loving family that used to grow their own seasonal varieties in orchards and vegetable patches, Myres developed a deep love for unique culinary experiences around the globe. When he’s in Bali, he’s savouring the juiciest slices of roasted pork in the Balinese feast of Babi Guling. In India, he travels in the narrow bylines of Old Delhi for crispy samosas, tikis and kachoris.
But it’s the simplicity of Japanese cuisine that really takes his heart — the yakitori, the crunch of tempura, hand-rolled sushi, crisp nori, to the fresh zing of wasabi, along with a decade-long love affair with Japan, which led the Michelin-star-rated Chef to open the modern Japanese restaurant Adrift Kaya in Delhi’s JW Marriott, Aerocity in 2022. It’s his way of experimenting with his favourite cuisine. “I think Japanese cuisine has a universal appeal because it’s built around umami and balance: flavours that resonate across cultures without needing explanation. It delivers depth and satisfaction in a clean, restrained way, which is why it connects with diners around the world,” Myres tells Outlook Luxe on launching the new Japanese menu introducing temaki (hand-rolled sushi) for the first time.
View this post on Instagram
“It brings a more informal style of sushi to the menu. We have also introduced local fish, such as the sole with spicy black bean, ginger spears, and Japanese herbs. For me, dishes like the hot soba with teriyaki, roasted duck, sesame, and shiso, as well as the matcha mousse from our dessert selection, stand out as they’re flavours I naturally gravitate towards when I’m in Japan.”
Into Japan’s Izakaya culture
We entered Adrift Kaya on a rainy night, to unwind. Designed by the late British luxury furniture and interior designer, Timothy Oulton, the fine dining stayed true to Japan’s izakaya culture —relaxed, social eating with emphasis on small plates that allow shared dishes for people to connect. True to that, the restaurant, instead of being a formal luxury dine-in, had a vibrant open kitchen and sushi bar where guests could see the preparation.
The space was anchored by a handcrafted installation of sakura (cherry blossom tree), symbolic of beauty, fresh beginnings, and the impermanence of life.
Food of Togetherness
On the food front, seasonal delicacies made of fresh ingredients, as well as an extensive range of drinks, are central to an izakaya. At Adrift Kaya, Chef Meyers achieves that with the new menu offering made of seasonal ingredients. First arrived the Toro Tuna Belly. Made of umami rich-tartare, topped with delicate sea-salt notes of caviar, and paired with creamy and citrusy condiment of yuzu aioli, the small dish left a meaty and raw aftertaste. On cue came the Golden Eye Snapper, considered a prized dish in Japanese cuisine, symbolic of wealth, status and royalty. Slightly sweet and savoury, it took the umami richness a nosh up and paired well with the sweet, tangy taste of passion fruit and herbaceous notes of hanaho.
The menu also had 10 unique varieties of cocktails: from those honouring Edo’s (modern Tokyo’s) ramen tavern culture with brown butter fat-washed whiskey, to those made of rice vodka paying homage to the grain that has spiritual and cultural significance in Japan. We sipped a spicy concoction inspired by the flavours of Old Delhi’s spice market, Khari Baoli, waiting for the Chef’s highlight, the temaki.
It arrived in three-piece sets. The first was a medley of spicy tuna, roasted sesame, and crisp potato. The second one had a more fruity taste with California crab combined with avocado, kewpee mayo and orange tobiko. Lastly, the Botan Ebi had sweet shrimp blending finely with yuzu aioli, zesty shiso, and aromatic citrusy sudachi. With an overdose of sweet-umami richness, we now craved for a crisp savoury delicacy. The light-as-air, crunchy Ebi Tempura paired with daikon dipping broth just served the purpose with their heavenly taste.
We did not want the sweet dream to end and sank our teeth into Matcha Musu. The frozen matcha mousse with black sesame praline had a vegetal taste and natural sweetness. While matcha is not a natural choice for many, it did change our perception of the green tea leaves, which, if left in able hands, can do wonders for delicacies and desserts, ending our tasting session on a delightful note.
