The island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands has indeed been blessed with good fortune - only 38 square miles, it is a virtual paradise found, famous for its world-class beaches, world-class accommodations and world-class investment opportunities . and its world-class sushi! Provo has much to boast about as this jewel in the middle of the Atlantic is home to not ONE . but TWO world-class Sushi restaurants, the original Matsuri Sushi Bar in Graceway House and Yoshis Japanese Restaurant at the Saltmills.
East meets West at Yoshis with a truly unique, fresh and eclectic atmosphere that brings an immediate sense of balance and tranquility but with an exotic and stimulating edge. Japanese Chef Yoshi Ono, together with his wife and her unique and vibrant sense of style have created a dining experience that I believe could best be characterized and expressed by the ancient philosophy of 'Yin and Yang' in perfect balance. Unexpected and unconventional, vivid, orange walls and ceilings exude a striking and enigmatic ambiance. Clean lines define the black bar that feature illuminated 'place settings' that take on an ethereal glow in the evenings, with the playful effects of black lights and delicate and decorative paper lanterns. True to the uncluttered style of authentic Japanese décor, the accents are few and minimal, with attractive furnishings of natural, bamboo tables and chairs. Outdoor dining is also available, al fresco along the sidewalk under palms wrapped in lights with river stones at their base.
Over 100 items, perfect balance continues with Yoshis Menu, offering many of the original and revered Matsuri favorites, nigiri, sashimi, soup, salads, sushi rolls, special rolls, vegetarian rolls and set dinners, (raw and cooked) and now featuring the addition of Grilled Entrees and Dinner Box Set Meals.
We began with a few cocktail selections from the bar - A blue Sake Martini arrived in the traditional glass but the neon colour and dangerously addictive flavour were anything but traditional. 'Wow' was the only explication given, followed by a word of caution! Another interesting try is the 'Shochu'; a clear distilled spirit similar to vodka, and served with tonic, as a Jasmine Tea Martini or a Red Samurai. For the more conventional, try their selections of Japanese beers, Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Ichiban - unanimously voted as the perfect libation to enjoy with the multitude of flavours, textures and tastes of Japanese cuisine.
Sushi simply should be shared - (there's a tongue-twister to try following a Sake Martini!) Variety is the spice of life, so order a combination of several dishes and share them all.
Appetizers began with #10, Soft Shell Crab Tempura - tender and sweet, this exceptional delicacy that is also known as blue crab is completely edible - soft shell and all, enveloped in crispy tempura batter it simply melted in your mouth. The Crab Cakes (#4) are deep-fried; truly succulent morsels served with a side of cream sauce, and (#6) Syumai, Japanese dumplings, stuffed with shrimp and vegetables were served with a flavourful dipping sauce and were incredibly light tasting and delectable. Miso Soup is a quintessential staple of Japanese cuisine. Made from soybean paste, it is valued for its nutritional and energy virtues. The salads here are definitely something special - brimming with lively colours and distinctive flavours, Seaweed Salad, Seafood Salad and the infamous Crispy Grouper Salad, just to name a few, are all prepared with the freshest ingredients.
Chef Yoshi continues to create his own ever-growing cache of Special Rolls that are quite simply, a work of art -- as dramatic in artistry, as they are in taste. The Tsunami (#128) was true to its name, similar to a series of large waves, it was a generous succession of rolls of decadence in flavours and portion size. Lobster (when in season) or snow crab and shrimp tempura are wrapped in soy paper, replacing the commonly used nori seaweed wrap for a completely unique texture. A delicious departure from the customary wrap. Reinventing an original roll by enhancing flavours and textures with additional ingredients is how many of the Special Rolls are created. A California Roll with crabstick and avocado is topped with tuna, salmon, shrimp, eel and more creamy, buttery rich avocado and emerges as a Rainbow Roll, with scallion and roe, those delicate, tiny eggs that virtually implode on your tongue.
The possibilities are as endless as Chef Yoshi's imagination, and whenever I have the pleasure to dine at Matsuri or Yoshi's, I always try something new, constantly on the lookout for the avant-garde and the unusual and I have never been disappointed - that said, I am still somewhat of a creature of habit when it comes to Yoshi's California Tempura, and cannot leave without my fix of #65, a deep fried California Roll with roe and scallion with a to-die-for dressing that graces several of Yoshi's creations. We soon learned that this dressing recipe is classified and the ingredients are shrouded in secrecy and even though we all attempted valiantly for divulgence of the ingredients, Yoshi would only succumb to 3 out of 9 - ginger, onion and carrots. If you manage to pry any more out of him . please let me know!
Japanese cuisine takes presentation very seriously, and Chef Yoshi's newest feature on the Yoshis menu, Dinner Box Set Meals served in a traditional Bento Box are no exception. These beautiful lacquer boxes are gaining huge popularity in the West, but their origins in the East date back centuries encompassing quite a fascinating history. Even today, it is still considered a great skill to prepare an attractive Bento Box with as much emphasis placed on the visual, as on the food itself. Currently, there are four menu choices served in the compartmentalized box, presented as a complete meal. Opting for two selections, (#220) Azabu and (#223) Tokyo with presentation a foregone conclusion - both are served with the house salad, a California roll and a tempura of shrimp and vegetable and miso soup, with Azabu featuring teriyaki chicken and Tokyo, a combination of teriyaki chicken and beef steak each in an individual, enticingly spicy sauce. A virtual feast for the eyes, and a complex medley of irresistible, far-away tastes and intriguing textures for the palate.
Grilled Entrees are also a new item featured at Yoshis with an assortment of offerings that include teriyaki chicken, grilled beef steak, tempura and grilled fish. Always adventurous, my husband opted for the Dancing Eel (#206) and a side of garlic fried rice (#200) and was beguiled with his choice! The marinated eel was sliced thinly on the horizontal and was absolutely tender, and melted in your mouth with an ever so slight barbequed flavour. Chef Yoshi revealed that the eel is reputed to bring energy and stamina to those who consume it! The aromatic rice was made in the traditional Japanese style and exuded intense and savoury garlic flavours.
As in most aspects of life, order and balance is fundamental and dessert is no exception. What is put into the body is taken seriously, so here you will not find rich, chocolaty, decadent sweets, but you will find ice cream - in green tea and red bean flavours. Not convinced? You have to try it to believe it - the green tea imparts the same enticing flavours as the famous beverage, and is smooth, refreshing and surprisingly calming.
There is a certain irony in the fact that many years ago, Chef Yoshi dedicated himself to learning the highly esteemed culinary art of the sushi chef purely for his own self-indulgences. Since opening the doors to Matsuri Sushi Bar in January 2005 it has been a pleasure and a fascination to observe the tremendously skilled 'maestro' create his sushi masterpieces. In May 2007 his well-deserved, good fortune continued to accelerate with Yoshis . world-class sushi and authentic Japanese cuisine prepared by what many of us on Provo fondly consider, a celebrity chef of our very own.
By Mandy Rostance-Wolf
Reprinted from "Where When How - Turks & Caicos Islands"
September/October 2007
