Natural Disasters tend to have a ring-on effect. A tsunami brings with it waves that continue to beat the country even months and years after the waters recede. Although the news has petered to a trickle, Japan's problems are far from over.
Of course, there is the rebuild, the ongoing threat of radiation, the grief, and the lack of services or assistance compounding the problem. If you want to keep up with it, just type Japan into Google. The first site will be Wikipedia, but under that, you will find only tragedy for page after page. No tourism, no sushi, no technology news. (the best update I have found is here)
One of the key words you will find in your search results is 'boycott'. Because, of course, there has been a radiation leak. This poison transfers fairly easily into foods, particularly fruit and vegetables. So we have poisoned food in a country where resources are already disabled in all manners. This means lower levels of food for domestic consumption, and international boycotts on their exports. Ironically, one of the best sources of natural iodine is Japanese sea kelp, and the consumption of this will assist the body in fending off any radiation absorption.
As you can see from the photographs, the kitchen is not actually a cooking zone, it's an artist's studio. We ordered sashimi, maki rolls, a sushi sandwich, a couple of spoons and ice-cream. You would think that would be enough for two, even a couple of ravenous foodies, but every plate that passed us fueled our appetite. The guys behind the bench really are something special - I have rarely seen prettier food.
But does it taste good? Sashimi was tasty - particularly the yellow-tail - but the salmon was cut in long fine waves, and I'm a traditionalist - I like little bricks - they're easier to pick up and fling into your mouth before the slippery little suckers fall off your chopsticks.
Dessert for me was two patties of green tea and lychee ice cream, both encased in little soybean pillows. Again, stunning, and probably better to look at than eat, but still, very good, and I would order it again, particularly the lychee.
But the question is, do I now have radiation poisoning? No. Most of the kelp used in Nori production, although termed Japanese Kelp, is in fact farmed thousands of kilometers away in China. The fish is all sourced as locally as possible, as are all the other ingredients. (However I have heard there is a dearth on the pickled pink ginger - none of which we saw on the plate today.) All we have taken from Japan is their expertise. And when I think of it like this, it feels like I'm stealing. But will that stop me going back to Honyaki? I think not.
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Honyaki is located above the Amphitheatre in Madinat Jumeirah Souk, next to Jambase. It is licenced and serves Sake, some other Japanese beverages and extortionately priced wine by the glass, and of course soft drinks. I can imagine quickly finding my way to the bottom of my wallet here on the terrace on a balmy March evening. The tea is bottomless and a bargain at 25AED. Total of our bill was 380AED - not cheap, but we were very well fed. Opening hours are daily from 12 till 12.
Tel: +971 4 3666730
Fax: +971 4 3666649
website: jumeirah.com
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