The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

A NEW restaurant is putting a spin on popular Japanese cuisine, with a variety of sushi rolls made with foods familiar to the Bahamian palate.

Coconut shrimp, lobster, and conch are just a few of the specialty rolls featured on the menu at Munasan. Adding foods that are familiar to the Bahamian palate is just one of the ways the restaurant is seeking to attract sushi lovers and first-timers.

“What we are trying to do is Japanese with European Caribbean influences. Our signature roll is a coconut shrimp roll which is a regular roll with avocado. All of our rolls have an added value. We also have a conch roll. We have fresh conch and charred barbecue. We have a fish roll and we have a grilled conch barbecue sauce with charred pineapple. We do a have a lobster roll. The portion sizes are bigger and the taste is different. We incorporate curried sauce with barbecue, mango, ginger, and different Asian flavours to the rolls,” said executive chef Nigel Clarke.

“Some of the people were social sushi eaters and others just hang out at a sushi bar but they do not really eat sushi. A lot of my guys who have never had sushi before have tried the coconut shrimp roll. I can imagine you coming in and never having sushi before and you try the coconut shrimp. It is good for a start. We also have the cornflakes, barbecue and other local delicacies. This is what we are going to use to ease them in,” Chef Clarke said.

Fully cooked rolls are also the best entry level dishes, said Chef Clarke, emphasising that not all sushi rolls are served raw.

“When person hears sushi they think raw. But most of our rolls are actually cooked rolls. The barbecue conch is fully cooked. The smoked salmon with cornflakes is also cooked. The lobster rolls are cooked so persons do not have to be afraid,” he said.

The grand opening for Munasan, Bahamas, was held two weeks ago. The restaurant is located at the site of old Kafe Kalik at Breezes Bahamas. General Manager of Superclub Breezes Jackson Weech told Tribune Entertainment  the hotel wanted to bring a new culinary experience to the Bahamas.

“Munasan is a mainstay in our restaurants in Jamaica. We had this space here for a while and previously we operated another independent restaurant here. We looked at it and decided we wanted to be able to do something uniquely different in terms of a culinary experience on the western side of the island. What we did initially was look at our hotel groups and what we have in terms of specialty restaurants. And we said why don’t we do what we have done successfully in Jamaica with our restaurants in terms of the Munasan brand,” he said.

“We are only opened for dinner and we are going to work our way gradually into it. We will only be opened for two nights initially and then as the group grows we will grow. Although we only serve Japanese cuisine people must not be steered away because there is something here for every individual taste,” Mr Weech said.

Munasa is open on Friday and Saturday nights.