Lahoris are always excited about trying new restaurants, especially when an eatery offers Asian food. That is why so many Asian fusion restaurants have managed to become so successful and loved in the city. Recently, the most talked about addition to the list of such eateries is Gaia that specifically offers Japanese fusion food. The restaurant has created a buzz in the city since it’s opening. Thus, a friend and I decided to dine at Gaia for dinner over the weekend.

Gaia is a fine dining restaurant that specializes in serving contemporary Japanese cuisine. The restaurant’s interior is attractive, contemporary yet artistic, reflects the satisfying quality of the food. Coming to the food, the most essential part of my trip to Gaia. The restaurant offers a wide variety of exotic main courses that you can choose from, ranging from poultry to seafood. After going through the menu, we finally decided to settle for a Crunchy California Maki platter and Quinoa salad for the appetizers. Followed by a Lime Chili Sea Bream Risotto and Oyster Ginger Glazed Scallops for the main course

The appetizers arrived at our table within a very reasonable amount of time and were presented to us in earth toned plates made from clay. The Crunchy California Maki came with a healthy option of sticky brown rice and was topped with a generous quantity of a species of caviar, some of the best that I have tried in Lahore. The Quinoa Salad was topped with a portion of kale and a dressing of pomegranate and molasses. The salad was very fresh, colorful and delectable. Extremely pleased with our appetizers, we excitedly expressed our pleasure with the server, to which he replied that most of the ingredients used at Gaia are imported from Dubai.

After some time our main course was ready to be served and we had our forks and knives all ready for the deliciousness that was being presented to us. As soon as the scallops were placed on the table I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful pearly shells that they were served in. The risotto also looked extremely mouth –watering and had a zesty aroma to it. Coming to the taste, the scallops were just out of this world. They were glazed to perfection with the most flavorful oyster- ginger sauce and tasted delicious. The risotto also made for a wholesome meal. With a juicy tender piece of fresh sea bream and a tangy flavor to it, the risotto was satisfying and equally comforting.

After dinner, it was time to satiate our sweet tooth. We ordered their Yuzu Meringue Tart. The tart was served in a solid clay platter that was decorated with whipped cream and meringue kisses. A serving of tangy yuzu curd was placed upon a crumbly shortbread tart topped with fresh meringue flowers. The tart for dessert was the perfect end to an extremely fulfilling meal. Overall, the restaurant won my heart over with its freshly prepared food, high quality produce and attractive ambience. I would recommend everyone to pay a visit to Gaia to indulge in some authentic Japanese cuisine.