there are only a few moments in one’s life when food becomes the medium for a personal transformation. i had one of those moments last saturday night. my husband and i went with two other couples to miya's sushi in new haven.
we had been there two years ago. little did we realize, our “waiter” that night turned out to be the executive chef and owner, bun lai. he asked us what we liked and if we were game for a little adventure. he ordered for us off-menu and we had a fantastic meal—one of the best i’ve ever eaten.
this time, i wanted to recreate our adventure. i contacted the restaurant to see if bun would be there. he e-mailed and said to let him know when we made a reservation. he did not disappoint. the fish was supremely fresh. the preparation was innovative and imaginative. each dish blurred sublimely and seductively into the next.
we started with raw, warmed scallops in oyster sauce. tilapia with just a kick of heat accompanied by sliced cucumber so thin they were practically invisible. the tuna, so fresh and pink it was probably illegal in seven states, was encrusted with herbs and sauvignon blanc. the tuna was quickly followed by ivory obelisks of marlin. and then a dish he prepared based on nothing more than a musing: what if sushi had been invented in africa? an unleavened wheat crepe filled with crunch and spice and a touch of goat cheese to remind you sushi doesn’t necessarily have to be fish.
the pièce de résistance was a potato wrap with crabmeat. it was topped by what looked like a deep-fried japanese shore crab as its jaunty chapeau. paired with a lemon dill sauce drizzled on top, the little crab crunched like a potato chip as the whole ensemble was plated on lava rock in an itty-bitty tower.
all these wonderful morsels, a sort of pan-asian amuse bouche, were chased down with fruited beer cocktails, fermented sumac (no, not the poisonous kind) and a liquor made from pine needles.
these are the moments in life you remember most: a table full of friends and a belly full of great food.
life doesn’t get much better than that…
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