Rice sets elegant tone for Japanese meal (2)

Other dishes that go with the "pearl rice" on the spring set menu are no less brilliant and add variety to the meal - if your stomach has enough capacity.

The steamed egg bowl with oyster, shrimp and scallop is another good warm-up for diners on the chilly early spring night. Seasoned with bonito dashi, the light yellow egg boasts a unique texture like a milky, soft custard, though with a slight smell of fish that may put off some diners.

The big appetizer comes as an assortment of six kinds of cold dishes, beautifully arranged like a miniature Japanese garden with well-proportioned greens - in wooden boxes, glass cups, clay pots, with dry ice puffing like a hot spring. Among the six are roast duck and fried scallions with balsamic sauce, chopped octopus with wasabi paste, and my personal favorite: the Shari Tofu, or Japanese tofu mixed with Mascarpone cheese. The creative fusion successfully combines the creamy taste of the cheese and the delicate texture of tofu.

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