THE Banyan Tree Phuket restaurant had an opportunity to say Domo Arigato (thank you), and hmmm oshi des yo! (yummy) to a visiting Kaiseki Masterchef from Japan recently.

Mr Tadashi Sawauchi, the resident chef at Tokyo?s award-winning ?Yamazato? restaurant, was in Thailand to present an eight-course Autumn Kaiseki dinner during his five-day stay.

Mr Sawauchi said, ?I am pleased to offer the taste of Yamazato abroad and introduce authentic Japanese cuisine to more guests as Japanese cuisine remains popular worldwide.?

Some of the eight dishes included the appetizer ?Zensai? (decorated sushi), Osuimono soup, which is a clear Japanese soup with white fish wrapped in ?Kudzu? Japanese arrowroot and Shokuji noodles.

One of the most aesthetically impressive dishes was the ?Otsukuri? sashimi, which is assorted fresh fish prepared in typical Japanese sashimi style. A fresh lobster is put in a petal of a lotus blossom. Tuna, Scarlet Red Snapper and tobiko are placed on a big bamboo leaf, and then the salmon and tuna are cut into cube shaped pieces and the tuna salad is placed in a small glass with a piece of lemon.

The eighth, and final course was the dessert,; seasonal fruits, and Shiratama rice-flour dumplings with a sweet Japanese pudding.

Guests also had the opportunity to learn the ancient art of decorating sushi or ?kazari zushi? from Mr Sawauchi.

So until he returns to Phuket, Sayanara Mr Sawauchi.

Banyan Tree Phuket 076 372 400 or email phuket@banyantree.com for the next event in the ?Sense of Occasion? series.