If the interiors of Tamura, a standalone Japanese restaurant in New Friends Colony and Vasant Vihar, make you feel as if you are in an eatery in Tokyo, the food will just intensify the feeling.

Such is the authenticity of Tamura’s food that almost 70 per cent of its clientele is Japanese. With ingredients flown in twice a week from Tokyo, we are not surprised that connoisseurs of Japanese food swear by this very restaurant, when they need to sample the gastronomic delights from the land of the rising sun.

For most people, Japanese food means sushi but the exhaustive menu at Tamura will duly educate them. You get to pick from 100 items that include soups, starters and main course. Kick things off with mughi cha, a welcome drink made of wheat. Or else, go Japanese with saki, the traditional rice wine, or the lesser-known sochu, another version of wine but with more alcohol.

To experience the real deal, try sashimi, similar to sushi but minus the sticky rice and seaweed. Essentially raw fish, sashimi is to be had with wasabi, a dip made of horseradish paste, and soy sauce. The sashimi platter would comprise merlin, groper and fresh tuna.

Tamura also has the famed Bento Lunch Box on offer. This is like a school tiffin box that almost overflows with a rich booty consisting of mix-vegetable tempura, fried fish and vegetables, and is quite filling. For the best experience ask the waiter to help you mix and match.

Here’s to Japanese food at a price that does not really pinch.