Arigato offers a taste of Tokyo’s mixology and gastronomy in Gurugram

Delhi’s close cousin, Gurugram, is fast turning into one of the hottest destinations for food and nightlife. From global cuisines to world-class mixology, it has everything to appease the city’s cosmopolitan crowd.

And the list of restaurants and diners here seems to be growing. The newest kid on the block is Arigato, the brainchild of Avantika Sinha Bahl, who is behind well-known restaurants Kampai and Basque. 

The ‘progressive Asian house’, as Arigato calls itself, promises to offer a taste of Tokyo’s pulsating gastronomy.

As one enters the 3,000-square-foot dynamic space in M3M’s International Financial Centre, several elements vie for attention. Whether it’s the Sakura-inspired light panels or the artworks that draw from Japanese gardens, one can sense the genuine attempt to keep the vibe as close to Tokyo’s high-energy bars as possible.  

The food and beverages also try to match up. At the helm is chef Bhupender Kumar, who has put a lot of thought into building an extensive menu with sushi, salads, dim sums, small plates, mains, and more. Mixologist Jaydeep Singh’s creativity shines through in most drinks, although there are a few misses. 

YS Life visited Arigato, which means ‘thank you’ in Japanese, to know more about its concept. 

Japanese-centric concoctions

As soon as I was seated, the staff at Arigato handed me the menu fashioned like a fan (full marks for creativity). 

There is a dedicated selection of drinks infused with ingredients from the ‘land of the rising sun’. 

I started the night with Fuji—a gin-based cocktail with an ice block resembling Japan’s highest mountain peak. It had the flavours of vanilla, matcha essence, lime and clarified Greek yoghurt. While it was a refreshing drink, I couldn’t taste the spirit as much, probably because of the infusion of multiple flavours. 

Next up was Miso, an earthy, full-bodied cocktail with umami flavours. The hero was the butter-washed bourbon, paired with notes of caramel, miso, aromatic bitters, and clarified lime. A great drink for those who don’t want extra sweetness in their cocktail. It’s balanced and works well with Asian food. 

The star of the show was Ohayo. With soju, sake, yuzu, calpico and clarified vanilla yoghurt, this drink had many layers that blended smoothly. A creamy cocktail that feels airy, Ohayo was washed down within minutes. 

There were other Japanese cocktails such as Sakura (whiskey, sakura, almond essence, peach syrup, yuzu and egg white), and Kinoko (gin, dry vermouth, yuzu perfume and truffle oil). 

If you’re not in the mood to experiment, there’s another menu offering classic concoctions. 

Asian delights

The food menu had its share of hits and misses. 

Starting with small plates, I tried the Bang Bang Prawns with Sriracha Aioli. The prawns were fresh and full of flavour, with the right crunch. The dip was creamy and a little spicy, but it paired well with the snack. All in all, it’s a perfect bite to go along with your drinks. 

The next appetiser, Korean fried chicken, didn’t live up to my expectations. The chicken lacked crispiness and was a little soggy. It seemed more like chilli chicken than a popcorn-like snack.

It was a similar story with the Arigato crispy parcel. At first glance, it may look like pani puri (of course, it’s not!). While the crab filling was juicy and had flavour in every bite, the outer covering could have been a little crunchy. 

One of my staple orders at any Asian restaurant is dumplings, and Arigato’s selection is extensive. I went for the Oriental Chicken dumplings accompanied with laksa sauce. The dimsums were soft and melted in the mouth, while the spicy-creamy laksa sauce added the right moistness.

Arigato also has a range of sushi options and baos, but I skipped them to try the Japanese pizza with mushrooms. The base tasted similar to a tortilla; it wasn’t too heavy, which was a big plus. It was topped with a generous quantity of mushrooms, which I was thrilled about. 

Another dish that had potential but couldn’t make the cut was the New Zealand lamb rack. While it was high quality meat, it was a little chewy and not as tender as I would have liked it to be. The accompaniments, like the truffle edamame hummus and Korean sauce, were creative and hit the right notes. It hardly took me time to polish off the hummus, it was so addictive! 

What else? 

Arigato also has a dessert menu with some failsafe options. 

I went with the Matcha pastry and the Opera with a chocolate-coffee filling. As someone who understands the flavour of matcha, I must say Arigato gets it right. But if comfort food is on your mind, the Opera will win you over. The balance of chocolate and coffee will create a dance in your palate, probably pushing you to order another helping.

In a nutshell, Arigato, on most occasions, transports you to Tokyo with its food and cocktails. While there is room for improvement in certain dishes, Arigato has immense potential to soar. 

Price for two: Rs 3,500 + taxes 

Timings: noon – 12 AM