The FACT team was treated to a VIP lunch at the office when we experienced Gyuto’s VIP outside catering service.

The restaurant’s Al Liwan location has become a firm favourite with fans of contemporary Japanese cuisine, so we were excited to hear that they have launched a catering option. And this is no plastic tubs and noodle boxes affair. Oh no, this is the real deal! So much so that this experience felt like a total treat.

The two smartly dressed Gyuto representatives arrived at our office bang on time, as promised, and began to unpack a special cool pack, which ensured our feast was as fresh as could be. And, very quickly, our meeting room table was laid out just like a restaurant with pretty ceramic and wood-like serving bowls bearing a selection of maki rolls and salads as well as proper dark, stoneware plates, funky black cutlery (plus a container of chop sticks), small personal pots for the soy sauce and a selection of ginger and bright green wasabi as well as real linen napkins.* Very posh.

We paused for some pictures before digging in and loading our plates.

The crab salad with Asian mixed leaves, cucumber and avocado with yuzu goma dressing was delicious – if my everyday salads tasted like this, sticking to a diet would not be such a trial. The shredded crabstick meat was flavourful, firm and plentiful while the soft creamy avocado offered the perfect foil to the dressing, the zesty citrus and sesame of which gave an earthy balance to the mix of flavours.

Wakame salad provided the perfect option for the non-meat-eaters, the seaweed offering a taste of the ocean without being fishy and the combination of pickled plum and walnuts giving a subtle almost sweet and sour combination alongside the sesame, soy and rice vinegar of the goma dressing. Even the carnivores among us were much taken with this one.

The selection of makis was huge. I love the name of Spicy Tuna Rock ‘N’ Roll almost as much as the taste, the fresh yellowfin really grabbing the attention with its accompaniment of green onions, sesame crumb and a healthy, pungent kick of sriracha sauce. Another tuna option, with sambal mayo and a kimchi base was equally flavourful, the fermented vegetables adding an interesting heat and texture.

The California Classic of crabstick, cucumber, avocado and tobiko was refreshing and light with the fish roe imparting a delightful pop on the tongue. And the Salmon Classic, with its accompaniment of avocado and sesame seed, almost comforting in its reliability – whoever first discovered this combination really knew what they were doing. It really is a classic, and rightly so.

The Tekka Maki, on this occasion made with simple crabstick wrapped in nori seaweed, was perfect with a good coating of hot wasabi and the Prawn Tempura Maki was definitely a favourite with its crunchy asparagus and spicy mayo.

There was plenty for the vegetarians and vegans too. A particular success was the vegan California Maki bearing a surprise in the form of caramelised onion alongside the avocado, asparagus, cucumber and sesame sauce. We were all very impressed with the innovation and sweetness of the onions. So much so that we had to check to make sure we had properly identified the ingredient.

There was also a veggie option with carrots which we particularly loved for the addition of this vegetable’s crunchy texture, not to mention the lovely colour combination.

Overall, the food was excellent. The rice, as you would expect, perfectly cooked every time, which is very important. The flavour mixes in the maki were well balanced and, though the rice vinegar was clearly in evidence, it was not overpowering, as is sometimes the case.

We tried the maki selection, but Gyuto also offers other options such as tacos, sliders, dim sum and bao and small plates that include selections such as calamari, rock shrimp tempura and spicy salmon and tuna crispy rice. There are even desserts such as Miso Caramel Cheesecake, which sounds intriguing. There are five-, six- and seven-course menus available and all are great value.

So, next time you’re entertaining and want to impress, this could be the perfect option. They’ll come to your home or office and set up the whole thing – all you need to do is pour the beverages and accept the compliments (though maybe don’t try to claim the dishes as your own).

*Available for limited-size bookings only. ✤

GO: CALL 7799 9444 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK YOUR NEXT EVENT’S CATERING WITH GYUTO.