Picture this. A substantial fillet of salmon fills the center of the plate, its flesh glinting a delicate pink and adorned with a dab of sour cream and a frond of dill. To one side a small mound of lightly steamed spring vegetables: young peas still in their pods; nanohana (rape greens); a thin wedge of scarlet koshin daikon. To the other, a soft-poached egg, an irregular sphere of brilliant white encasing a yolk of molten gold.
It tastes every bit as wonderful as it looks. The salmon has been marinated for a night, then briefly smoked (a mere 15 minutes) over chips of cherry wood, imbuing it with a subtle flavor midway between carpaccio and traditional smoked salmon. The egg, onsen tamago style, is poached to perfection. The glistening vegetables are garden fresh, their gentle bitterness tempered by the tarragon dressing.
The elements are simple but the combination -- that synergy of colors, flavors and textures -- is memorable. It's a dish worthy of inclusion at any top-end restaurant. Where you'll find it, though, is on chef Yusuke Nakada's highly approachable (and affordable) menu at L'Artemis, on the outer fringes of Harajuku.