Bodai is the first Chinese vegetarian tasting menu concept in NYC, created by Master Chef Guo Wenjun. It is set to launch today, October 15th, in his restaurant, Chef Guo, which is hidden on the ground floor of The Randolph House luxury residences and is accessible only by ringing a doorbell at the entrance. Guests are greeted by a server dressed in a traditional robe and led through a vestibule sealed off from the restaurant by wooden doors adorned with traditional Chinese carvings.
Inside the dining room, guests will find a Zen Garden courtyard paved with blue bricks and jars from which a waterfall flows, beneath a faux pomegranate tree, setting the tone for Chinese Master Chef Guo Wenjun’s new Bodai vegetarian cuisine. This unique culinary experience is based on ancestral recipes of the ‘Qing Palace Cuisine’ vegetarian culture, which is significant in royal cuisine. The ‘Qing Palace Cuisine’ is a testament to China’s rich history and cultural heritage. Chef Guo’s menu is a labor of love. It took two years to decipher the writings of his mentor, Chinese Master Chef Ding Guangzhou, a 7th generation disciple of the line of royal chefs, to source ingredients from all over the world to create the nine-course tasting menu.
Setting the tone for the evening, guests are greeted by an elaborate place setting designed especially for the tasting. A crane arrives at the table with peach incense that stimulates the senses and enhances the appetite. A beautifully adorned box holds a scroll with a menu written in Chinese and English, as well as Bodai-branded multi-colored linen keepsake napkins.
With a maximum capacity of 10 guests per seating, the dining room at Bodai is designed to ensure each diner receives personalized attention. The servers take their time to carefully explain each dish, its ingredients, and the story behind its invention, with traditional Chinese Guqin music playing in the background, creating an intimate atmosphere akin to a private dinner party.
Guests have a choice to select from four complimentary varieties of tea (hibiscus, blueberry, rose apple, or five black (black berry, black beans, etc) to start the meal, or the option of a wine pairing, selected specifically to enhance each course.
The tasting begins with The Life of Enlightenment, a presentation of basic five flavors of Chinese cuisine and the emotions of life: sour (regrets and losses), sweet (joy and successes), bitter (challenges and difficulties), spicy (passion and adventure), and salty (simplicity and authenticity of life).
The progression continues with Stickopus Japonicus (cauliflower mushroom) with a secret creamy cucumber sauce; Bodai Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, made with 21 vegetables that are slow-cooked for nine hours to create a rich and flavorful broth incorporating nine types of mushrooms (mane, red, tiger’s palm, morel, and truffles); Pan-seared Boletus paired with organic Green Millet rice; Sweet and Sour Vegetarian Riblets, a play on the classic sweet and sour flavors of Imperial Palace Cuisine, replaced with vegetarian ingredients such as tofu skin and Korean pear; Nepal (Napalese) Mushroom, rich in nutrients, with Crispy Quinoa in a charred Chili Pepper Sauce; Bo-Yu Steamed Rice, traditionally eaten by Buddhist monks, this dish combines fresh walnuts with smooth peach gum; Ancient Recipe for Zhajiang Noodles topped with black truffle.
For dessert, Nectar of the Gods, presented in a real eggshell, this dish utilizes yellow peaches, papayas, and silver snow swallow to resemble a delicate egg yolk in both appearance and texture, yet with a delightful, sweet taste.
To complement the menu, there is a concise list of Champagnes and wines that lean French and are accented by New World selections from California. A five-course wine pairing is also available with the vegetarian tasting menu for $95.
The tasting menu is priced at $99, with only three seatings a night at 5 and 7 p.m. for a maximum of 10 people per seating.
Chef Guo Wenjun has designed and hand-crafted the Zen Garden in Bodai, adding artifacts from his personal collection which are displayed throughout the dining room.