Master Chef Guo Wenjun has repeatedly taken the world by storm with his innovative and stringent attention to detail for all of his ventures. Already making headlines with his premiere Royal Imperial Chinese tasting menu at Chef Guo NYC, he has now turned to vegetarian Chinese cuisine with Bodai.
As a vegetarian myself, I was so excited when I first heard that renowned chef Guo Wenjun had begun his foray into authentic Chinese vegetarian cuisine. He conceived of Bodai, a tasting menu that would complement his existing full-fledged Chef Guo NYC menu, an exclusive and highly coveted nineteen-course traditional Chinese menu that costs upwards of $500. With Bodai, the selections were much sleeker and more focused, with nine courses that total to $99.
Chef Guo has always prided himself with only the best of the best. With a rich and extensive history of training and accolades that span several decades, Guo has amassed a wealth of knowledge with a drive to preserve ancient Chinese recipes and culture, and especially with the vegetarian menu, focus on health. He imbibes this into all of his conceptions, formulating new and innovative dishes that function in the modern era but carry with them the history that make them truly unique and a time capsule to the original Qing Palace cuisine, by which he is inspired.
Stickopus Japonicus with Cucumber Sauce, courtesy of Chef Guo
Guo is also extremely selective with his ingredients, personally sourcing them daily and only using the most fresh and premium items available. Every aspect of his endeavors are a love letter to food; even this new tasting menu is the result of more than two years of research into ancient recipes.
The location itself was extremely no-frills and unassuming from the outside; to imitate the feeling of arriving to a warm Chinese dinner, guests must ring a doorbell to be allowed entry. Once ushered in by the formally dressed and polite attendees, we took a seat. I was able to appreciate how exclusive and intimate this experience was; only two guests are allowed in a party, and there are only five tables available at any given time. With only two timeslots per day at 5PM and 7PM, this allows for twenty guests per day at a maximum.
Bodai Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, courtesy of Chef Guo
This close-knit feeling made me admire the Chef’s dedication to atmosphere; there are no rowdy groups of people and no obnoxious children here; only a quiet and reserved duo celebrating a special occasion is allowed.
As I examined the decor of the room, with traditional Chinese architecture and iconography, and a pomegranate tree and fountain created by the chef himself, we began our dinner service. We were first offered a selection of herbal teas, from which I decided on a blueberry one. This would be the only choice I would make that night, as the pace of output from the kitchen quickened.
I was served a myriad of dishes, all beautiful, inventive, vegetarian, and delicious. From the starting sampler, which consisted of representations of five different taste types: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty, to a noodle dish that consisted of a secret ancient sauce that was mysteriously electric. Each dish was a whirlwind of flavor, and not overly reliant on vegetables; I have had vegetarian tasting menus before that consisted of piles of cauliflower and potatoes. While sufficient, I always felt like I was missing out on the delightful umami of asian cuisine; this was not the case at Bodai. Mushrooms, tofu, and soy all created a rich and satisfying palette that left little to be desired. Each dish was accompanied by our server explaining each of the ingredients, their origins, and the role that they play in Chinese culture; I soon learned that each ingredient represented some aspect of the culture that Guo had purposefully chosen it for.
Nectar of the Gods, courtesy of Chef Guo
The final dessert was the crowning jewel in Guo’s collection: a nest made of straw and a miniature tree adorned the plate, and within the nest was an egg, cracked in two. Inside the egg was what looked like yolk, but it was actually a fruit purée that only mimicked the look and feel. Although this was no longer the actual yolk, the egg shell was very much real, and this created an intriguing and new experience that I had never seen before. The dish was aptly named Nectar of the Gods, and it was delicious.
Chef Guo has really created something new and miraculous with his menu at Bodai. For a cuisine that is traditionally meat-heavy, being able to convey his country’s rich history and culture in a modern twist that caters to the growing vegetarian population is a challenge that Guo did not need to take, but undertook anyways. Relentlessly progressing, and after decades of growing as a chef, it is amazing that Guo can still put so much love, care, and skill into each and every one of his conceptions and further his name as one of the most visionary culinary artists of this century.
Bodai is open now, and available to book for an experience you will not forget.