IN other parts of the world, the year is measured in four phases: spring, summer, autumn and winter. A time to be born, a time to rise, a time to surrender, a time to recover. Unlike in our own Pearl of the Orient Seas, blessed by abundant sunshine and never visited by the dead cold, where the fish may swim in the waters and the crops may grow in the fields throughout the year.

But while the cold may be difficult, there are benefits that come with the snow and temperatures close to zero. For one, it offers a rest period for nature and allows her to deliver more colorful, more robust fruits and greens in the spring; for another, it brings in ingredients not usually captured in the warm heat of summer while making one anticipate the ingredients available only after the months of cold.

In the seasons, there is a dramatization of the process of life. The wise chefs are able to capture this and reflect it in their menus.

This is what is done at the Japanese premium restaurant Inagiku. At Inagikus all over the world, the highly valued sense of season of the Japanese is reflected through the restaurant's menu. So while our summer is over, they are just presently incorporating their Summer Menu, with ingredients that are at their "shun" or "now-in-season" flown in from Japan.

These include ingredients that have taken a rest during the winter but have returned with much fervor in the summer, such as rice and corn. A special tribute, in fact, is paid to rice, by presenting popped rice (that tastes like popcorn, actually!) with the rice stalks bending gently from a vase placed at the center of the table. Real culinary art.

But the main attraction is the fish, which have apparently come back to the warm seas of Japan after the winter break. These include the bluefish, the rainbow trout, and the eel. At least these are the fish that are highlighted in Inagiku's summer menu.
Mr. Yoshio Ishikawa, who presented these to us for tasting at the restaurant, emphasized that the eel was valuable because of its quality, particularly the absence of the "fishy smell". The trout was served plain, with just a dash of salt, that the eater may appreciate the quality of its meat.

Yet what captured my attention most at Inagiku, more than the imported goodies, was the creativity of the chef. Beyond just a sense of season, each dish exhibited a sense of balance and harmony with nature that was just on a higher plane of creative execution altogether.

Sure, there are some dishes that are served plain: the eel is just atop rice; the trout just lies there. But the sea urchin is served with a layer of egg above it that is so soft you almost think this is French cuisine and wonder if that is cheese. Or the Foie Gras Chawan Mushi, which incorporates duck liver with custard in a soup-like (but it's not soup!) concoction that successfully made the foie gras deceptively healthy, taking the greasiness out of the gras!

Outside of the summer menu, the sun shines brightly on the all-year sushi menu, thanks to the genius of the restaurant's award-winning sushi chef Wataru Hikawa, who provides a sushi experience like no other. Picture flounder sushi ornamented with chili threads, effecting an ever so slight punctuation of spice as you swallow. Or scallop sushi, so soft, with a hint of creaminess from Inagiku's secret sauce.

A warning to fellow mortals, however, we may remain deprived: these exquisite creations come at Japanese prices as well. Remember, this restaurant is located within a five-star hotel.

But if "your daddy's rich and your momma's good looking," "summertime and the living is easy" with Inagiku's summer menu. It's a summer indulgence that will be worth every bite. ?

INAGIKU Japanese Restaurant. Level 2, Makati Shangri-La, Ayala Ave cor. Makati Ave. Tel. 840 0884. Reservations recommended. Major credit cards accepted. Wheelchair accessible via elevators.