It is no secret that Japanese food is one of my favorite international cuisines. Sashimi, sushi, tempura, hand rolls, teriyaki, teppanyaki, I like them all. The culinary experience I had when I visited Tokyo 2 years ago is still fresh in my memory, as I lick my lips again…

Luckily, there are many good Japanese restaurants in this part of the world, and one of my absolute favorite would be Rakuzen, a place I visited on a regular basis ever since I came back from the States. In fact, the blog entry on Rakuzen at Subang Jaya is one of my first food articles. I bet you can imagine my enthusiasm when I was invited to a food review session at Rakuzen @ Chulan Square.

Sashimi Moraiwase

According to the friendly host and restaurant manager, Jack, Rakuzen Subang is where everything started, and this Chulan Square location is the second branch. Then there’s the Pyramid Zen, and I found out that they also run my favorite conveyor belt sushi place, Zanmai Sushi! I believe there is also a Zanmai outlet at Gardens, you can check it here.

the really zen like ambiance

Chef Ah Fai at Rakuzen is one of the top apprentices of the bald Japanese chef heads the Subang branch and has been making sushi & sashimi for more than a decade. For this review, he prepared the signature dish sashimi moraiwase, a sashimi salad, dragon roll, and assorted tempura. I was already drooling while taking these photos.

sashimi moraiwase, sashimi salad, dragon roll, tempura

The sashimi includes sake (salmon), maguro (tuna), otoro (tuna belly), ika (squid), tako (octopus), amaebi (sweet shrimp), uni (sea urchin), and a Spanish mackerel, everything imported from Japan and properly stored in their special -15 C fridge to ensure freshness. Order individually, everything would totaled to over RM 200, so the RM 150 dish offers very good value.

The raw fish were very very good, especially the otoro, fatty savory tuna belly that melts in your mouth; of course, the sea urchin is always one of my favorites too, texture of raw brain but with the tastes of that unique sweetness. It was very very satisfying, everything tasted perfect, with proper cuts and the right temperature too.

chef Fai and his creations

As for the sashimi salad, there were plenty of raw fish, squid, and a generous portion of ebiko (fish roe) on top of all the fresh vegetable, tomato, and cucumber in a creamy topping that tasted slightly sourish. This is perfect for someone who loves to have raw fish but doesn’t want to have the rice to go with it. (you can choose to fill your stomach with just sashimi and break the bank at the same time).

The dragon roll is made by deep frying a big tiger prawn and wrapped it with seaweed sheet, sushi rice, avocado, and topped with some Japanese mayonnaise. There were carrots, prawn, egg plants, and even the mint leaf in the tempura dish. I find the half fried mint leaf having a very interesting taste with a unique texture. I always eat the mint leaf served with sashimi anyway, try it!

Rakuzen at Chulan Square is just a short walk from Pavilion KL

It was a very sumptuous and satisfying lunch that is second only to the hospitality by the good chef and the restaurant manager Jack. The invitation was arranged by foodstreet.

Address:
Block B Lot 2A Chulan Square,
92 Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 KL
Tel: 03-2145 6200

Tags:  cuisine,  dining,  eats,  fresh,  Japanese,  rakuzen,  sashimi,  sushi,  tempura,  zen

Posted by KY | 29 Comments »

Just before heading to Bangkok, I had the chance to do a review at Pearl International Hotel’s Sunday Japanese Buffet. Being a fan of Japanese food, I naturally accepted the offer without any hesitation.

glorious oysters, mussels, and crabs

The Sunday buffet is actually something new for Pearl International Hotel. I was a little skeptical on the quality and choices of food as the hotel does not have an in-house Japanese restaurant. However, I was proven wrong on both assumptions when I reached the hotel at around 12pm. A writer from NST was joining us for the review session as well.

wide variety of food, including desserts and fruits

The buffet is set up at Deli Corner, the restaurant right by the main lobby with seating capacity of around 200. The setting is rather large, with almost every type of Japanese food on the various buffet lines. From raw oysters, sushi and sashimi, to tempura and sukiyaki, the selection was impressive.

the raw stuff: sushi, sashimi, oysters, and chuka idako (baby octopus)

The proper way to start off with a Japanese buffet is, of course, by attacking the raw bar. I got myself a few pieces of raw oysters, some mussels, and a couple steamed prawns to go with a serving of sashimi. This is to ensure that the taste buds aren’t contaminated by the stronger flavored cooked item.

soba, sukiyaki, tofu, and green tea ice cream

The oysters, mussels, and prawns were very good. As for the sashimi, the standard is rather normal. Then again I’ve never had really outstanding sashimi from a buffet. The finer cuts are usually only catered to ala carte menu where a plate of sashimi moriawase costs more than a ticket to this buffet, so I guess it is only fair.

noodle, tempura, chawanmushi

I then moved on to sample some chuka idako (baby octopus), tempura, tofu, vegetables, and terikyaki sticks. I particularly like the way they serve chuka idako in a soup spoon. Very exquisite and yet easy to take, easy to eat, and without the chance to make a mess. These cooked food didn’t disappoint me, they are at least on par with the midrange Japanese restaurants.

ahh, some sake to go with everything, perfect

I had the chef made me a very delicious bowl of sukiyaki with beef too, and another serving of raw food before calling it a meal. At the end, I couldn’t resist the green tea ice cream for dessert, 2 scoops of sweetness, bliss!

Pearl International is situated right next to Plaza OUG at Old Klang Road

The meal is priced at RM 48++ per person, seniors can get in for RM 40++ and kids at RM 30++. Pretty decent price for the amount of offerings you get to have. Currently it is only on for Sunday buffet lunch, but do give them a call as the F&B Manager Lawrance Khoh told me they are planning to expand this operation looking at the strong demand. Give it a try!

Invitation arranged by FoodStreet.

Address:
Batu 5, Jalan Klang Lama
58000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-7983 1111

Tags:  Buffet,  dining,  food,  idako,  Japanese,  sake,  sashimi,  sukiyaki,  sushi,  tempura

Posted by KY | 33 Comments »

It actually took me more than three years working at KLCC to discover Ozenki Ozeki Japanese restaurant, situated just a stone’s throw away from my office at Menara TA. I couldn’t resist the temptation looking at the giant menu outside the restaurant and decided to give it a try just a while ago, and went there again with the noob Nicholas before he left KLCC to greener pasture.

the menu is huge, literally.

Other than the ala carte menu, Ozeki offers some unique set lunches. I always chose the RM 28++ combo, you basically get to choose 2 main dishes from 6-7 different choices, with salad, soup, rice, fruits, and a couple condiments accompanying the set. The mains include sushi, sashimi, tempura, saba shioyaki (grilled mackeral), salmon shioyaki, unagi kabayaki, chicken teriyaki, and beef teriyaki. There are also noodle set lunch and normal set lunch.

fresh Japanese food with decent pricing

While the 2 mains might look a bit smallish, they are actually plenty enough for lunch. In this outing, I had the grilled salmon and 5 pieces of sushi to go with some rice, soup, salad, and a rather delicious piece of tofu as appetizer. The noob had unagi and sashimi instead.

the menu inside is the same size as this one outside

Overall, the food was pretty good, and for this area in Klang Valley, a pretty good value. Service was friendly and professional, interior decoration and ambiance were nice, and most importantly, the ingredients were fresh. I’m feeling like going there again this week. Anyone?

Ozeki is situated at Menara TA, just a couple minutes from KLCC

Address:
Menara TA One, Ground Floor,
No. 22, Jalan P.Ramlee,
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2166 4263

Tags:  Japanese-Food,  KL,  klcc,  menara-ta,  ozeki,  salmon,  sashimi,  sushi,  tokyo-cuisine

Posted by KY | 21 Comments »

A while back a reader of this humble blog was kinda enough send me a one day Shangri-La hotel prestige membership coupon. This coupon entails me to be treated as if I am one of those people who frequent this hotel chain enough to be given the membership, which also means I get to eat at the various restaurants in Shangri-La for up to 50% discount. I chose to go to Zipangu, the Japanese restaurant that has the reputation to be one of the finest in Klang Valley.

very classy design, and my membership coupon

The interior of the restaurant is most impressive. There is a huge selection of wine, with a dedicated room surrounded by walls made of wine cellars, there is even a dedicated cigar room. The ambiance is mellow and yet classy, no rowdy crowd nor screaming babies.

After checking out the menu, my old pal horny and me decided to order the set dinners as they look enticing, and probably one of the more affordable choices to experience the Japanese style haute cuisine. We ordered the beef teriyaki with tempura and the sushi set.

this foie gras appetizer is to die for

We were first served with a piece of tofu and some vegetable as starter. The texture of the tofu was somehow closer to cheese than tofu and really has the added sophistication. Then came the soup with a slice of lime and some mushroom that carries a tangy taste that I usually don’t associate with hot soup, it was very good nonetheless.

The next item on the menu was foie gras. I have heard and read about this French delicacy for a while now and this was the first time I came face to face with it. For the uninitiated, foie gras: “the liver of a duck or a goose that has been specially fattened by gavage” (as defined by French law).” It was served on a piece of winter melon and lightly seared. The texture is akin to butter and yet just ever slightly more solid. The taste was subtle but yet so good, it was as like a taste I never knew existed. Kinda like the first time you had orgasm, just new, exciting, and addictive (if your wallet is fat enough). You just have to try it.

beef teriyaki with tempura, sushi set with very fatty cuts (best)

The main dish did not disappoint either, the beef teriyaki and tempura was succulent and the sauce that came with the meat so delicious horny was basically in cloud 9. As for the ten pieces of sushi on my plate, I can tell you that I had never had sushi this good before, you could see from the picture that the salmon cut was from the belly, and so was the tuna. It was of course, very fresh, and absolutely delectable.

map of Shangri-La Hotel at KL

Even after the 50% discount, the bill came to around RM 200. However, it was really a dining experience that is worth every cent. They serve buffet lunch on Sunday for around the same price as Jogoya I believe. I must bring the hot chick there one of these days.

Address:
Shangri-la Hotel
Jalan Sultan Ismail
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2032 2388

Tags:  cuisine,  foie-gras,  goose-liver,  haute-cuisine,  Japanese,  shangri-la,  sushi,  tempura,  teriyaki,  zipangu

Posted by KY | 13 Comments »

For some of you who follow this humble blog, you might know that I vouched not to ever spend a dime at Sushi King and Genki Sushi. Although both the restaurants serve inferior sushi on conveyor belt, it doesn’t mean that all conveyor belt sushi restaurants are bad, as my latest experiment at Sushi Zanmai (Sunway Pyramid) assured me.

conveyor belt sushi, with a lot of other items on the menu

I stumbled upon this place a couple of months ago when I visited Zen Sushi at their Pyramid branch. The menu enticed me (particularly the ikura chawamushi) to actually go there a few weeks ago when I had an appointment at Pyramid.

proper portion of fish over rice, nice

For the quick dinner, I picked 4 dishes of sushi (sake, maguro, amaebi, tofu skin) from the conveyor, and ordered a cup of the irresistible ikura chawamushi (salmon roe on top of steamed egg) and a plate of hotate sashimi (raw scallop).

The sushi dishes were actually very good, the portion of fish is generous, and if you look at the amaebi sushi (sweet shrimp), it is actually one big shrimp instead of the usual two tiny ones. They are plenty fresh and tasted very good too. I am one of those people who cannot say no to ikura, and the ikura chawamushi, albeit a bit small in portion, was actually very nice. It is a bit different from the usual roe over sushi rice though. Lastly, the succulent hotate sashimi (5 pieces of fresh scallop) was perfect to round up my dinner.

ikura chawamushi (salmon roe) and hotate sashimi (scallop)

The dinner cost Rm 35.42, with ikura chawamushi being the most expensive at RM 9.80, the sashimi was only RM 8, and sushi plates were between RM 1.60 (tofu skin) to RM 4.80 (shrimp). 10% service charge and the 5% tax is added. Still a pretty good value, and I am going there again.

Address:
Lt 0B2-F1, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Centre
Bandar Sunway, Selangor
Tel: 03-7492 3080

Tags:  hotate,  ikura,  mall,  pyramid,  raw-fish,  scallop,  sunway,  sushi,  zanmai

Posted by KY | 18 Comments »