Senjyu don't just serve the stereotypical Japanese food. Thanks to executive chef Ueda Toshihiro, their trademark dishes are more modern with the use of more 'prime' ingredients such as foie gras and wagyu beef. Throw in these two ingredients, you would certainly get the attention of Malaysian diners. So, here's my take on Senjyu Sushi after being here a few times. Modus operandi - 1. go for the sashimi to check the freshness (Tues & Fridays are fresh as that's when the fresh ones comes in. Not only for them but for nearly all Japanese Restaurants in KL) and 2. Check out the 'weird' items on the menu as that's where they have placed their effort on.
Lets start with the Iso Moriawase. A beautiful dish of five types of sashimi - salmon, tuna, yellowtail, cuttlefish and prawns. A definite pass for the price you pay. The sashimi has a fresh taste and the cut is not paper thin. The spring bite is there, taste is sweet and it's not watery so you know that they bother to serve you the sashimi fresh (chillied) and not thawed from a frozen block. I am not much of a cuttlefish or prawn sashimi guy and my wish list is if they could have an 'all fish' option as well. Just for kicks, I tried the salmon belly which is also fresh. I loved the way Senjyu slices the belly. Lengthwise, haven't seen this anywhere else.
They have several cool & fresh creations. One of my favourites is the Foie Gras & Oyster Mentai Maki. This consists of four pieces of sushi deep fried. Two of them are topped with a slice of fried foie gras and the other two with fried oysters. The best way to enjoy them is to dip in some wasabi laden soy sauce and to take the sushi in whole. Yup, that's the best way to enjoy oysters. If you've ever tried to eat an oyster half, you'll know what I mean.
"Affordable Japanese with a modern twist"
In one of their creations, they throw (or rather wrap) in wagyu beef and called it Senjyu Wagyu Maki. The name even rhymes. Is it as sinful in name as it is in taste? You get a maki filled with asparagus, fried onions, beef bits rolled around slices of wagyu beef which is pan fried for a few seconds to seal in the juices. Not your traditional maki for sure but it has a nice 'Asian' flavour to it. They also have a grilled eel dish that is quite good. Dipped in sweet soy sauce and grilled over a fire, the eel fillet is placed over rolled rice.
So, a lot of the new creations use different preparation methods which makes it more interesting. If you are feeling peckish and can't wait for the meal to come from the ala-carte menu, there is the kaiten (conveyor belt) selection that can tempt your tummy. From here, my favourite is their baby octopus sushi.The sushi making the rounds are beautifully presented and are priced between RM4- RM16 per plate.
Also, they have small 'appetizers' from the Izakaya menu. There's an aubergine/eggplant grilled with miso paste and bonito flakes which is an excellent taste combination, unagi on egg slices, portobello mushrooms stuffed with minced chicken and there's also quail eggs on something that I did not manage to try but sounds interesting. All are beautifully presented.
The verdict is this. You can't compare Senjyu to places like Kampachi or Jyuraku because they have different price points and their belief is different. You can't compare them to Sushi King and Genki Sushi (Senjyu took over Genki Sushi King last year) because they have lower price points. Senjyu's prices are slightly more expensive than average franchise prices. But if you want affordable but fresh sashimi and Japanese cuisine that is more modern and different, you should give Senjyu a try. They also have another branch at Sunway Pyramid.
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