"The sweet and smoky unagi flesh was made even sweeter by the mango"
When God created the world, He made sure that our palates were well taken care of. And He most certainly had a hand in the creation of one of the most loved cuisines of all time – Japanese food. Here in Malaysia, Japanese restaurants have been mushrooming by the dozen and quite frankly, many of them are good simply because a lot of care is taken in ensuring that the food is fresh and that the presentation is attractive. Of course, there are a few rotten sashimis here and there but rest assured that none can be found at Umai-ya Japanese Restaurant at Damansara Perdana.
When eating Japanese food, sashimi is normally a requisite order for me. At Umai-ya, freshness is assured and the platter is worthy of a place on the altar complete with myrrh and incense. After all, when so much care is taken to ensure that the wasabi is shaped in the form of green leaves, when cucumbers are carved out to form tiny receptacles as cradles for the taco wasabe (marinated baby squid), and when tropical flowers are placed between the pieces of sliced fish – red tuna, yellowtail tuna, white tuna and salmon, how can one not spend a good five minutes in awe? And how can one resist the sweet pieces of scallop requiring hardly any other condiment for flavour, and the creamy sea urchin so protectively wrapped by firm pieces of sea bass? Worship these pieces as you savor each piece slowly and allow the flavour to linger in your mouth.
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"The short ribs was fresh with a layer of delicious fat"
The owner is from Taiwan, Korean kimchi is the starter, the mains are Japanese and the waiting staffs are local. Rich cosmopolitan mix or a mishmash of international confusion? With our rich melting pot of fusion cuisine as a fine example, Momotalo’s concept seems to go down well with those adventurous at heart. Momotalo is essentially Japanese charcoal grill cuisine which is still a niche market here in Malaysia. In Japan, this cuisine spans from simple streetside yakitori fare to fine-dining restaurants specializing in highly prized Kobe beef.
When we were seated, two starters of pickled zucchini and Korean kimchi were served along with steaming hot cups of ocha (green tea). Our special dipping sauce was concocted on the spot with minced garlic, chilli paste and supposedly another eight secret ingredients. Mixing it all up, it had a combined taste of sweet, sour and spicy which would perfectly complement our mains. While munching on the starters, the waiters were busy grilling our orders on mobile stoves just behind us. Our friendly waitress commented that nothing was pre-marinated, whereby grilling would bring out its natural flavours and prove its freshness.
First to arrive was the Supreme Ox Tongue (RM25) which was the back portion of the bovine tongue, apparently more tender and possessing the texture of ham. Putting aside my squeamishness, the tongue actually tasted quite scrumptious with a springy texture...
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"The fusion dragon looks and tastes amazing"
First, you see a green neon light and a dark lit place. Then you start wondering is this a pub or a restaurant? As you get closer to the Sushi Groove sign, it will give you the impression that it is such a funky place that you wouldn’t mind trying it out. We walked in with no expectations of how the food would taste like because we were so caught up by the restaurants’ setting: the interior with dark green lights, green plates, green chopsticks, green cups, green sauce dish. Lucky there were no little green people serving us.
The menu gives you a lot of choices with names like Kinky QQ and Flying Geisha. We weren’t too sure on trying those but it rolls off the tongue so cheekily that we can’t help making jokes about it. Later we found out that it’s just a glorified name for tuna rolls or salmon rolls. The younger crowd of course would love this. Since there are so many dishes to choose from and your brain has suddenly switched to “I’m on Planet Green” mode, for first timers take 5 minutes to peruse the menu.
On the cards today are the traditional miso soup, the seaweed salad and Tokyo crispy mushroom omelette for starters. It’s a good deal. All the starters are good. Light but still tasty. The pickled ginger is nice and tasted like “jeruk asam” that you can eat it by itself while waiting for the main dishes. Box sets are served with rice, miso soup and salad. We tried the tempura with beef teriyaki set but unfortunately, we were not too pleased with the outcome. The restaurant did not serve the set with the traditional glutinous rice in most Japanese dishes and the tempura batter was very oily. But we ate on. Our disappointment came to an end when we had fresh salmon sashimi.
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"Why oh why is this not a steamboat option?"
If you fancy a bit of quiet Japanese whilst eavesdropping on Putrajaya gossip, Midori a comfortable and relaxed restaurant offers just that and more. Sashimi and sushi can probably be had anywhere- so what sets a Japanese restaurant apart are three main things. The freshness of the ingredients, the creativity of the chef in giving something familiar a different twist and the professionalism of the staff.
Well Midori certainly had attentive staff and they were quiet and unobtrusive as they served us hot green tea and appetizers. Trio De Oysters, a medley of six chunky oysters kicked off the meal. These were tasty little morsels, some baked with cheese, others fresh and raw with a splash of lemon. It was nice and light and ‘opened’ the tastebuds for the moriwase plate. Midori’s moriwase platter consisted of rolled sushi and pieces of very fresh fish- so it’s yes to the first criteria.
Again this was nice and light, so next up they brought some tasty garlic fried rice. The Japanese fried rice from what we gathered was lightly fried with soya and a handful of chopped vegetables and then topped with deep fried garlic instead of shallots. It’s by all means not a main meal like what we have here, rather a bridesmaid dish to accompany the main. And what an outstanding bride it was! In a large claypot confection, ringed with a delicate froth, bubbling demurely was the lobster Nabemono. This is a Midori take on our humble steamboat. Using succulent lobster and simmered with lettuce, mushrooms and all kinds of good things in a miso broth it brought a sigh to the throat. Why oh why we wondered is this never a steamboat option? Instead of just the usual chicken stock and fiery tomyam, miso would have threaded the middle ground, keeping your nose dry yet adding the most amazing dimensions to all things simmered in it.
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"This is a gem of a place"
I must admit this find is a goldmine. I could never imagine finding such a charming place away from the busy and chaotic traffic (just 5 minutes away from the old airport). Tucked in an upscale condo, Chuka Cafe (non-halal) appears to be well patronized by the Japanese expats in the area. And if they are here, then this place must definitely be doing something right to please their very picky palate. Thus we must be on to a good thing right? Well, let's find out....
When we arrived, almost all the tables were taken with the clientele consisting mostly of... you guessed it, Japanese! Even the menus arrived in 2 versions - Japanese or English. The cafe overlooks the condo's swimming pool. So there's a nice, serene ambiance to it, though the place looks fairly basic and simple. Reminds me of those little humble roadside/ryokan inns you drop by for a bite, reminiscent of Japanese serials.
Service was efficient and very helpful. Just voice your preference to the waitress and she will recommend what to order. We did, and the stuff she named was not even listed in the menu! Methinks you can even request the chef to prepare something you concocted in your head, and they will try their best to comply. True to Japanese hospitality!
Food came pretty quick. First up was our Tofu salad. It was chock-full of ham, tomatoes, tofu, cucumber and lettuce. A typical salad with a Japanese/Asian twist to it. The dressing was piquant and gave a tasty tang to the salad. Tofu cubes were soft and smooth. The lettuce came with a dash of wasabi for that extra kick to your tastebuds! Definitely a healthy way to kickstart our meal.
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"The Kumi sauce is tastebud ambrosia"
This charming basement restaurant is a breath of fresh air (Hawaiian to be exact) from all the other stoic Japanese eateries in town. The lighting is lowered to comfortable levels giving Wasabi's modern looking restaurant a good ambience at night. It's menu is quirky and full of local ingredients, Wasabi (it's founder migrated to Hawaii and started the restaurant there) embraces the spirit of Japanese cooking using the freshest produce and what's indigenous to the country it's in. That's why it has unique items like Papaya Motoyaki, sauteed seafood in half papaya shells a refreshing dish.
You MUST try the Kumi's No. 1-an orgasm in your mouth folks! The secret is the Kumi sauce which is tastebud ambrosia. We then had some rolls which is delicious. Rainbow rolls are sushi inside out with the rice rolled in sashimi. The super California rolls are lightly fried giving a slight crunch on the inside.
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"Try out the weekly Sunday brunch "
Firstly, Japanese cuisines need not be very expensive if you know which dishes to select. Two, if you are going with some friends or on a date and you are worried about the budget, it helps to call the restaurant manager in advance and ask them whether can you get a decent dinner with the price you have allocated. You can surprisingly get a decent and enjoyable meal. Three, if you don't know what to order, tell the restaurant manager some of your preferences and ask them for some recommendations.
Kampachi Japanese Restaurant is arguably the most established Japanese Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. All the essential qualities of Japanese cuisine are reflected in its preparation: the use of absolutely fresh ingredients, the artful presentation, and the perfection of technique by a skilled chef. First up is Edamame or Steamed Soya Bean. You open up the pod, take the beans out by chopsticks, dip them in some soya sauce and in you go. Nice....
Next up, came the Shake Sashimi or Sliced Raw Salmon. This is raw Norwegian salmon. A visit to a Japanese restaurant is not complete without some raw fish. Dip some salmon in soya sauce mixed with wasabi and its delicious. A good Japanese restaurant can be benchmarked by how fresh its Sashimi is prepared. This one has a very fresh taste. Kampachi's sashimi came with sea kelp and oba leafs. Sea kelp is a type of seaweed. The oba leaf tasted a bit minty. However, when I tried the combination of sea kelp, oba leaf and salmon, it tasted delicious.
After that wonderful experience, came the Chawan Mushi or steamed egg custard. Its ingredients consist of egg, ginko, chicken, mushroom and prawns. The whole concoction is steamed in the bowl and served hot. I like this one but egg custard tends to make you full. So I suggest that you go easy on this one.
Everyone can relate to sushi. The Japanese make rolls cooked glutinous rice. This rice is wrapped in seaweed leaves and served cold, and just like a sandwich it has cold cuts and a spreads with it. However, the cold cuts are not sausage or meat but seafood or fish, and the spread is not mayonnaise but wasabi. I had Soft Kani Maki Sushi or Sushi Rice with Deep Fried Soft Shelled Crab.
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