Izakaya Ichiban, Hartamas Shopping Centre

Posted on July 24, 2007 by Lyrical Lemongrass

For some of you, seeing another japanese food post is like, “What?? Isn’t this supposed to be a Malaysian food blog??” Perhaps you’re right. And perhaps you’re wrong. Just like how the British claimed curry (or balti) as their national food, I’m hereby claiming Japanese food as my staple meal. The advent of Japanese food in Malaysia has created a cult following, and of late Korean food has enjoyed the same celebrity status. I am certainly not advocating that Japanese food replace Malaysian food, but I do welcome it as an additional item to our already diversified local cuisine. The cross-marrying of the various cultures in the early days have given us wonderful dishes. Why stop?And so, with the assistance of my ever helpful Japanese Food Kawan Association (JFKA), particularly our Secretary, Boo_licious, I was introduced to Izakaya Ichiban, a restaurant that had been open for approximately a month. I was accompanied by the bubbly Precious Pea whom I was interviewing that night for the post of Public Relations Officer for the Association. I had nothing to worry about. She passed with flying colours in two areas: 1. Her ability to eat more Japanese food as compared to the President, and 2. Her ability to charm the pants of anybody in a 10 foot vicinity.

What I like about the food is the price. More importantly, the quality of the food at that price was unbelievable. Take for instance the Kaki Mayo Yaki, essentially grilled oysters with spicy mayonnaise sauce and sauteed mushrooms at RM15. Three pieces of juicy oysters served on a bed of mushrooms with an unbelievably tasty sauce that made us sigh with happiness. And the salmon belly sashimi, fresh and smooth on the palate, at RM28 was worth every cent paid. The shishamo (grilled capelin fish) is what I like to call a petrified fish. With the mouth wide open as if to yell “Help!”, and eyes as though they had seen hell, the shishamo can be quite scary to look at if you’re the type to appreciate a good horror movie. The Attack of the Shishamo. Okay, I know that’s corny. At RM11, it is the same price of a movie ticket in Malaysia but the taste may be more memorable than half the movies made in Hollywood these days. The shishamo is eaten whole with the egg sacs intact. Now that can be quite a sight as well for the horror movie enthusiast. Imagine the head tilted back as the slim fish is slowly lowered into the mouth and disappears down the throat.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Wagyu Beef Don (RM28). The beef was tender and had a lovely sweet flavour provided by the marinade and the sauce. The Una-Cheese Maki (RM20), a rice roll filled with eel and topped with cheese, was nice but not outstanding. Sadly, the cheese slices looked like something one could purchase at a supermarket, individually wrapped! The Hawaiian Maki (RM18) came highly recommended. This was a salmon roll made with honeydew and apple mayo sauce. However, I found it rather tasteless; I was unable to taste the salmon and I felt that the flavours didn’t blend very well.

I would definitely like to come back to try Izakaya Ichiban’s lunch menu priced between RM18++ and RM33++. The ambience allows for a certain amount of privacy with private booths accommodating 4 people comfortably. Service is also attentive.

Izakaya Ichiban (2 doors away from Starbucks)
Lot P-3M, Plaza Ground Floor,
Hartamas Shopping Centre,
60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6201 5905

Sungai Besi Wantan Mee

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Lyrical Lemongrass

Music always soothes the soul, even when one has completely forgotten everything that her music teacher had taught her up till she turned 17, after which her attention was diverted to cars and boys. Despite not being able to tell the difference between a B Minor chord and an F Major chord, I have never ceased to appreciate all types of music, from classical to jazz. So when the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) gave its inaugural performance in 1998, we were ecstatic. We looked forward to one major event every year; when tickets for the new season were up for sale, we’d queue up with the rest of the die-hard fans to purchase them. Several years back, we’d join the queue as early as 2.00 in the morning with a thermos pot containing hot, steaming coffee, packed sandwiches and a couple of good books to while the time away until they opened the ticket counter at 8.00am. It was a ritual of sorts. We’d see the same faces every year, almost like they were old friends (and perhaps, after all these years, they had become that), so it wasn’t really a chore to line up in the comfort of the airconditioned area that the organisers had cordoned off for us.

We love going for concerts. The excitement of dressing up. The anticipation of watching yet another great performance. The opportunity to unwind after a hard day’s work. My tense muscles relax, the frown on my forehead disappears, and my eyes shut close as I lose myself in a symphony of music.

We have one other ritual after an evening at the MPO. We eat wantan mee with wildboar curry.

The stall is situated along the Sungai Besi highway leading from KL to Seremban, just after Nichii Fashion City, and right under a 3M signboard. We’d go to this stall in all our finery, sometimes sitting and eating there, and at other times, for take-away. My regular order is a plate of dry noodles with a serving of half lean meat, half fat char siew (barbequed pork). The noodles may not be as springy as what you’d find in Hung Kee, but it’s still very good.

What makes the meal really satisfying is the extra serving of thick, spicy, wild boar curry, poured liberally over the wantan noodles. The meat is cooked till tender, and the flavours of the spices infuse the meat and mask the strong smell of wild boar that one tends to get a waft of if the meat is not cooked properly.

Other items available here include hakka stewed pork, vinegar pork knuckles and sui kow. I’ve tried the hakka stewed pork once, but it failed to impress so I didn’t bother ordering it again.

The stall is open for dinner till really really late, so it is a good place to stop by after a night of partying. Stumbling about in a drunken stupor is not necessary.

Also check out:
KY Eats
KampungboyCitygal

Hajime Japanese Restaurant, Jalan Damai

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Lyrical Lemongrass

Subsequent to my last post on Japanese food, several food enthusiasts signed up to become members of the Japanese Food Kawan Association (a label coined by one loyal lifetime member, Xiu Long Bao). I had a hard time deciding on the committee members. Two positions were subsequently filled (Elected by the President – majority not required…who said this was a democracy anyway?). Boo_licious was appointed Secretary due to her prolific writing skills and excellent photography, while Paprika was appointed Treasurer (due to her connections with one Hunky who is attached to an international bank and who is able to provide unlimited funding as and when required…we hope…) and Head of Maki subcommittee. Other posts will be filled in due course. Your patience is appreciated.Being the responsible citizens that we were, the newly appointed committee met immediately to discuss the rules & regulations and other such technicalities over a plate of sashimi at our not-so-secret headquarters.

Finding the not-so-secret headquarters wasn’t too terrible a task as I was familiar with Jalan Damai, the location of one of my favourite spas, Vila Manja. The exterior and interior of this refurbished bungalow were extremely pleasing due to the use of various types of woods and stones to create different textures on the surfaces of the building. I brushed past a rope curtain at the main entrance as I entered a very short passageway which led to the main dining area. The main area had two separate sections. The non-smoking section consisted of sunken seats with muted lighting, while the smoking section was more brighty lit with conventional tables and chairs. Naturally, because we wanted to document the food correctly without the unnecessary attention of flashbulbs, we sacrificed our lungs for the sake of our faithful Japanese Food Kawan Association members. *cough cough*

The menu wasn’t very extensive, but contained enough of a variety to get us curious. I have to add here that service was excellent. The lady taking our order was not only knowledgeable about her menu, she was also able to give us informed recommendations on the different types of food. Perhaps other restaurants should take a leaf out of Hajime’s book and learn something about the importance of hiring knowledgeable staff.

I have blogged about Fugu before. There’s really nothing to worry about as the poison would have been removed prior to shipping. At least, that’s what they all say. Better to be blissfully ignorant than to be consciously skeptical and a constant worrywort, I say! The Fugu Mirin Hoshi priced at RM14 was nothing like the sashimi I had tried before. The thick cut slices of fugu tasted like barbequed dried meat which was rather chewy but full of flavour. If someone gave me this dish and asked me to do a blind test, I’d have immediately guessed it to be dried pork instead of fish. I’d put this in the “snack” category – perfect for munching on while watching Harry Potter battle his nemesis in the movies.

The Hotatei Corn Yaki (RM18) was essentially scallops baked with a topping of cheese and corn. The sweet scallops contrasted well with the heavy topping.

Having the honorable Head of Maki subcommittee in our midst, we naturally had to order something to suit her discerning palate, and we believe that she was suitably satisfied with the Black Spider Maki (RM18) made of sinfully delicious soft shell crabs with caviar in a vinegared rice roll. We struggled a bit trying to eat the rather large pieces of maki in a ladylike fashion, but our attempts made the effort clumsier than ever with bits of rice and other ingredients covering our tiny plates with a mess capable of making my 5 year old twitchy fidgetty nephew, with his Winnie the Pooh plastic bowl, look like an angel.

The Hamo (pike eel) Teriyaki (RM38) was like comfort food to me. Tasting similar to unagi, I couldn’t quite tell the difference between the two. Perhaps I shall have to try another serving?

The waitress suggested trying the Taco Belt which got us thinking of Mexican food and pita breads, and I’m glad we didn’t laugh away her recommendation. This must be the best item of the night. The maki was not made of rice, but instead consisted of soft shell crab, salmon and avocado wrapped in seaweed. The unique textures of the different ingredients made me feel like I was experiencing so many different sensations at the same time; from the softness of the avocado to the crunchiness of the soft shell crab, they all blended together to create a symphony of flavours.

Unfortunately, the Wagyu Roll with Shimeji Mushroom (RM36) fell short of expectation. the bland taste and tough texture of the meat was barely rescued by the barbeque sauce on the side.

I enjoyed eating the Salmon Shichu Mushi (RM15) which was served with a very small portion of noodles. The highlight of this dish was most definitely the broth, infused with the flavours of the salmon and seaweed, which it was cooked in.

Earlier that evening, I was having a conversation with another Japanese food expert who advised me to try food other than sashimi after seeing the glut of sashimi posts on my blog, but really, sir, it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. After 20 minutes of humming and hawing, and with the blessings of my newly appointed committee, I proceeded to order a plate of sashimi (RM100). Looking at the gorgeous pieces of freshly cut fish placed on a bed of shaved ice, I am glad I acknowledged my inner desires. With every bite of the raw fish, I felt like I was born again.

I didn’t touch much of the Daikon Ume Salad (RM18) made of white radish drizzled with japanese plum sauce. The sauce was a little too sour for my liking and the salad was just too ordinary.

Figuring out the dessert was quite an effort in imagination. The Kuzukiri (RM10) was puzzling. The noodles (which I presume were made of arrow-root starch) was rather gelatinous while the brown sauce was apparently made of gula melaka (brown palm sugar). We took turns guessing what the powder was, and creative answers such as “peanut powder with a hint of sesame” to “something that my mum uses in her indian cooking lah” were offered, but in the end, we were told that it was actually chestnut powder. I guess even foodies get it wrong sometimes. 🙂

The meeting adjourned at 11.00pm with a vote of thanks to the President.

Hajime
No. 64, Jalan Damai, Off Jalan Tun Razak, 55000 KL.

Tel: 03-2143 0073

For map, click here.

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Category Archives: LOCATION: KUALA LUMPUR

Izakaya Ichiban, Hartamas Shopping Centre

Sungai Besi Wantan Mee

Hajime Japanese Restaurant, Jalan Damai