Azuma Sushi: One trick tasty pony

There is a new sushi shop in Gunung Rapat area, which is a new surprise. This pique my interest on the how good it will be. Located behind HSBS Gunung Rapat, it is just a stone throw away from McDonalds and also beside Starbuck Coffee. The name Azuma Sushi is bright and anyone would not miss the place.

Inside, it is the usual kaiten sushi restaurant setting. With the smart design of the sushi belt, the shop can fit in quite a large number of patrons without feeling cramped. Service is as expected, since the sushi is readily circulated on the belt, it is "eat as much as you want". Beside kaiten sushi, there is obviously other choices via the menu, especially the rice and noodle ramen dishes.

For today, Lyn and I decided to go all out on the kaiten sushi instead of the menu. For those who do not know kaiten sushi, it is basically sushi placed on plates, usually with different colors to indicate different pricing, and the plates will be circulated via a belt that runs beside each table. You see the sushi that you like, just take it and eat it. Once full, the staff will come to count the number of plates and we just pay at the cashier. There is a fair range of sushi from the usual maki sushi to simple rolls. Expect to pay from RM1.70- RM3.50 for each dish depending on the ingredients. The rice is flavored nicely.  The toppings are fairly average, with no new surprise like the ones we had in Mentai. Some of the rolls are nice, but generally I find the use of cheese and mayo is too frequent. It tasted good in the first few sushi, but by the last bite, it felt a bit too much for the tummy to gulp in. In the end, the whole range lacks variety, and the sushi do appeared to be a one trick pony.

It is still a nice eating experience. Probably the trick is do not eat too much of the sushi and to mix it with other choices in the menu. Then, the sushi would be very tasty.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: Have not tried the ala carte rice/ ramen or sushi, but do look nice.

Azuma Sushi
3,5, Laluan Medan Rapat,
Gunung Rapat, Ipoh
05-318 3190

Kampar Sushi Mentai: Affordable Delicious Japanese treat

As a child, I would not imagine my small hometown of Kampar would host at least more than one Japanese restaurant. I am not a fan of Sushi King, so it was nice to have an alternative in Sushi Mentai. Located along the road of some new restaurants that I recently reviewed, this big orange colour shop is just next to Old Town White Coffee, on the same road as Econsave in Kampar New Town.

Firstly, the setup of the restaurant is as any other local kaiten sushi restaurant. Just imagine sitting comfortably on a table and the sushi will pass by you on a conveyor belt. It is interesting to note that most kaiten sushi restaurant in Japan will be slightly cramped and the seats are arranged bar like rather than family seating.

The main offerings are sushi, from the basic maki to more sophisticated ones which need to be ordered via ala carte. The taste? I can safely assured you that the taste is one the better sushi found locally. Though not as authentic as Japan, the sushi are tweaked to suit our local taste. The varieties on the belt impressed me. Some of the sushi are really impressive, especially the salmon and tamago ones which were grilled with a hand torch in front of you. The most important ingredient of any sushi is the rice, and I can share that the sushi rice here is seasoned really well. However, some may prefer the rice to be lightly sour but I prefer mine to be lighter on the vinegar side. The price would not burn a hole in the pocket, with the kaiten sushi ranging from RM1.80 to RM2.80. That is as cheap as eating dimsum. For those who do not favour sushi, of course there are the usual ramen, udon or bento. We had the tori teriyaki don which cost us RM12.80, Though not bad, the chicken are grilled more oriental favoured rather than teriyaki. We indulged ourselves with a specially ordered spider crab maki (RM13.80). It is nicely deep fried, though the batter shadowed the taste of the crab.

We had a delightful time here. The sushi on the kaiten belt appeared to be more impressive than the offering in the ala carte menu. And the sushi are quite impressive. To top the good taste, the price are really reasonable.

ratings: 4 poink~!
comments: though not as authentic, the sushi are definitely on par with some of the more expensive restaurant.

Sushi Mentai Kampar
5&6. Jalan Batu Karang,
Off Jalan Batu Sinar
Kampar

Dojo: Deja-vu outing

Friday lunch would be a good chance to try out new restaurant. Considering this would be one of the last few long Friday lunch break in Ipoh, we decided to try another Japanese restaurant, Dojo, in DeGardens Ipoh. For those who are not familiar with this place, DeGardens is the small complex opposite Kinta City in Ipoh Garden.




The setup is the usual Japanese style restaurant with a kaiten sushi belt in the middle with surrounding tables. There are the selections based on the menu and also the usual sushi on the kaiten belt. The sushi chefs are busy preparing fresh sushi on one end of the belt. Decorations are Japanese, the seat are spacious, and their waiters are really attentive. Everything seems to be good, but reading through their menu brings a deja-vu feeling. Nearly everything in the menu is as similar to the numerous Japanese restaurants within the vicinity. Nothing new shouts out. They seems to replicate each other with their usual selections of sashimi, sushi, ramen and tempura with only few difference here and there. This may not be a stumbling block if they do it well. Think about it, all chicken rice serve the same chicken and rice but there are a few cook theirs really well above the rest.

The verdict after tasting a few dishes also brought another round of deja-vu feeling. Average. Like most of the restaurant around, it is just as average, which did not separate out from the crowd. The buta kakuni ramen which I specifically ordered tasted well with the pork marinated long enough. However, the whole dish felt oily and thus, giving a feeling of fullness after finishing the bowl. (I do admit I am spoiled for choices ever since my tasting of the authentic ones in Osaka). The cucumber sushi roll felt fresh, but again, with other restaurant also offering special rolls, I could barely recall the taste after finishing lunch here.

The price would be as expected, so it is not something that we would want to have frequently unless I have a deep pocket to burn. All in all, it is a decent restaurant, but did not rise above the numerous Japanese restaurant in the area.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: do not worry about parking as there are ample free parking in DeGardens complex.

Sushi Momo: addition to affordable japanese selections

Another long Friday break means opportunity to try new shops. Where else to try new things other than Ipoh Garden East area, especially the Bandar Baru Medan area. There seems to be new restaurant every time we came to the area.

Sushi Momo is situated opposite Festival Walk, nearer to the new condominium which is currently being built. Impressively housing 2 shoplots, with Japanese deco and yukata in front, the signage is adequate to attract passerby. For lunch, fear not for the parking lots are abundant in the area.

Being fairly new, the lunch crowds may not discover this place yet. The seating is spacious and the staff manage to give adequate attention to all our request. The interior is very clean; I really like how homely the counter was decorated but it is rather inconsistent where the other end felt bare. That did not matter as the sole reason to visit is for the food.

The menu is mainly japanese, with bentos, and sushi rolls being the main selections. Expect to spend a basic of less than RM15 for the lunch bento set, which is rather basic chicken served with fish, cawan mushi, soup and slices of fruits. The taste felt rudimentary, but rather pleasant to the palate. The portion, however, is slightly less than what we expected. Given the affordable price, the bento set is definitely worth every ringgit. The sushi rolls, which averagely cost approximately RM2-3 per set of 2 (or 4-6 for maki) may appear affordable, but rather forgettable in the taste aspect. I totally forgot what sushi did I took. Being new, the conveyor belt is still empty so the sushi need to be ordered instead.

Of course we could not expect perfect result with such a price. There are some hit and miss, but for a comfortable lunch and cheaper Japanese selections ( which could burn a hole in the pocket if ordered wrecklessly), Sushi Momo is one of the clear choice.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: one of the most affordable bento sets/ sushi but average taste.

Sushi Momo
27-29, Jalan Medan Ipoh 1
Bandar Baru Medan
Ipoh

Pasta Zanmai: good for a stop in a busy day

There were many people who told me there is nothing to eat in Nu Sentral. Really? That busy place which are packed with people everyday? After a long day of driving (and Lyn shopping), we decided to just hang around in Nu Sentral and try our luck here. 

On the top floors, there are many shops with different offerings. Local cuisine, japanese, koreans, and you just need to name it. We decided to try something more filling: pasta. Pasta Zanmai (not sure whether it is related to another Sushi Zanmai one floor up) offers fusion Japanese, focussing more on pasta choices. 

The shop looks simple and clean. The staff is very nice, but the service is really slow, considering there are only a few tables full. Or maybe a minute seems to last forever when you are hungry. Surprisingly the price are not too expensive, one could get a decent dish for less than RM20. Do not expect budget offering either; this is a shopping complex after all. 

I ordered the black pepper cheese baked rice (black pepper doria) (RM18) which was fairly good. Lyn loved the taste more than me though. We loved that the black pepper did not overshadow the chicken (which a lot of shop did just that on any black pepper dishes), but it is still too heavy for my liking. Lyn ordered tori kino pasta (RM17 for small), which appeared as a diluted  cabonara. It is not too creamy, which is an advantage to lots of health conscious people out there, but bursting with taste. For Lyn to praise cabonara (which is not her favourite way of cooking pasta by the way), it has to be really tasty. So far, the pasta dishes had exceeded our expectations (which are not high initially), but the rolls were bit of let down. The unagi avocado roll (RM 12 for half a roll of 3, RM20 for a full roll of 6) initially taste good. However, the taste of BBQ and mayonaise over powered the unagi so much that I can hardly taste any unagi at all until I isolate a few piece and eat it on its own away from the roll. Believe me, after tasting unagi in sukiji, it changes my perception on eel and how they should be cooked. 

The whole dining experience here did not define any new standard to shopping mall eating. But it did debunk the myth that there are nothing to eat in Nu Sentral. Would I come again? Yes, especially when I am hungry and lazy to move away from the central location. 

ratings: 3 poink~!

comments: extra poink for the convenient location.

Sato Kitchen: decent lunch for a decent price

We were planning to have a long Friday lunch catching up with an old fren in another restaurant but fate has it that the initial cafe was closed, and while going around in Ipoh Garden East, somewhere near the Old Town area, we chanced upon this new Japanese fusion eatery, Sato Kitchen.

The place looks comfortable and not over crowded. The service, I must say, is one of the best we had. The staff are very attentive without being intimidating. The green tea (with the set lunch) always flow non stop without the staff having to stand beside the table.

Fear not; although the expected menu list may be Japanese selection, the actual fact it felt more fusion. There are lots of basic and sophisticated fusion sushi and rolls, and even foie gras available. How it ended up in a Japanese menu really beats me. For those "kedekut" people like me who always thought Japanese cuisine is always expensive, this small restaurant has something to offer. Since I had a heavy breakfast, I did not intend to try the more expensive offering, so we went ahead with the chicken bento set (lunch set price: RM12.90). Yup, the price itself is amazing. Served with rice, soup, cawan mushi, mash potato (hmmm.. how did that get here) and some other sides. Did I mention the price was amazing? And they did not skimp on the portion either. At first I thought given the economical price, the set would come with a smaller portion but instead, the meal is enough even for a big eater like me. However, for those who are very particular about taste, the Japanese influence here is diluted with local taste. In fact, I though the chicken tasted more oriental than japanese. My teriyaki chicken came across of a mash up between teriyaki and honey chicken. The teppanyaki chiken tasted like a cross between teppanyaki and a Hainan chicken chop (plus lots of onions). Do not get me wrong, I really like the taste, but it may not appeal to some.



I really favour this place for the economical lunch choices, although it may be less Japanese, more fusion in taste. However, for those who favour higher end selection, there are plenty of sophisticated fusion sushi and platter available. Definitely a good place to spend lunch.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: yet to try their sushi but they do
looks good.

Sato Kitchen
22, Jalan Medan Ipoh 4
Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh
05-5450085

Saigon Hibachi: decent choices of Japs and Viets

Thanks to Groupon again, we manage to venture to new and not-so-new joints which we, otherwise, seldom visit. Saigon Hibachi is one of those shop that we always pass by but somehow, did not think of patronizing. With so many japanese restaurant mushrooming in Ipoh, one cant blame me of not trying each and everyone. In addition, Japanese and Vietnamese? I cant see the common ground between the two. Luckily the dining experience here is rather good and nice.

Saigon Hibachi is situated in one of the roads behind Tesco Ipoh Garden. Just drive around, and you will not miss the newly installed neon signboard. The deco is unmistakenly Japanese, with earth colour as the main theme, and the usual sake bottle as part of the deco. I could not find anything Vietnamese here though. There are notices on the board to apologize for the lack of staff, but I could say that the service here is warm and attentive. Kudos to the owner who hire and train their staff well.

The menu again focus on Japanese cuisine with a few Vietnamese selection. Luckily there are no fusion between the two. I cant imagine how that would taste like, and my try with Japanese fusion last few years ago was a disaster. The Vietnamese lemongrass grill pork (RM12.50) tasted surprisingly nice. The rice is fragrant and complement the pork well. The grilled pork, on its own is nothing to shout about, but once eaten with the lemongrass sauce, it actually lift the taste to another level. It felt like eating Thai with the sweet and sour elements minus the hot and spicy parts. The sanma shioyaki (RM6.40)on the other hand, was less appealing. It is not the cook's fault though, I did not expect the pacific saury or sanma to have so many small and tiny bones. It make the dining experience rather tiring, trying to isolate the bones. The taste is nice though, just that it did not justify the time taken trying to separate the bones.

In the end, it was a nice dining experience here. Just that with so many Japanese restaurant around, I doubt that it will stand out against the rest. The Vietnamese offering did not give it an edge but given the crowd here, they have their own following. Would I come again? I probably would, to try the rest of their Japanese offerings.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: yet to savor their japanese dishes, so yet to make an accurate review.

Saigon Hibachi,
23, Jalan Medan Ipoh 4,
Bandar Baru Medan,
Ipoh
05-5487118

Sushi-tei Ipoh: surprisingly nice

It was the farewell dinner for a friend Peter before he goes to Johor to work. Hence, it was his choice for us to try Sushi-tei in Ipoh Parade. Located on the ground floor, it may be a new addition to the japanese sushi craze in Ipoh. I never have good impressions of sushi joints in shopping centre, thinking that their tastes are poor imitation of the real ones; at the same time, would not agree with the sky-high price of those independent japanese eateries in town (just look at how much one can spend in Ipoh Garden East, and the area behind Tesco). Sushi-tae, though not exceptional, but proves to be a formidable player here.

Located on the ground floor, near the main entrance of Ipoh Parade, one would not miss this restaurant. Entering the shop, one would be expected to be greeted by the loud "irashimasen", which is a normal custom for japanese shop. The deco is comfortable, with earth color as the main palette. The service is good and attentive, though I came during a non peak time. But it still felt odd being served by foreign worker in these joints, though they actually are quite hardworking.

Comes the food. I only manage to taste a fraction of their selections. The main offerings here are sushi and sashimi based dishes with a few rice and noodle selection. The sushi is definitely one of the better ones, with more localized varieties, not just raw fish types. The salmon sushi platter we ordered is fairly good. The cheese bake curry beef rice is one of the nicer ones, but this is definitely not Japanese curry. In turn, is a good thing, since localized curry is spicier, and would suit our local population better. The beef is barely noticeable, but for less than RM20, one could not ask for more. The soft shell crab maki is the dish we enjoyed the most. It boast a good balance between the rice and deep fried crab with equally tasty batter.

At the end of the day, it is a nice dining experience. Though not exceptionally good, it is still one of the better ones here. The price is as expected, but would not burn a hole in the pocket. Expect to pay from RM20 onward for most dishes though there are fairly good amount of selection below that.

ratings: 3 poink!
comments: it still amaze me that nearly all Japanese eateries here use sushi/ sashimi as their selling point, yet it is that






a common in Japan.

Sushi Zento:good place for good Jap taste

I could not believe that I had yet to blog about Sushi Zento. It had been quite long since I first came here as part of a big group. As I recalled the food here is NOT cheap at all, then again, the same comment could be given to all Japanese restaurant. However, the taste, as I remembered, was quite nice.

Again, spoil for choice during Friday long lunch break, another colleague suggested Sushi Zento. Why not? I have nothing against Japanese cuisine and find some fondness for the simplistic approach by them. For those who still do not know where Sushi Zento is, just come to the place where all Japanese restaurant gravitate to: Medan Bistari Ipoh. The same place that host Michaelangelo Pizzaria and other rather famous eateries. The exact location of Sushi Zento is in the corner of Festival Walk, nearest to the main road. It is in the same row as Is Sushi that I reviewed last week.

Typical of all Japanese restaurant, we were welcomed by Irasshaimase when we entered, and the usual Japanese style uniformed staff. The usual far eastern tinged deco is to be expected and a bigger kaiten style sushi belt is revolving between 4 rows of tables.

Many of my friends had high regards for the sashimi set here. I will take their words for it, as I myself am unable to distinguish a great sashimi from good ones. My bet is it would not be as fresh as the ones I tasted in Tsukiji Market in Tokyo earlier this year but none the less, it is as good as one can find in Ipoh. Under my friend recommendation, who know about my passion for pork, suggested the braised pork belly ramen. I could not say no to the pork and vowed to make the sacrifice of the pork worth it. The buta kakuni ramen (RM20) is not cheap for a bowl of ramen, but definitely after I finished the meal, I can only say "oishi"! The ramen is slightly tense and hard for my liking, it felt a bit like instant noodle. However, the beauty of the dish lies in the sakura pork. The pork is filled with aroma, and tender to each bite. The best part is the fatty portion which literally melt in my mouth. The unbeatable taste of the pork extended to the soup which I finished until the last drop. Even the sashimi unagi kabayaki set (RM58) ordered by a friend was given a thumb up.

The overall menu is filled with Japanese choices, and a few set item. Do expect to pay an extra bit when coming here, but relatively to other Japanese restaurant, at least eating here made me felt worth the money I paid.

ratings: 3 half poink!
comments: given a higher rating just because they made my day by the beautifully cooked sakura pork


Sushi Zento
2-26,2-27,2-28,2-28A,
Festival Walk @ Ipoh
Jalan Medan Ipoh 1
Medan Ipoh Bistari
Ipoh
05-5452966

Is Sushi: midget among giants

Suddenly there are surge of Japanese/ Korean food joints among the higher class fine dining Western restaurants. Somehow, they are always concentrated among Ipoh Garden Medan Bistari area. Does it mean that the residents here are fans of far eastern cuisine? On colleagues suggestion, we tried the new Japanese restaurant here for lunch.


I Sushi may not stand out from outside but easily recognizable none the less. Located in Medan Ipoh Bistari, it is very near to famous joints such as Michaelangelo's Pizzaria. Look for the new row of shops opposite Sakai Cafe which was reviewed quite long ago, and in the same row as Sushi Zento. From the outside, the colourful OIC cafe would probably stand out near the other far end of the row, away from the main road. I Sushi is just beside OIC cafe.

chicken katsu set

Typical of all Japanese restaurant, expect to see kaiten style of sushi on conyervor belt, the typical Eastern curtains covering the toilet, bamboo decoration somewhere, and a few lantern style lights. And as most restaurants' habit, expect the "irasshaimase" when you come in. However, service here is rather "cold" despite the welcome shout. The waitresses, although dressed traditionally, appeared sterile and felt like they just want to end their shift. Then again, maybe they are just having a bad day. I have to give credit to the waitress who was in charge of filling my ocha cup though; as she was diligently filling everyone's cup as soon as it is emptied. Good job, finally!


Never mind the service or deco. It is all about food and price. The menu is typically japanese, though leaning more towards rice variants and sushi. Not many of noodle (rame/ soba/ udon) variety which was more popular in urban Japan. Interesting facts is that our impression of Japanese food is probably sushi or sashimi, but in reality, they have more rice or noodle joints for daily consumption.

maki sushi

saba sushi set

There are lunch sets to save the wallet, therefore I ordered the chicken katsu set (RM9.90). It is not bad, the chicken katsu is rather tender, served with teriyaki sauce. The amount is more than enough for the bowl of rice. The dish is served with mash potato which was bit of letdown. The only saving grace is it is not the mash potato made from real potato rather of powder. Therefore, the consistency is nice, though I prefer more milk and butter in my mash potato. The maki sushi is average, nothing to shout about. With the price, overall, the katsu set is definitely worth it. The ala-carte sets which the rest ordered, were sadly, not so. According to my friend, the buta kimuchi futo maki set (RM25) somehow do not have enough amount of meat up to his expectation. The taste of kimchi is not everyone's favourite so think twice before going for the pork. Saba sushi (RM25), according to another friend who enjoy sushi, was also average at most.

buta kimuchi set

Eating here is not cheap, coupled with green tea (RM1.50 per head, refilling allowed), it will make a dent in the wallet. It is expected from any Japanese lunch. However, with the price, anyone would expect something extra. Food here is average, but among some rather good Japanese joints here in the vicinity, it will be a uphill battle for I Sushi.

mash potato

ratings: 2 half poink!
comments: although the rest are not happy with their choice, I was rather "ok" with my RM9.90 set. Higher poink for the set!

Is Sushi Restaurant
NO 6&7, Festival Walk@ Ipoh
Jalan Medan Ipoh 1
Medan Ipoh Bistari
Ipoh
05-5460742