One newly-opened Japanese restaurant in Kepong has already got many gushing about its unique fare.
Booking a table here on weekends may prove difficult as the restaurant is usually fully occupied with hungry diners lining up outside.
But any lover of good food and quality service should dine at Sushi Mastro Nikkei at least once. What’s so special about its fare, you ask? Well, this restaurant serves Japanese food with a Peruvian twist.
As unrelated as those two countries may seem to be, there is actually a sizeable Japanese community living in the South American nation. Hence, the birth of Nikkei cuisine, which features Japanese recipes merged with Peruvian ingredients.
Rather unusually for a Japanese restaurant, Sushi Maestro Nikkei spurns the usual Japanese interior design for a modern look.
Regardless, the dining environment is comfortable and welcoming for any number of diners. Service here is also worth complimenting, with waiters at your beck and call and happy to recommend the day’s specialties.
The menu is extensive and it’s easy to be lost for choice; so, for starters, perhaps begin your meal with a serving of Ikejime Surtidas.
“Ikejime” is a humane method of killing fish. Incidentally, this method also helps preserve the quality of the meat. “Surtidas” meanwhile simply means “assorted” in English.
This dish presents you with slices of three kinds of ikejime fish, namely siakap, golden snapper and Malabar.
Yes, folks, some of the fish served here are local and even more surprisingly, they easily match up to the taste of salmon.
Another recommended starter is the Mastro Chawanmushi, a soft egg custard topped with juicy prawns, truffle sauce, and lumpfish roe lining the bottom.
As for refreshments, the Chilli Pina is unique. It’s a combination of chilli with pineapple, honey and lime and makes for a sour but spicy drink.
For a more cooling thirst-quencher, the Pepino Asam Boi is a good choice, with its blend of cucumber, celery, lime and asam boi.
Back to the food. If you are fond of trout, then the Nikkei Salmon Mango is a dream come true.
Slices of ocean fjord trout are interspersed with fresh mango, with toppings of big, juicy salmon roe adorning the succulent meat. It’s a sight to behold and a joy to eat.
No Japanese restaurant would be complete without sushi, and Sushi Mastro’s Sushi Platter aims to please.
Each colourful piece is worth a try as it comes with condiments that perfectly complement the taste of seafood, a true gift to any sushi fan.
The bestseller at this restaurant however, is the Seafood Shirshizushi, which features a bowl of rice topped with an assortment of seafood including salmon, barramundi, unagi and Malabar.
Scallops are a tasty treat and Sushi Mastro Nikkei’s Scallop & Seabass is particularly good.
Fresh Hokkaido scallops are served with ikejime seabass in a spicy Aji Amarillo sauce, a favourite dipping sauce in Peru. The sweet and fresh seafood goes perfectly well with the sauce, so you’ll be forgiven for licking your plate clean.
Another seafood dish worth a place on the table is the Ikejime Golden Snapper, which features a John’s Snapper fish pan-seared to perfection. With its crispy skin, soft and sweet flesh, the fish also goes well with its side of sour and creamy Nikkei sauce.
Last but not least is a dessert you should leave some room for – the Graham Cake. Made with cream cheese, crackers and fruits, this is a dessert that seems to get better with every bite.
More importantly, after a big and hearty meal, this dessert is light enough to satisfy your sweet tooth without leaving you feeling stuffed.
Speaking to FMT, Sushi Mastro Nikkei founder, Shafrizy Hazim said that Malaysian demand for Japanese cuisine is incredibly high.
“Nikkei cuisine is a treasure of a cuisine. Here at Sushi Mastro Nikkei, we focus on the freshness of seafood and everything that enhances it.”
Find out more by visiting Sushi Mastro Nikkei’s website.
Sushi Mastro Nikkei
Unit 1-1, Fortune Centra,
2, Jalan Metro Perdana 6,
Taman Usahawan Kepong,
52100 Kepong, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm (closed on Mondays)
Contact: 012-3124112