While some folks might think Japanese food largely consists of sushi and sashimi, seasoned foodies would know there’s a lot more to this cuisine. Ramen, tonkatsu, and yakitori are favourites – and, for beef lovers, yakiniku.
For the uninitiated, yakiniku refers to grilled meat cuisine, similar to a western barbecue. And if you’re in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, one new establishment to try out is Yakiniku Sizzle by Yakiniquest, located at Lalaport, the brand-new mall in Bukit Bintang.
Yakiniku Sizzle was founded by husband-and-wife duo Suguru Ishida and Tomoko, who run the highly rated Yakiniquest restaurant in Singapore.
This is their first expansion to KL, bringing authentic and high-quality Japanese grilled meat to the masses at a price point that’s more palatable than most omakase offerings.
In the company of Suguru and Tomoki, this writer’s meal began with the Assorted 6 Namul (RM48), a collection of seasoned vegetables with soy sauce, salt and sesame oil, retaining the maximum fresh flavours of the produce. It’s a good way to whet your appetite for the goodies to come.
Next up was the omelette with wagyu (RM48), a perfectly simmered fluffy Japanese egg stuffed with tender beef, giving the dish a unique and mouthwatering aroma.
This was followed by two different types of temaki, or hand-rolled sushi, priced at RM18 each. Instead of raw fish, these were stuffed with shigureni (simmered beef) and wagyu torotaku (raw beef).
Meat lovers might enjoy the raw version more, with the fatty cuts reminiscent of tuna belly. (Fun fact: “torotaku” is made up of the words “toro”, meaning tuna belly, and “taku”, pickled radish.)
The Classic Yakiniku Trio Platter (RM138 for 150g), a must-try, consists of Australian wagyu tongue, a slightly leaner cut of meat referred to as “rosu”, and the fatty cut called “karubi”.
Grill and eat it in this order, as going from lean to fatty is the preferred way. Medium rare is the way to go – it is highly advised you don’t overcook your yakiniku!
Also worth sampling is the rich beef tail soup (RM22), which pairs perfectly with the grilled meats.
Other dishes on the menu include the wagyu aburi sushi (RM32), and yakisuki (RM58), both grilled by the staff as it requires a bit of finesse lest you wish to ruin the perfectly marbled wagyu.
Both were done perfectly and tasted superb in their own way, with the sushi – complemented by truffle – exploding in umaminess. Meanwhile, the silkiness of the yakisuki with raw egg was excellent.
Yakiniku Sizzle offers a small selection of Japanese ice creams for dessert, but the combination of a full stomach and a desire to have the taste of wagyu beef lingering in your mouth just might entice you to happily call it a night.
Find out more about Yakiniku Sizzle via its Facebook profile.
Yakiniku Sizzle by Yakiniquest @ Lalaport KL
Lot G-92 (GF), Gourmet Street,
Mitsui Shopping Park,
Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Read the original article here. Trying to influence your cravings since 2005, Kar Yeong was Guest Judge on Versus 1001 Rasa Baba’s 2018, R.AGE Food Fight Judge 2015 and NTV7 Foodie Blogger 2014. To read more about Kar Yeong’s food journeys, visit his blog at KYspeaks.com.