SUSHI

Many weeks have passed since I last made an entry in my blog. Today I have decided that I would like to talk about my deep love for Japanese food (i.e. Sushi). It all began some 4 years ago, when my sister Otta (who is going to make me an aunty very soon) introduced me to the famous, Genki Sushi. By then, she and my other sister, Punie had already developed an addiction for this scrumptious stuff. The first taste I had was Sashimi, Salmon Sashimi to be exact. The dish was served on an oblong, flowery plastic plate garnished with grated strips of white raddish and a slice of lemon. Otta squeezed the lemon over the 6 fat and fresh orange-pinky morsels of salmon. It looked wonderful. I picked up a piece with my wooden chopsticks, dipped it in Kikkoman kicap-drenched wasabi and dropped it in my mouth. The soft yet firm texture of the raw fish, the tang of the lemon, the slight burn of the wasabi and the wonderful salty t flavor from the Japanese kicap blended together, exploded and then melted in my mouth. The aroma of the lemon juice complimented the raw fish perfectly. I was in heaven. You know how the smell of a certain food makes your mouth water; well sushi is scentless and does not require the assistance of smell to make you long for some.

The little conveyor belts carrying plates of sushi around the Japanese restaurant has always amazed me. There is something very exciting in picking up any desired dish from a tempting variety that changes in front of your very eyes (oink!). Of course the color of each plate plays a big role in my choice of dishes. Purple is usually dangerous. Most the Japanese restaurants in KK have a small train that pulls the sushi along the conveyor track. So cool oh!

One of my favorite sushi is 4 small pieces of rice wrapped with slices of salmon and topped with a squirt of Japanese mayonnaise and sprinkled with bright orange roe placed on a purple plate (applies to Genki Sushi, my chain restaurant of choice). One piece fits in your mouth perfectly. After 4, you will be asking for more. It’s an amazing experience. HANA MAKI! Talk about MELTING IN YOUR MOUTH MAN!

Another favorite is the SPIDER TEMAKI. For those who have been missing out on this wonderful delicacy, this is the common cone sushi that you see in every Japanese restaurant display window. The dried seaweed cone is stuffed with sticky rice, fresh, crunchy and thin sticks of cucumber and tender pieces of soft-shell crab. Some restaurants like to add egg into it also. The temaki would not be complete without the rich mayo and roe sprinkles. Before I take a bite (starting from the top), I add some spiciness by pouring in some wasabi-Kikkoman mixture (2 parts sauce and 1 part wasabi). The fried crab shell is soft (duh), crispy-chewy and the flesh is tender and sweet. Another must have dish is, Chawan Mushi, which is steamed egg with mushrooms, shreds of chicken breast and sometimes crab sticks. It is served hot and is fantastic. Also, I like Tempura Moriawasi a lot especially when dipped in the sauce with white raddish paste (I think that’s what it is. If I am wrong, someone correct me). My favorite pieces are the straw mushrooms and prawns with the crispy and light tempura coating. The sauce softens the crispiness slightly and the mix is pretty damn good.

Well, there you have it, the amazing world of Pu and sushi. I have yet to try all the Japanese restaurants in KK (that have been springing up like mushrooms after the rain) but I dare say I have found my favorite, Wagamama baby! If you are in KL, there is a 100% Japanese restaurant in Bangsar that is superb (you know its got to be good when you are the only non-Japanese person dining there) but I forget the name. It’s on the same block as La Bodega but on the first floor. My favorite and most frequently visited chain is Genki Sushi (ah, first love!). For all you people who have not ‘converted’, I hope my entry today has made your mouth water and given you the dying need to rush to the nearest Japanese restaurant and have it all! Bon Appetit!