Yuzu

Tucked away in a secluded corner at The Gardens, the unobtrusive entrance of Yuzu belies the huge space that this Japanese restaurant occupies. To draw a distant analogy, perhaps this restaurant is like its namesake, the yuzu fruit, which appears small in size but big in flavour. For the uninitiated, the yuzu is a tart-tasting citrus fruit that is rarely eaten on its own, but its fragrant rind and juice is used in Japanese cooking for flavouring and garnishing. Think of what a lemon is to western cooking and you get the idea. We loved the warm Zen-like ambience of the place, with its extensive use of wood and bamboo combined with interesting water features. Service was very attentive; empty plates were promptly whisked away and the free-flow o-cha regularly refilled without asking.

For starters, we had the Koebi Karage (RM8), after being enticed by the picture of flaming-orange baby shrimps on the menu. We were a tad disappointed when the deep-fried shrimps turned out to be much paler than portrayed and extremely salty. Thankfully, our next starter, the highly recommended Yuzu No. 1 (RM20) lived up to its name. An interesting mixture of chopped fish, scallop and vegetables is shaped into a ball and wrapped with what appeared to be bacon and baked with a cheesy cream sauce, making this dish Japanese fusion at its best. The only setback was the price, which seemed a little too steep for such a small snack.

Next, we tried the King Prawn roll (RM28), a beautifully presented dish featuring a huge prawn with its head and tail intact at the ends of the roll. We were not entirely blown away by this combination of prawn, salmon and avocado, but it tasted as good it should be and is worth ordering for those who can’t live without their sushi. The following dish, Wagyu Ishiyaki (RM55) or stone-grilled Japanese beef, came to the table amid much sizzling, sending forth a heavenly scent of soy-seasoned seared beef. Suprisingly, the wagyu slices did not really produce the melt-in-the-mouth experience that we were anticipating. Nevertheless, it tasted delicious especially when eaten with the thin slices of mushrooms underneath which have absorbed all the flavours of the beef. Maybe we’d have better luck with the Kobe on the next visit.

If you are feeling indulgent, do order the Hokkai Nabe (RM68) to share. Inspired by the Hokkaido prefecture in Japan where the freshest seafood is found, this is a hot pot filled with salmon, scallops and prawns in a miso soup base. This Japanese version of a steamboat came in a unique pot made of special washi paper, which does not burn nor turn soggy. Finally, we encountered strips of yuzu rind perfuming the soup base. Although the yuzu lent a subtly pleasant aroma to the soup, we found the taste too overpowering when we actually bit into some. Overall, this was good comfort food with a flavourful broth that we could not get enough of.

We chose two unusual ice-creams for dessert - Goma and Yuzu (RM7 and RM8). The Goma (black sesame) was something worth coming back for, delicious and nutty despite its grayish color. While Yuzu ice-cream was refreshing on the palate, it was a shame that the bits of rind in it tasted bitter.

The fruit aside, Yuzu is a good palace to go for authentic Japanese food in a great setting. Do not expect rock-bottom prices like what you get off the kaiten belt in other establishments, but look forward to quality food and an extensive array of dishes that would tempt you to come back for more. Here’s a tip: word is, their set meals are value-for-money, so this is a good option to stretch that ringgit and yet get a tantalizing taste of Yuzu.

Text Chin Chern Yen Photo Euhau