Tuesday, December 23, 2014

HERE'S THE BEEF AT GYU-KAKU

No turkey for Christmas this year? You can still make it a sizzling affair - just throw some beef and goodies onto the barbie at Gyu-Kaku, Japan's biggest yakiniku restaurant chain.
Pop into the cosy Isetan 1Utama outlet and select choice cuts to sample. Salads, appetisers and even set lunches are available so you won't be left wanting.
Sip on fizzy thirst-quenchers while you peruse the menu for good eats. We recommend the Fried Shrimp Gyoza (RM12.90) to start. They are scrumptiously good as the crispy texture makes it quite different from the usual pan-fried ones. Drizzled with okonomiyaki sauce and mayo and topped with katsuoboshi (smoked dried bonito) shavings, these delicious tidbits are bound to go down a treat.
The Horenso Salad (RM8.90) is another hot favourite with office execs during lunch. It's a spinach salad with sliced button mushroom topped with fried garlic chips and goma sesame dressing.
The smoky nuance and creamy nuttiness of the dressing add an irresistible lift to the green ensemble, making it an enticing salad to partake. An alternative option is Namuru Salad (RM8.90) - a quartet of marinated soy beansprouts, Japanese spinach, wood ear fungus and shredded radish that hinted at some Korean influences.
 
  Grilled meat sets start at RM13.90 (chicken teriyaki with rice, soup and dessert) to RM19.90.  Ramen and rice sets are also available, ranging from RM15.90 to RM17.90. - See more at: http://pureglutton.com/gyu-kaku-japanese-bbq#sthash.UqoYQvvq.dpuf
 
Set lunches are also served from RM18.90 onwards. Each option comes with grilled meat (the above is chicken teriyaki), rice, soup and dessert; a complete meal that should leave you replete. Ishiyaki Mentaiko (RM20.90) which has salted cod roe (mentaiko) stirred into sizzling white rice, chopped vegetable and seaweed in a stone bowl is a worthy choice for die-hard rice fans.
Nothing is worse than going to a barbecue resto and going home with your hair, clothes and body reeking of barbecue fumes. The great thing about dining at Gyu-Kaku is its smokeless Japanese grills - fuelled by imported charcoal briquettes, the specially outfitted suctions that are kept neatly hidden away under dining tables ensure a comfy smoke-free environment with none of that awful cooking smell lingering around.
Gyu-Kaku also takes pride in serving its own prime cuts (all meat are halal-certified) such as Wagyu Brisket (RM26.90), Wagyu Rump Cap (RM45) and Karubi (Oyster Blade, RM45). As with any good beef, the cuts are best enjoyed with just a sprinkle of Himalayan rock salt or the restaurant's house marinades: shio, tare, miso or spicy miso.
The Karubi (RM25.90) or short ribs is popular in Japan for its inherent sweet flavours and tenderness. Tasty and lean, the Rump Cap (RM21) constitutes round primal cut that's equally delectable. Ladies would go for Harami (RM18.90) thanks to the cut's low fat content and enticing tenderness.
Other choices include Beef Tongue (RM25.90) and Tsubo Zuke Karubi (RM24.90), marinated beef short ribs with housemade shabu dressing. If you have friends or family in tow who eschew beef, seafood, chicken and lamb are also available (priced from RM14.90 onwards per serving).
If you miss those school campfire nights, don't miss the DIY S'mores (RM5.90) here. We feel like a bunch of school kids, toasting our own marshmallows on skewers and then eating the melty treat sandwiched between two pieces of Graham crackers. Yums!
 
Those who are partial to puddings would enjoy the smooth Milk Pudding (RM9.90) served with soya bean powder and Japanese brown sugar syrup for a light, sweet finish to their meal.
For reservations at Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant, call 03-7733-0018 or visit the outlet at 2nd Floor, Isetan, 1Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. More infor available from:


Monday, December 15, 2014

A GOOD SHELLING AT CRAB FACTORY

Belated congratulations are in order to Crab Factory: Original Louisiana Boil for being voted one of the Best Place for Seafood finalists at the 2014 Time Out KL Food Awards. This seafood restaurant has gone against the tide in a sea of Malaysian-Chinese restos; boldly swimming in a direction where no crab, lobster, prawn, mussel and other deep-sea denizens have attempted before.
Instead of kum hiong and sweet & sour sauces, faint-hearted diners are invited to dive into Zesty Lemon or Garlic Butter sauces while braver souls heed the siren's call of Crab Factory's signature spicy sauces: the tomato-based Jamba Jamba or Southern Bang that can be coyly mild to Death Valley hot.
 
True to its Louisiana "roots", TY Ooi & partners strive to keep the menu fresh and interesting by adding delicious Southern-style munchies such as Waffles & Southern Fried Chicken (RM26.90 - pix above) and Hush Puppies (RM8.90 - pix below) to the line-up.

I was smitten by the superbly crunchy fried buttermilk chicken - its crisp outer coating of cornflakes giving way to the boneless, lean and moist meat inside amidst a mouthful of soft waffles laced with maple syrup.

Considered a true soul food and a popular side dish to go with seafood in the Southern US, hush puppies are yummy deep-fried balls are made of cornmeal, wheat flour, eggs, salt, baking soda, milk or buttermilk with chopped garlic, corn kernels and onion. Of course, the recipe varies from cook to cook and resto to resto...the ones at Crab Factory are homemade using oatmeal studded with chopped onion, corn kernels and ground black pepper. Good enough to be eaten on their own minus accompaniments but they are out of this world when dunk into the sauces that pool in the bags of seafood ordered.
For that requisite boost of green in your diet, a serving of Fried Okra sheathed in a flimsy golden brown batter coating dusted with paprika fits the bill marvellously.
Die-hard seafood fans who love a good shelling should keep tabs on Crab Factory's special promotions. In November, the resto hauled in a whole load of Canadian lobsters that were claws for celebration. Whether bathed in garlicky butter or the piquant Southern Bang sauce, the king of shellfish succeeded in reeling us in. Who could resist savouring sweet lobster meat paired with king mushroom, potatoes and corn?
As you can see, Crab Factory serves more than just crabs. The freshest catch is personally sourced from overseas by the owners so expect to sample new and unexpected ocean-fresh offerings whenever you visit.
 
On our recent visit, the prawns were excellent; their inherent sweetness amplified by the zesty lemon sauce.
But even they paled in comparison with the Japanese amaebi in our choice of Jamba Jamba sauce. The word sublime doesn't even justify the crustaceans' actual taste!
Obviously, many seafood fans out there are equally wow-ed by Crab Factory's uniquely Southern approach as the resto is packed out on most nights. Reservations are necessary especially for bigger groups of five or more. Prices for the seafood items also fluctuate according to market prices but true seafood connoisseurs know that good seafood ain't cheap and cheap seafood ain't good.

The restaurant often has special promos like the one below so you can always find out the latest deal via the Crab Factory facebook page. Now you know why TOKL readers voted Crab Factory as one of the worthy contenders of this year's Best Place for Seafood.







  


For reservations, call 03-7865 5850. Crab Factory, 21, Jalan SS2/64, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 


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