5 'MUST TRY' HOMESTYLE GOODIES AT DASHI DINING SAYA

Dashi is the essential stock in Japanese cuisine. It is made by immersing katsuoboshi (dried, smoked and cured bonito or skipjack tuna) shavings in boiling water then straining the liquid. Other possible ingredients to make dashi include konbu (kelp seaweed), niboshi (small dried anchovies), dried mackerel or iriko (dried sardine).

This deceptively simple stock is prized for the umami taste it imparts, now widely acknowledged as the fifth basic taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter. First discovered by Professor Kikunae Ikeda from the Tokyo Imperial University in 1908, umami is a combination of two Japanese words, umai (delicious) and mi (taste). Described as meaty savouriness, umami is unique as it can enhance the inherent flavours of other ingredients, hence making food tastes even more delicious.

At Dashi Dining Saya, the umami aspect of dashi plays a central role in its offerings; from miso soup and chawanmushi to home-style Japanese dishes such as dashi maki tamago (Japanese omelette) and chazuke (rice with dashi & tea broth).

The parent company, Asmo Catering (M) Sdn Bhd also runs Dashi Delica Saya, the Japanese delicatessen proffering a wide range of homespun Japanese dishes for takeaway at Isetan, The Japan Store in KL. According to Masao Shimizu, Director - Malaysia of Dashi Dining Saya/Asmo Catering, Asmo is a diversified group in Japan with F&B businesses in Taipei and Hong Kong.

Dashi Dining Saya & Dashi Delica Saya are the company's first foray into Malaysia in tandem with the opening of the newly rejuvenated Isetan, The Japan Store in KL. Plans are the pipeline to open similar outlets in future, as and when suitable locations have been chosen and secured.

Shimizu-san said: "Our two flagship outlets entered the local F&B scene to widen the repertoire of Japanese cuisine among local food lovers. We want Malaysians to know there's so much more to Japanese food than sushi, sashimi and tempura. Dashi Dining Saya & Dashi Delica Saya would like introduce typical home-style dishes eaten by most Japanese to the local clientele, enabling them to sample and familiarise themselves with what we offer." 

Open your minds and palate to sample these 5 'must try' homestyle goodies from Dashi Dining Saya:

DASHI CHAZUKE

The soulful speciality of Rice with Hot Dashi Soup and Soy-Marinated Tuna Sashimi (RM29) is highly recommended. Diners can decide on the amount of rice they prefer - small (200g), medium (250g + RM2) or large (300g + RM3) with free refill of Saya's special dashi soup. 

Besides the bowl of rice topped with slices of succulent soy-marinated tuna, crunchy pearls of rice puffs and shredded nori, the set comes with a side dish of chikuzenni, traditional stew of lotus root, carrot, mushroom, chicken and burdock root and a small bowl of hijiki, a type of brown sea vegetable cooked in a sweetish sauce with chopped burdock and carrot.

To enjoy the hearty offering, sprinkle chopped spring onion and sesame seeds onto the rice. Then pour the hot dashi broth onto it and slurp up the delicious mixture after giving it a good stir.

 

There's also Rice with Hot Dashi Soup and Marinated Cod Roe (RM24) or the more popular variants of Rice with Hot Dashi Soup and Grilled Salmon Flakes or Grilled Mackerel (RM27).

TAKE SET MEAL  

An assortment of these homely specialities can be enjoyed at Dashi Dining Saya in the form of Ume (RM32) and Take (RM38) set meals. The Take Set shown above is great value for money as it comprises six dishes with a bowl of white rice and miso soup.

The first offering distills the umami essence perfectly as the savoury nuance of the unctuous sauce in the Tofu and Kinoko Mushroom with Dashi Sauce was discernible in the soft beancurd. Shiitake mushroom is also umami-rich so you'd be smacking your lips with satisfaction after eating this.

We thoroughly relished the second dish of delectable Fried Chicken Saya-Style too. The meaty pieces were tender and flavourful yet crisp to the bite on the outside.

Fruity sweet Tomato with Dashi Apple Jelly was also featured. Imported Japanese tomatoes aren't cheap and a whole fruit from Dashi Delica Saya costs RM8 alone. Slathered in subtly sweet jelly, the tomato was firm yet succulent and juicy on the palate.

Also included in the assortment was the trad Chikuzenni in addition to a huge piece of Hokkaido Beef Croquette which provided textural contrast.

Lastly, Grilled Mackerel stuffed with Eringi Mushroom completed the substantial selection. A sheen of Japanese-style barbecue sauce lent the fish moistness whilst its fungi stuffing bestowed different textural interest. Light eaters may find it a challenge to finish all these delicacies accompanied by rice and soup but heartier diners will find themselves replete from the meal.

ODEN

A perennial comfort food in Japan especially in winter, Oden is the Japanese version of yong tau foo. Most of the key ingredients for oden are made from processed fish paste such as chikuwa (tubular fish paste), kamaboko (fish paste with pink rim and white centre) and satsuma-age (fried fish cake patties) among others. Hard-boiled eggs, chunks of daikon (radish), konnyaku and fried beancurd are also common in the repertoire.

A sample selection of different Oden items (pix from archives)

You can pick and mix various Oden items from Dashi Delica Saya daily. The goodies are served in dashi broth with a dollop of mustard, available for takeaway or dine-in too if seats are available at Dashi Dining Saya. Give these tempting morsels a go next time you see this.
 

MACKEREL WITH GRATED DAIKON

Shimizu-san then pointed out some uncommon Japanese delights from the display counter to us, one of which is Grilled Mackerel with Grated Daikon (RM9 per piece). "We notice Malaysians enjoy eating fish especially salmon. Our chef created this mackerel dish to add greater variety to our food repertoire and also to please customers who prefer lightly cooked fish dishes," said Shimizu-san. 

Indeed, the delicious mackerel is moistened by an appetising savoury dashi stock with generous toppings of grated Japanese radish, ginger slivers and chopped spring onion giving it subtle 'fresh' flavours.

CHICKEN CHOP NAGOYA-STYLE

We also cluck with approval the family-friendly offering of Chicken Chop Nagoya Style (RM12). Quite a lot of work has gone into the boneless chicken roll which is stuffed with asparagus and grilled with teriyaki sauce. Just slice up the roll once warmed up to serve.  

It's best to scour Dashi Delica Saya personally to see the range available. Some of the current selection should pique interest with familiar ingredients like lady's fingers, radish and chicken prepared in decidedly Japanese style. Onigiri (Japanese triangular rice balls) and takeaway lunch boxes are also sold here.

Dashi Dining Saya & Dashi Delica Saya are located at the Lower Ground Floor, Isetan The Japan Store, Lot 10, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. Tel: 03-2110 1479. 

WORLD RECORD-BREAKING FEAT BY LEXIS HIBISCUS PD

Two Guinness World Records in one go...such a world-class achievement was chalked up by Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson (PD), one of Malaysia's premier resorts.

Verified by officials from Guinness World Records on 14 October 2016, Lexis Hibiscus PD is now the proud holder of two Guinness World Records for 'The Most Swimming Pools in A Resort" (it has 643 en-suite pools) and 'The Most Overwater Villas in A Single Resort" (a total of 522 villas onsite).

The resort celebrated its stellar record-breaking feat by hosting an official presentation of the official plaques from Guinness World Records, witnessed by hospitality and tourism industry friends, business partners and the media corp.

Pride and exuberance was obvious from the minute we stepped into the Ballroom foyer as we were welcomed by the resort team, most smiling from ear to ear at the auspicious occasion. In his welcome speech, YBhg Dato' Haji Mat Hassan Esa, Chairman of KL Metro Group highlighted how Lexis Hibiscus PD has attracted more than 3.2million tourists from 120 countries to Malaysia and offered plenty of job opportunities to locals.

Deputy Minister of Tourism & Culture Malaysia, YB Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin who read the Minister of Tourism & Culture's speech also lauded the resort for the double record-breaking achievements and called on individuals and corporate companies to emulate Lexis Hibiscus PD's stellar success.

According to Mr Swapnil Dangarikar, the representative from Guinness World Records, the process to determine and ascertain such unique property developments takes time and applicants need to fulfill strict criteria set by the Guinness World Records organisation.

Bursts of enthusiastic applause broke out when the ceremonial presentation of the Guinness World Records official certificates and plaques commenced. Managing Director of KL Metro Group, YBhg Dato' Low Tak Fatt and President of Lexis Hotel Group, Ms Mandy Chew Siok Cheng were present to receive the certs and plaques on behalf of the resort.

Heartiest congratulations to the management and staff of Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson for these double Guinness World Records achievements. 

Keen to know more about Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson? Read about my staycation experience here: 

http://www.jommakanlife.com/2016/12/stay-eat-play-at-lexis-hibiscus-part-1.html 

http://www.jommakanlife.com/2016/12/stay-eat-play-at-lexis-hibiscus-part-2.html

THAI TEMPTATIONS AT TIGERLILY

A wallet-friendly Thai restaurant? Sounds unbelievable in today's F&B scene especially in KL when soaring prices are the norm rather than the exception. Yet the office crowd who work around Pusat Bandar Damansara and the surrounding areas find Tigerlily Thai Restaurant a boon for brekkie, lunch and early dinner thanks to the resto's reasonably priced fare.

An arty rendering of the resto's namesake - Tiger & lily...geddit?

The retro-inspired, well-lit interior decorated with pastel and weathered wood accents, quirky art renderings and pawsitive vibes make Tigerlily a welcome outpost in this months old mall. 

Opened in November last year, the menu runs the gamut between one-dish meals to a selection of familiar Thai dishes that appeal to most Malaysians without making a clean sweep of their wallets.

We started on a roll with pleasingly cool thirst-quenchers: Pandan Kasturi (RM7.90) and Thai Iced Tea with Gula Melaka (RM6.90). The sweetness level was on the mark - just to my taste instead of being shudderingly cloying.

Appetite-whetting Firecracker Prawns (RM6.90) satisfied our peckish craving as we perused the menu, trying to decide our choice of dishes. Dipped into the house chilli sauce, these deep-fried prawns wrapped in wonton skin did a great job of staving off early hunger pangs.

The speciality of Steamed Otak-otak (RM5.90 each) was rather muted in the spice department although the texture was acceptable. A decent tummy-filler, we felt the offering would have made a better impression if it was steamed in banana leaf casing and topped with a dollop of rich coconut cream like those in Thailand.

Now if you're in a hurry with limited time for lunch, a hearty dish of Pad Thai (RM9.90) is just the thing to fill you up in a jiffy. The noodles came nicely presented to please the eye and tummy at one go. Other quickie, crowd-pleasing options include Pineapple Fried Rice (RM15.90), Red Curry Chicken in Claypot served with Rice (RM11.90) and Satay Chicken served with Rice, Fried Egg, Pineapple Salad & Crackers (RM9.90) among others.

I love the fresh, green citrusy aroma of lemongrass and it was clearly discernible when we bit into the Lemongrass Chicken Satay (RM9.90/5 sticks). The fragrant stalks imbued the clumps of minced chicken spiked with spices and herbs with its enticing scent, making the satay so delicious eaten on their own or accompanied by the peanut dip.

As a counterpoint to the meaty satay, the Mango Salad (RM7.90) was spot on. Look out for bits of lethal bird's eye chilli studded throughout the briny-tangy-hot shredded young mango along with crushed peanuts. A definitive salad to get the gastro juices flowing!

Of course, no Thai meal is complete without fiery Tom Yum (with a choice of seafood or prawns, RM26.90). This proved to be a hit with our dining party as the soup's feisty heat underscored by assertive sour-salty-spicy robustness left us hot under the collar.

It is impossible to partake a Thai-style meal without rice. Especially when typical dishes like Thai Basil Minced Chicken (RM8.90), Green Curry Prawns (RM26.90) and Red Curry Chicken (RM15.90) beg to be eaten with it.

All the dishes passed muster and should give no cause for complaints. The portions were ample enough for our dining party of six. Also both curries were rich and creamy on the palate even though they lacked the tongue-searing hotness of tom yum.

Tired of the ubiquitous steamed fish? Then we recommend you try the delectable Muay Thai Fried Fish (RM56.90). We thoroughly relished picking the bones clean from the sweet, fleshy and superbly crisp deep-fried seabass which was served with two complementing chilli sauces.

Similarly, we discovered the squid offerings here comprising Crispy Sotong (RM18.90) and BBQ Sotong (RM18.90) were notable too. The grilled version was pleasantly toothsome despite our apprehension as the squid looked suspiciously rubbery. It even eclipsed the rather ho-hum deep-fried version.

Luckily the veggie department made up for the hiccup with both Four Angle Beans with Peanuts (RM9.90) and Spicy Eggplant with Dried Shrimps (RM14.70) had us smitten at first bite. The former was not something you'd find in local Thai restos so it's worth sampling.

 

No surprises in the dessert section. Among the few choices available, we voted Tub Tim Crob (Red Ruby, RM7) as the most bankable with strips of jackfruit adding to its evergreen appeal.

My own hope for a sweet ending was somewhat crushed as none of the choices: Mango Sticky Rice (RM9.90), Banana Fritters with Ice Cream (RM12.90), Ice Kacang (RM11.90) and Cendol (RM4.90) hit the spot for me (yes, I'm finicky that way)...but hey, I reckon you'd have to live up to the motto below. You're the best judge of what works for you...or doesn't.

For reservations at TIGERLILY THAI RESTAURANT, call tel: 03-2011 2912. Address: Lot LG18, Lower Ground Floor, DC Mall, Jalan Damanlela, Pusat Bandar Damansara, KL. Biz hours: Daily 8am to 8pm