CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE EATS AT CALIA

Inspired by the original concept that made waves in Melbourne, Calia has carved out a niche for itself as a modern and stylish Japanese dining spot where good food meets laid-back café vibes.

The casual space is bright with splashes of green and large picture windows looking out towards the bustling city skyline. It draws a steady crowd for its sushi bowls, comforting ramen and inventive beverages.

Creativity rules the drinks list featuring vibrantly colourful and winsome tasting tipples. The creamy sweet Taro Strawberry Latte (RM17) channels a liquid dessert while the delightful Magic Mango Smoothie (RM23) and slightly quirky Blueberry & Sweet Potato Milkshake (RM23) go down smoothly.

 
Healthier thirst-quenchers range from bright and aromatic Lychee & Lemongrass Fruit Tea (RM18) to the toasty Hojicha Fruit Tea (RM18) with diced fruits. Cool down humid afternoons with Easy Summer (RM16) — a mix of cucumber, lime and mint or gravitate towards Matcha Strawberry (RM23) for its alluring balance of fruity sweetness and grassy bitterness.

The dangerously snackable Ko Ebi (RM18), crispy whole small prawns served with yuzu mayo, is a surefire crowd-pleaser and will instantly disappear once it hits the table.

 
Salads go beyond the usual side-dish territory here. Our favourite is Soft Shell Crab Salad with Avocado (RM41) consisting of fried soft shell crab chunks tossed with tosaka (multi-colour crunchy seaweed). We enjoy the artful blend of different textures, pulled together with goma (sesame) dressing.

More contemporary in spirit, the Kale Salad with Bara Bara (RM44) pairs kale with marinated raw fish cubes for added richness. Cherry tomatoes, pink peppercorns and Japanese Caesar dressing complete the eye-catching and tasty ensemble.

Rice bowls are also given prominence. A fine example is Salmon Mentaiko Don (RM46) which has grilled salmon with creamy cod roe sauce covering sushi rice; the dish’s richness enhanced by briny ikura and pickles.

Salmon Tataki Engawa Don (RM88), a sublime pairing of marinated engawa (flounder fin) with scorched salmon slices, amps up the luxe factor. Some kizami wasabi (finely chopped fresh wasabi stems and roots marinated in soy sauce) cuts through the fatty fish nicely.

Also holding its own is the rich and hearty Salmon & Avocado Don (RM48). The scrumptious offering combines fresh salmon cubes marinated in a savoury sauce placed atop sushi rice, complemented by diced creamy avocado and a silky onsen egg.

Sushi rolls lean towards generous and satisfying. The standout creation of Engawa Maki (RM48) features lightly torched flounder fin, egg, cucumber and crabstick rolled with sushi rice and a dab of yuzu mayo, while the Unagi Maki (RM43) entices with sweet-savoury rice rolled with grilled eel, truffle egg, takuan (pickled radish), cucumber and avocado. More grilled eel brushed with sweet eel sauce lends the offering a decidedly luscious finish.

Crispy soft shell crab, avocado and cucumber rolled inside seaweed-wrapped sushi rice then finished with tempura oba (battered shisho leaf) makes the Soft Shell Crab Maki (RM33) a ‘must try’ option.

Comforting with a touch of whimsy, you’d have a field day sampling the Bear Garden Shabu Shabu (RM68). The collagen-rich chicken broth presented as a cute bear-shaped block comes surrounded by assorted vegetables and Japanese meatballs. Chicken slices (+RM10), tiger prawns (+RM15) or Wagyu beef slices (+RM38) can be added according to your preference.

                                                         
Rustic with flavourful depth, the Gyusuji Nikomi (RM38) — a mix of braised beef stomach, tendon and daikon scores for its pleasantly soulful, slightly gelatinous broth.

 
Noodle lovers have several notable options to explore. Food snobs may find instant affinity with Uni Truffle Inaniwa Don (RM126) which has delicate hand-stretched udon slicked with truffle oil, crowned with sea urchin and ikura.

Flavour fiends will discover Ebi Ramen (RM56) – a Japanese take on prawn noodles with sizeable freshwater prawns and springy ramen in a deeply flavoured shrimp broth worth diving into.

Another distinctive choice is Charcoal Truffle Collagen Ramen (RM38); a tempting partnership of sous vide chicken and striking black noodles in a collagen-rich chicken soup.

Those craving meat can opt for the Aussie Full Blood Wagyu Sirloin MB8-9 (RM288), served with yuzu-laced potato salad and garden greens and nuts.

In keeping with the Japanese theme, crowd-pleasers such as Matcha Lava Cake (RM33) and Warabi Mochi (RM28) are highlighted. The former hides a molten green tea centre beneath a spongy chocolate cake crowned with matcha ice cream whilst the latter proffers a more traditional approach with soft, jelly-like cubes dusted in roasted soybean powder and drizzled with dark sugar syrup.

The Black Sesame Burnt Cheesecake (RM21) brings nutty depth to the Basque-style favourite. As a refreshing finale, Yokan Anmitsu (RM28) comprising red bean jelly, agar-agar, red bean mash, seasonal fruits and matcha ice cream, is just ideal to cap off your visit on a lightly sweet note.

All in, Calia balances Japanese flavours with modern café sensibilities. Whether it’s for a quick bite, a stopover for dessert, or simply a friendly catch-up over drinks, Calia has found great resonance with the young and hip crowd as well as seasoned food lovers.

For reservations at Calia Pavilion KL, visit this link: https://inline.app/booking/calia. Address: Lot 6.11, Level 6, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur 
 

NEW GRAND MENU DEBUTS AT IPPUDO

Ippudo Malaysia - the local chapter of Japan's renown ramen chain unveiled its new grand menu recently at Pavilion KL. Regional operations consultant Tomo Kudo (below pix) said the new items will give local diners a taste of modern Japan while staying true to founder Shigemi Kawahara's philosophy to innovate continuously.

Local media members turn out in force to sample the plethora of new items, ranging from starters and ramen to dessert. The servings came fast and furious, causing us to scramble and snap pixs at lightning speed. Luckily, the photogenic dishes made it a breeze enabling us to settle down and relish them.

 

It was love at first bite the minute we sampled the Dashimaki Egg Roll (RM9). Ethereally fluffy, the Japanese omelette roll dotted with mayo and spicy cod roe was a definitive crowd-pleaser; priming us up for other goodies to come.

Suffice to say, we weren't disappointed. The lustrously rich briny flavour of marinated pollock roe and cod roe spread luxuriantly on the palate as we bit into the lightly Seared Salmon Rolls with Mentaiko (RM19), transporting us to culinary heaven.

 

It was splendid when you chase it with sips of Ippudo's Matcha Smoothie (RM9.90) - the fresh, faintly astringent green tea helps to cut any cloying aftertaste that linger. Coupled with some red bean mash and cream, the drink is refreshing to the last drop.

 

Simpler but no less yummy is Spicy Boiled Gyoza (RM13). The dumplings are generously stuffed with minced pork. Some shredded leek, light soya sauce and hot chilli oil are the pared-down condiments that lift them to delightful gustatory heights.

Passion about pork? Ah, then you mustn't miss savouring the Pork Grill (RM16) - a slab of tender, juicy pork loin served on hot plate with beansprouts, sweet corn and teppan sauce. Slivers of fried garlic flakes lend it a coyly smoky-sweetness that should leave you smacking your lips with great satisfaction.

Trust me, the biggest surefire crowd-pleaser would be Teppan Garlic Rice with Chicken (RM20). I really can't foresee any young adult weaned on a diet of pizza, pasta and mod Japanese food refusing this mound of garlic-fried rice and diced chicken amidst a moat of eggy, cheesy and creamy sauce speckled with chopped capsicum and sweet corn kernels...

Also unveiled at the preview were two new ramen variants - Shoyu Ramen and Kakuni Ramen, joining Ippudo's quintessential noodle repertoire. The nice thing about Ippudo is you can dictate how hard or soft you like the noodles to be...most ramen shops usually overcook their noodles (based on my own experiences) so such attention to detail is highly laudable.

A special clear chicken broth and shoyu stock forms the base for Shoyu Ramen (RM24.90) - its delicate accent just the platform to showcase thin springy noodles complemented by sliced pork loin, bamboo shoots, seaweed, leeks and naturomaki (sliced fish paste roll with a pink swirl).

The Shiromaru Kakuni (pix above, RM27.90) is supremely hearty in which ramen and a thick slab of belly pork simmered in Ippudo's special soy sauce come immersed in the chain's trademark tonkotsu broth, garnished with  kikurage (shredded cloud ear fungus), spring onion and beansprouts. Other variants available are Karaka Kakuni (RM30.90). Akamaru Kakuni (RM29.90).

The special spicy miso, cashew & ground pork really bestows much character and complex flavour to the Karaka-Men (RM25.90). You can also enjoy it with additional salted soft-boiled egg as in Karaka Tamago (RM27.90) while the luxe Karaka Special (RM33.90) throws in sliced belly pork, seaweed and salted soft-boiled egg as well.

We also slurped up Shiromaru Motoaji (RM22.90) - a classic Hakata-style ramen. The ultra-thin noodles with Ippudo's tonkotsu broth are accompanied by pork loin slices, beansprouts, kikurage and spring onion.

Special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil infuse big, bold flavour dimensions to Akamaru Shinaji (RM24.90) - a refined, modern-style ramen that consists of thin noodles with pork belly slices, spring onion and kikurage.

Simplicity rules the evening's dessert offerings. Mochi fans would probably love Daifuku (RM9) as the sweet treat features vanilla ice-cream enrobed in a thin layer of silky, stretchy mochi skin, placed on a slice of lemon and served with a fresh strawberry.

Mild, subtly flavoured creamy cheese atop soft cookie base makes up our second dessert of Cheese Stick. Its light, almost whimsy sweetness is comparable to eating ice-cream crossed with marshmallow. What a befittingly lovely end to mark the launch of Ippudo's grand new menu. 

For reservations, call Ippudo Malaysia - Pavilion KL (Tel: 03 2110 6233), The Gardens Mall (Tel: 03 2201 6238) & Bangsar Shopping Centre (Tel: 03 2011 6238). More info & details available from: http://www.ippudo.com.my