CHEF KAZUO TAKIZAWA’S NEW GRAND MENU AT ZIPANGU

 

Chef Kazuo Takizawa’s new Grand Menu at Zipangu reads like a love letter to the seasons of Japan, gently kissed with the flavours of Malaysia.

Thoughtfully composed like a haiku, the meal begins with a whisper — a cool, textured tumble of Salmon and Avocado, slick with salted kelp and wasabi soy sauce. It arrives atop a crisp rice cracker lined with fried nori, a poetic symphony of flavour and crunch.

The richness of salmon gives way to the clean zingy note of wasabi, while the umaminess of kelp hums softly in the background like a distant tide. It’s the kind of dish that makes you pause between bites, out of reverence.

Then comes a heartwarming bowl of Chicken and Vegetable Miso Soup that feels like slipping into a cherished coat in the heart of winter. The broth is gentle, faintly smoky. The chicken—salt-marinated, grilled, then eased into the miso—lends depth whilst young corn, lotus root, and shimeji mushrooms tumble through the comforting broth. Takizawa-san calls it “home-style” and it resonates with us.

 

Spicy Salmon Zanmai Roll arrives next, lush with layer upon layer of salmon: raw, cooked, and jewelled with pearly roe. Cucumber, surimi and egg make this sushi roll indulgent without being boastful, the touch of sriracha leaving a gentle glow rather than a blaze. A sip of cold Junmai Daiginjo sake draws the flavours together—clean and fleeting.

The signature mains emerge as a quartet of restrained brilliance. There is the familiar Black Cod Teriyaki and Japanese White Radish yet the fried cod, a nod to Malaysian tastes, holds greater allure thanks to the daikon steeped in Takizawa’s own blend of dashi and teriyaki sauce. A dish updated for its audience without compromising its heritage.

The Grilled Bluefin Tuna Collar is a study in devotion and sustainability. Sourced from a humongous 80kg fish, the collar—often overlooked—is treated with the kind of care and respect reserve for something sacred. 

Marinated in sake, doubanjiang (spicy bean sauce), ginger and secret herbs, then grilled, the rich and meaty tuna collar flesh tastes faintly of the ocean’s depths: hints of minerality mingled with whispers of oyster and brine, soothed by the gentle sweetness of capsicum in a lush, complex sauce.

For me, the conversation-stopper has to be the A5 Japanese Halal Omi Wagyu Tenderloin. Cooked simply, perfectly with a dash of salt—seared until just charred outside, but pink and yielding within.

 
Each bite is warm velvet. On the side, there are fried garlic chips, mustard, wasabi, and a Japanese steak sauce—unnecessary but delightful if variation is called for. Grilled vegetables lend a gentle counterpoint. This is the kind of breath-taking dish that leaves you in awed silence at such masterful culinary perfection.

 
Finally, the crescendo of heat: a Spicy Chicken Curry unlike any you’ll find in Japan. It has swagger, warmth that builds and lingers. Takizawa uses a 30-year-old recipe, refined and reworked with Malaysian heat. The chicken, braised with leek, is tender; the spices—paprika, ginger, garlic—meld into a bold, unapologetic chorus.

Sweetness to soften the ending is Yuzu Sorbet. Icy and fragrant, the yuzu sings—sharp, floral, clean with a kind of silken poise renders by a sticky, almost translucent starch syrup woven through it for unexpected elegance.

In the hands of Chef Kazuo Takizawa, every plate from Zipangu’s Grand Menu tells a story—seasonal and soulful. Each creation soothes as much as it stirs.

For reservations at Zipangu, call tel: 03-2032 2388. Address: Level 1, Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. https://www.facebook.com/shangrilaKL
 
 

SINO-JAPANESE REUNION FEAST AT OCTOBER

REUNION is the name of the Chinese New Year theme at October Japanese Cuisine in Johor Bahru.

Swim into the CNY mood with the restaurant’s Prosperity Assorted Sashimi Yee Sang (RM68 nett – regular, RM108 nett - large) with Wasabi Sauce or Sour Plum Sauce. We sampled the refreshing salad that combined Norwegian Salmon, Maguro (Tuna) and Hamachi (Yellow Tail) harmoniously with mounds of colourful, shredded radish, carrot, cucumber, seaweed, pickled ginger and marinated scallop skirts. Lending further textural interest to the ensemble were house-made fried Gyoza Skin, Sesame Seeds and Toasted Almond Flakes.

Tucked away in a quiet enclave, the low-rise, double-storey resto comes with a sculpted pathway on one side - complete with Japanese bamboo, granite garden lanterns, stone paving, faux cherry blossom trees and a torii (traditional gate). The resto interior is simple and practical with an open display of sumo wrestlers and sake bottles. Upstairs features more laidback cafe-style seating and a private dining room.

To fire up the festive spirit, the October team has created Auspicious Flaming Nabe (RM68.80 nett), a hot pot flambé with Kaoliang Rice Wine, Japanese Sake and Miso Soup. Sliced Norwegian salmon, chicken breast, shiitake mushrooms, leeks and carrots co-mingled in the bubbling pot; their inherent sweetness imbued with a decidedly heavy boozy overtone once the spirits were added and set alight.

Have a ball of a time with the artistic creation of Fortune Sushi & Sashimi Platter (RM58.80 nett). The dainty assortment of sushi balls was delightful, nicely complemented by slices of Maguro, Hamachi and Salmon Sashimi as well as Ikura (Salmon Roe).

Customers who spend RM88 and above will be entitled to receive two packs of exclusive October Group ang pows and a RM20 voucher in conjunction with CNY.

House Specialities

The extensive a la carte menu also abounds with tempting possibilities. You can nurse a fave tipple and nibble on Grilled Edamame (RM9.90++) – Japanese green soya beans sautéed with togarashi seasoning and Kawahagi (RM12.90++) – smoky, mildly salty dried leatherjacket or filefish with jerky-like chewiness.

Also available are palate-pleasing Kushiyaki Moriawase (RM44.90++): grilled skewers of scallops, shiitake, enoki niku, okra, leek and eggplant to assuage hunger pangs. We would recommend Surume Ika – tender grilled squid basted with Japanese sauce.

Rice fiends will find rolled sushi aplenty to tickle their fancy. The Special October Maki (RM49.90) consists of 8 types of sushi whilst salmon, crabstick and lashings of spicy sauce made up the Flaming Salmon Aburi Maki (RM29.90++). 

Riding on the salted egg craze is October’s Salted Egg Maki (RM26.90++) in which a deep-fried soft shell crab rolled sushi comes laced with savoury salted egg sauce.

Heftier appetites may prefer opting for the October Special Bento (RM59.90++) – a bento encompassing Japan’s seasonal ingredients prepared in multiple ways to please the eyes and palate.

 

Should you need additional succour, the generous serving of Japanese Fried Noodles (RM19.90) wrapped in a fluffy omelette blanketed with katsuoboshi will do the trick.

To wrap up your outing to October, sweeten the experience with Tempura Sweet Potato (RM9.90++). Inspired by the local combo of sweet potato and yam, this pairing sheathed in light tempura batter. Tartar sauce gave the dish an unexpectedly lush and creamy twist.

For reservations, call October Japanese Cuisine, tel: 017-683 2156. Address: 6A, Jalan Persiaran Jaya Putra 1, Bandar Jaya Putra (JP Perdana) Johor Bahru.

MOONCAKE MEDLEY FROM NOBU KL

Six different Japanese-style flavours set Nobu Kuala Lumpur's Mid-Autumn mooncake selection apart from the crowded arena this year. Word has it the confection is flying off the shelves so make haste and grab yourself a box or two in time for the festival this October.

We were told last year's lacquer boxes were a runaway bestseller and Nobu KL looks set to repeat the same feat this year. The attractive lure reeling in customers is the classy black lacquered box adorned with a pair of frolicking koi (Japanese carps to denote auspiciousness) with fluttering autumn maple leaves on the lid.

Inside each box is a set of six baked mooncakes. Priced at RM148 nett, Set A consists of Mochi Skin Shiso Mooncake with Lotus Paste, Mochi Skin Shiso with Miso Yolk and Pandan Paste, Baked Charcoal Bamboo Mooncake with Black Goma Paste, Baked Green Tea Paste Mooncake, Baked Azuki Bean Paste Mooncake and Baked Fruits & Nuts Mooncake.

 

Set B (RM168 nett) proffers 2 x Mochi Skin Shiso Mooncake with Lotus Paste, 2 x Mochi Skin Shiso with Miso Yolk and Pandan Paste and 2 x Baked Fruits & Nuts Mooncakes.

Out of the whole repertoire, I personally am partial to the pink skinned, sweet-savoury tasting Mochi Skin Shiso with Miso Yolk and Pandan Paste. True to Nobu's Japanese-Peruvian approach, the red skinned mooncake with lotus paste incorporated flecks of shiso leaf and pumpkin seeds in it; tempering the filling's sweetness with the natural lemony freshness of shiso.

Rich and toasty with nutty overtone makes the Baked Charcoal Bamboo Mooncake with Black Goma Paste agreeable although not particularly outstanding. We reckon the mildly bitter and astringent green tea version is a good choice to balance the richer offering.

Even the Adzuki Bean Paste Mooncake boasts more pronounced 'beany' flavour compared to regular red bean paste. For the older generation who's nuts about dense mooncake filling, the Baked Fruits & Nuts variant should leave quite over the moon.

Nobu KL patrons will also find two house variants which can only be sampled within the restaurant. One features a classic pairing of Green Tea & Red Bean in a chocolate shell mooncake while the other is an inventive combo of Miso & Chocolate Ice Cream Mooncake (RM50 each).

Nobu KL's medley of mooncakes are sold at Nobu KL restaurant, Level 56, Petronas Tower 3 and at the Mid-Autumn Festival kiosk at Pavilion KL, Level 1 (in front of Komugi) while stocks last. Call tel: 03-2164 5084 for more information.