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.

LET'S PIG OUT AT CERDITO

Hands up, those of you who got suckered into reading this blogpost after seeing this slurpilicious pix of scrumptious pork ribs and porky delights? Hah! I knew its oink-someness would draw you in. We devoured this slab of Iberico Loin Ribs (RM40 single, RM110 sharing portion) at Cerdito in Puchong! Darn worth getting our hands dirty as the ribs had such marvellous texture. Tender and juicy with enough 'bite' to sink into, every mouthful burst with tantalising smoky-tangy-savoury accents that had us picking the bones clean.

Nestled in a corner spot in the F&B haven of Puchong, the ambiance inside Cerdito is fuss-free, modern yet cosy enough without being intimidating.

The sleek dining space is sparsely decorated with a few artworks adorning the walls but the mellow lighting and tactile use of stone and wood trims are enough to cosy up the resto's overall feel.

Director cum Head Chef of Cerdito Yew Kean Leng (front row, 2nd from right) is the pint-size culinary power behind the team while Operations Manager Henry Lai (back row, right) ensures every diner is taken care of the minute they step in.

For the uninitiated, Spanish Iberico pork from the black Iberian pig or pata negra is the star of the show at Cerdito. This Spanish pig is prized on the same fervent level as Wagyu - its fine meat boasts deep-seated richness from the swine's free-range foraging and gorging on wild herbs, acorns, fungi and what-have-yous.

It was only befitting we commenced with Iberico Sticks (RM30), skewers of superbly juicy grilled Iberico pork. Just when the meaty taste tottered towards the brink of cloying richness, the pineapple salsa brought balance back into the equation.

Inspired by the Spanish fondness for tapas, Cerdito proffers a decent range of nibbles to start with. The basic but likeable char-grilled King Oyster Mushroom (RM15) has plump eryngii sliced into halves and grilled to supple tenderness. Chocolate 'soil' and aged balsamic vinegar teased the palate with additional flavours.

Frothy truffle tea foam lent the cup of Wild Mushroom Cappuccino (RM18) an unexpected yet welcoming nuance and musky aroma. We readily lapped it up without complaint as a testament to the rustic bisque's soulful deliciousness.

Citrus vinaigrette and fresh orange segments struck a zesty chord for the Smoked Duck Salad (RM22); its uplifting fruitiness looking to entice non-salad eaters into submission.

Non-pork fans will find ample satisfaction from the Harissa Chicken (RM20) with the toasty chilli powder imbuing muted spiciness to the lean meat. Smeared with creamy yoghurt sauce on the plate, the chicken skewers disappeared fast.

If you like pork ribs with ample meat, the swoon-worthy Iberico Short Rack (RM70) should bring out the glutton in you. Rest assured the portion was just nice for one, paired with balsamic drenched romaine lettuce, grilled pumpkin slices and babaganoush (smoky roasted eggplant & tahini spread).

Hitting closer to home was Chef Yew's pride and joy of Cerdito Special (RM45). We warmed up to the signature dish instantly - the broth a sweet distillation of unadulterated porcine essence coupled with chunks of meaty ribs yielding toothsome tenderness. According to Chef Yew, most Cerdito's patrons prefer pork meat with some mouthfeel to it instead soft almost mushy meat and she is happy to comply.

Don't enjoy fiddling with bones? Then plump for Cerdito's new fangled Iberico Black Pig Burger (RM45). Served with thick-cut steak fries, tomato chutney and fresh house salad, the mini hunk of lightly seared belly pork was luscious enough to have you lick the plate clean.

East and West met in a scrumptious way when the chef piled flavourful pulled pork and a dollop of crunchy ebikko onto soft mantou buns lined with cucumber julienne to form her
Iberico Pulled Pork Sandwich (RM45).

We were thrown by the daring, deconstructed House-made Lemon Tart (RM20) which looked nothing like the conventional version. Imagine being confronted by a trio of shot glasses filled with lemon curd topped with crushed pistachios, buttery cookie crumbs and cocoa 'soil' alongside a scoop of dried shallot ice cream. However, after sampling the inventive offering, we concurred it was an unlikely but agreeable sweet ender.

Even the more popular crowd-pleaser of Tiramisu (RM20) bore the culinary team's quirky tweaks. Kahlua was used in place of Marsala or rum to soak the Italian sponge fingers and infuse the mascarpone whilst coffee 'soil' adding the final touch to the much-loved dessert. Again it went down a storm with us with nary a complaint.

Chocoholics rejoice! Surrender to the alluring creation of Belgian Chocolate Semi-Freddo (RM20) and you'd be in seventh heaven. Lush and decadently creamy, the semi-frozen Italian dessert melted our last defences as we spooned up every last bit of it.

Here's a good tip for those who wish to give Cerdito a try without breaking the bank. Go for the Daily Set Lunch (RM19.90+) which proffers soup of the day, a mocktail and a choice of main course. There are ample choices available featuring pork and poultry mains so this is your chance to pig out at Cerdito!
soup

MODERN JAPANESE MEDLEY FROM MANMARU

 

My first encounter with robatayaki was at Keyaki – once a hotel's award-winning Jap resto but now defunct to the annals of my hotelling history. Like fashion, robatayaki has edged its way back into the city food scene; taking pride of place in modern Japanese restaurants like Manmaru which flaunts a robatayaki & bar on premise in the bigger and slicker Atria Shopping Mall.

Instead of just ocha (green tea), Manmaru entices diners to sip fancy cocktails and more sobering mocktails rustled up by the resto’s mixologists. Our drinks of choice: Yuzu Samurai (RM28), Spring Peach (RM25), Sparkling Ruby Calpis (RM15) and Lychee Sour Fizz RM15 are more than ample to keep spirits high.

 

Spurred by earnest owners who wish to make their restaurant's presence felt, head chef Danny Leow spearheads the Manmaru team, dishing up a dizzying selection that covers everything from Gozen Set Lunches (RM28-RM58) to mod-Nippon specialities.

 

With stiff competition, restaurateurs and chefs have to work so much harder to please and Manmaru takes the ‘feast for the eyes’ approach to new, detailed heights. Designed for social media sharing, the pretty as a picture Coral Bash Sarada (RM18) is just as nice to savour. The mound of tater mash ‘coral’ has tiny crabs, minute shrimps, pearly salmon roe, fish roe and strands of nori perched on it.

More Instagrammable eats appear in the dish of Salmon Ikura Millefeuille (RM45). The show-stopping composition is playful yet packs enough flavour and textural elements to reel us in. It’s a fun way of nibbling on crispy flatbread toasts heaped with diced salmon and salmon roe. A scattering of masago ‘caviar’ and a sawagani crab (subject to availability) complete the arty palette.

 

Simply delish...think of it as 'deconstructed' gyoza turned salsa

I like the clean almost minimalist preso of the Gyoza Kawa Age To Maguro Salsa (RM28) and Unagi Karaage (RM40) – two immensely likeable appetisers designed for sharing. Their uncomplicated tastiness amp up the appeal quotient several notches.

Pescatarians would snap at the Salmon Tataki Salad (RM35). With slices of lightly seared salmon playing peek-a-boo underneath a generous serving of fresh mixed leaves surrounded by a pool of olive green spinach dressing, you too would be clamouring for more salad days like this.

Manmaru’s Sashimi Moriawase (seven seasonal varieties @RM210) isn’t carve in stone selection-wise as the varieties served up each time changes according to market supply and season. Remember, there’s no such thing as cheap sashimi…

Likewise, Manmaru Nigiri Sushi Moriawase (RM150) follows the same maxim. Again it’s a visual masterpiece that resonates delicate, sublime accents. The picture alone is sufficient enough to ‘voice’ that proverbial thousand words.

Choice picks from the robatayaki bar appear as Kushiyaki Moriawase (RM68) – a stunning composition of various skewers threaded with crispy chicken skin, liver, beef bacon, chicken wing, salmon, king mushroom, scallop, smoked duck, beef and minced chicken balls. Looks good, tastes even better.

If you like the less is more approach, take your pick of seasonal fishes like Kasago (RM150/480g) from the ice-filled seafood counter where prized catches beckon. Grilled at the robatayaki, every morsel of the sweet flesh is picked clean from the rockfish.

Out to impress? Then you can’t go wrong with the dragon-shaped Lobster Roll (RM68) – a luscious maki roll fit for a king with shelled lobster, mango, cucumber, salmon roe and masago packed within vinegared rice.

Notable contenders for your wallet include Wagyu Teppanyaki (RM180) and Hotate Chawan Mushi (RM30); indulgent treats that should moo-ve beef enthusiasts and leave scallop lovers shell-syiok!

The zingy Volcano Roll (RM38) rocks too with its abundant filling: crab meat, salmon roe, avocado and cucumber drizzled with a creamy robust sauce.

Sakana Kami Yaki (RM58) - grilled snapper with beef bacon and seaweed baked in paper parcel with a creamy mustard sauce is one of the more inventive offerings available alongside Cream Korokke (RM22) – potato croquettes livened up with chopped onion, cream and seafood inside crisp breadcrumb crust.

Be prepared to fork out just a little more when dining at Manmaru but the creative efforts and quality should leave you walking away with a satisfied smile. 

For reservations at Manmaru, please call tel: 03-77331038. Address: G-26, Ground Floor, Atria Shopping Mall, Jalan SS22/23, Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.