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
 
 

LE MEI’S WASABI-SPIKED AND NUTTY MOONCAKES #FTW

The fleeting yet noticeably zingy presence of wasabi was inescapable the minute I bit into the wedge of Low Sugar White Lotus Paste with Wasabi and Pistachio Nuts Mooncake from Le Mei, Le Meridien Putrajaya.

I was hooked at first bite as the tantalizing taste had me returning for more. Since wasabi and pistachios aren’t the norm in mooncake-making, I applaud the chefs at Le Mei for daring to push the envelope when it comes to creating new variants of the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival confection.

The mooncake’s subtle sweetness also scored with me as did the smooth lotus-pistachio paste. Handcrafted by the Le Mei team, the signature mooncake is priced at RM33 each and needs to be ordered 3 days in advance.

Another nutty variant comes in the form of Pandan Paste with Hazelnut Mooncake (RM30 each). Again, the thin baked skin encasing the fragrant pandan-scented filling flecked with hazelnut bits was palate-pleasing. The mooncake also had a nice glossy shine to it.

To please purists who prefer the tried and tested, I’d recommend the White Lotus Paste with Single Egg Yolk Mooncake (RM33 each). The confection is on-point, ticking all the requisite boxes and should leave no room for complaint.

Two other flavours: Assorted Fruits and Nuts (RM38) and Mini Snow Skin with Raspberry and Cashew Nuts (RM20) are also available. The Signature Mooncakes of Le Mei have to be ordered 3 days ahead of your desired collection date.

Available until 1^st October, Le Meridien Putrajaya’s Mid-Autumn Festival gift box features a sturdy laminated gift box with a magnetic flap, clad in a mosaic of colours and rabbit motifs reflective of the celebratory Mid-Autumn Festival.

For more information, please call Le Meridien Putrajaya, tel: 03 8689 6888 or email: dining.lmputrajaya@lemeridien.com 

KAPPO'S THE WAY AT TAKEBAYASHI

In Malaysia, Takebayashi is the first of its kind — a Japanese restaurant specialising in Kappo-style cuisine. Opened in September 2018, this Zen-like culinary temple has Chef/Managing Director Tatsuo Takebayashi as the central commanding figure, impeccably suited in chef whites and colourful camouflage pants.

According to Takebayashi-san, Japanese Kappo can be defined as a multi-course meal prepared by the chef in front customers and served directly to them. The small and intimate ambience enables customers to see each dish being prepared using the freshest, seasonal ingredients in close proximity at the kitchen counter. Everything is above board with no holds barred on hygiene and chef-customer interaction.

Having garnered stellar culinary credentials including past stints at NOBU in the US of A, Malaysia and Montenegro, Japan Airlines’ in-flight catering company and Crystal Cruise, Takebayashi is now charting a new course as the captain of his own Kappo Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Residences.

Located in a discreet corner of the towering high-rise, the tactile wood and slate grey interior is dominated by a long countertop where the restaurant team holds court. An overhead display of house wines and Japanese spirits coupled with warm, ambient lighting gives the restaurant an austere yet cosy feel. A private room with six seats accord those seated within a stunning view of the iconic Twin Towers. 

Set meals (RM50 onwards) and sushi rolls (RM40 onwards) are mainstays during lunch hours. Dinner is the best way to experience Takebayashi Kappo as the culinary team will have ample freedom to impress through an Omakase menu (RM280 per person) comprising Zensai (appetiser), Sashimi, Agemono, Charcoal Grill, Sushi, Soup and Fruits.

The current menu is a work-in-progress, to enable Takebayashi ascertain the types of dishes that appeal to his clientele. Our dining experience got off to an orgasmic start with the chef’s simple but ingenious Cream Cheese with Miso (RM30) appetiser.

Marinated in miso for 3 days, the nondescript tiles of cream cheese came lightly grilled under a salamander prior to serving. The resultant sensuous creaminess coupled with the Japanese beanpaste’s seductive savouriness literally knocked our socks off.

Hot on the heels of that show-stopper was the second appetiser, Cold Tomato with Umami Jelly (RM45). Skinned and cut into quarters, the red Japanese tomato came surrounded by clumps of crystalline konbu-dashi flavoured jelly. We detected the barest tinge of honey sweetness as we nibbled on the fruity tomato before the umami taste resonated across our tastebuds when the soft jelly melted on the palate.

From the Cold Dish section, Chef Takebayashi tempted us with White Fish with XO Salsa (RM60). In this instance, the serving of Kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) was artfully sliced and dotted with tiny dollops of his XO salsa: a zippy mixture of dried scallop, garlic, spring onion and fried shallot amidst the mild tanginess of ponzu sauce. It was a joyful flavour party in our mouths; the fish's unadulterated sea-sweetness punctuated by faint bursts of punchy onion-sharpness.

We also fell hook, line and sinker for the house speciality of Salmon Tataki with Jalapeno Sauce (RM50). Such a mind-bogglingly simple creation but one that left an indelible impression, thanks to the unmatched pairing of lightly seared succulent Norwegian salmon slices with creamy, wickedly robust jalapeno sauce.

Crispier texture piqued our interest in the form of Popcorn Shrimps with Spicy Mayo Sauce (RM45). The airy-light batter coating the curls of springy shrimp were most addictive and when dunked into the mayo dip, truly hit the spot.

Executive Chef Jhon Chang also proved his sushi-making prowess when he conjured up two varieties of Sushi: Toro (5 pcs RM190) & Aji (5 pcs RM40) for our dining party. The raw fish slices were sizeable atop clumps of vinegared rice. Complemented by house-made pickled young ginger that suffused our tongues with warm sweetness and the bracing spiciness of freshly grated wasabi, every piece was an epicurean treat.

Sometimes a testament of a good Japanese restaurant lies in its most basic offerings. At Takebayashi, the slippery smooth and savoury rich Chawan Mushi with Dried Scallop Sauce (RM45) underscores this maxim.  Topped with shredded dried scallop, the silky egg custard had plenty of textural surprises: ginkgo, chicken, prawn and a square of yomogi (Japanese mugwort gluten) embedded within it to tantalise us. 

Playing his role as the perfect host to the hilt, Chef Takebayashi also plied us with his eponymous wine by Castello di Luzzano Lolli Piacentini Malvasia. The semi-dry Italian sparkling wine brimming with bright, effervescent fruity-herbal notes went like a dream with most of the dishes we had savoured including Grilled Spring Chicken with Wasabi Pepper Sauce.

The elegant wine did wonders in amplifying the enticing smokiness of the lean kampong chicken and the muted sweetness of the accompanying grilled white corn and cauliflower, touched with viscous barbecue sauce.

When it comes to dessert, the fresh, in-season Japanese Pear and Vanilla Ice Cream brought our hugely satisfying visit to Takebayashi to a rousing conclusion.

For reservations, please call Takebayashi Kappo, tel: 03-2181 3364. Address: Concourse Area, Level 1, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Laman Sentral Berjaya, 105, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 12noon-2.30pm, Dinner Mon-Thurs 6.30pm-10.30pm, Fri & Sat 6.30pm-11.30pm.Closed for lunch on Saturday & whole day on Sunday.