Oh Sushi Japanese Restaurant @ De Garden, Ipoh
August 20, 2010 | 14,458 views
Sashimi Moriawase Hanzo (RM56.00/USD17) – An enticing platter of fresh and thick cuts of raw fishes and boiled shrimps presented on a bed of shaved ice, with a cube of grated wasabi
I have to confess. The sudden onslaught of new eateries sprouting up in Ipoh surprised me, and my apologies for the delayed reviews of such places. For a variety of reasons (excuses?) of course.
One being the bane of spanking new outlets; pathetic level of service & mediocre/inconsistent quality of food. Not to mention the unacceptably long waiting time for your food to be presented on your table.
Another reason being of course; the procrastinating factor. Dear readers; I am but a mere mortal without a designated gang of ‘makan kaki’ (wanna sign up?) ….. and I do not own a gold mine, or one blessed with a silver gold platinum spoon in my (motor) mouth. All the food reviews on this blog are paid for with cold hard cash dripping with blood, sweat and tears.
Oh Sushi – A very pleasant dining environment amidst the team of affable staff, soft hums of classic Japanese tunes emitting from the speakers, and endless colourful plates of fresh sushi on the kaiten belt.
Cut the crap and let’s move on to the review of the day. One for the weekend, so to speak.
Oh Sushi Japanese Restaurant launched their maiden outlet in Ipoh recently, at De Garden; a hub of retail outlets largely populated with chain eateries (you can read my reviews of Pappa Rich, Ayam Penyet, Wong Kok Char Chan Teng, Tutti Frutti Frozen Yoghurt and TOS Coffee Bistro by clicking THIS LINK) situated next to Jusco Kinta City.
The name sounds familiar? Because this is the SAME Oh Sushi @ Midvalley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, another pet project of the Kubota Japanese Restaurant group. Read on to find out how Oh Sushi stacked up against their adversaries; the other independent and chain Japanese restaurants in Ipoh ……
One of the few places in Ipoh where you can find fresh and thick slabs of Toro (tuna belly) at a fairly reasonable price. RM15.00/USD4.50 for the Toro Sushi above.
Oh Sushi @ De Garden is not visible from the main roads, but the restaurant is somewhere between Burger King/Boston and Wong Kok Char Chan Teng; for a lack of proper directions.
Warmly ushered to our seats, the bright ambience with a moving kaiten belt of colourful plates of sushi caught my eyes. The place can easily seat a crowd of 100 and above, though if you’re going in a larger group (say, 8-10 patrons and above), it’s highly recommended that you make a reservation prior to your visit.
The sharp tang from the Mentaiko (marinated Pollock roes) was the perfect foil to the sweet and succulent shrimp on rice. (RM4.80/USD1.50 for two pieces)
Started off with some ‘lighter’ raw food; we chose the platter of mixed sashimi (Sashimi Moriawase Hanzo) with three slices each of salmon (sake), yellowtail (hamachi), butter fish, tuna (maguro), sweet shrimp (ama ebi) and octopus (tako). They also provide other deluxe combination with toro (tuna belly) and/or uni (sea urchin) for a heftier price.
Served on a bed of finely-shaved ice, with shiso leaves, few wedges of lemon and a rectangular cube of grated wasabi (tasted different from the wasabi placed in containers making their rounds on the belt), the fishes were fresh and sweet, with reasonably thick cuts to please the avid fans of raw seafood. Only the yellowtail had a faint hint of fishiness, but not too distracting. The maguro (tuna) was good; a fact that I relished most since I like tuna more than the other types of raw cuts in Japanese cuisine.
The Toro Sushi (fatty tuna belly) was a pinkish, fatty and juicy cut of tuna that slides down one’s palate with much ease. I expected a slightly thicker cut, but still enjoyed the sushi nonetheless. After all, we don’t see tuna belly on most menus here in Ipoh.
Ten Don (RM12.80/USD3.90) – Deceptively small portion; I doubt this is sufficient for even the lightest of eaters. A bowl of white rice topped with assorted tempura (batter-fried prawns and various vegetables)
Hotate Don (RM15.80/USD4.80) – Scallops with egg omelette and onions on rice.
Clockwise from top left : Wakame Jyako Salmon Skin (RM8.80/USD2.70), Zaru Cha Soba (RM12.80/USD3.90), Katsu Don (RM13.80/USD4.20) and Teppan Salmon (RM13.80/USD4.20)
However, the cooked items paled in comparison to their raw counterparts. The Donburi, for example were not exactly stellar in terms of taste or presentation. Katsu Don (deep-fried chicken with eggs and onions) tasted rather bland, while the Hotate Don fared slightly better but the scallops were a little too soft than juicy or retaining their naturally plump/crunchy texture. The Salmon Belly Shioyaki (grilled salmon belly with salt) was delicious, but the portion left little to the imagination. Let’s say, even a child can wallop the serving in 1 minute flat.
Salmon Belly Shioyaki (RM12.80/USD4.20) – Deceptive shot this one, the cuts of salmon belly were about two inches in length, at most.
The Japanese Seaweed Salad (Wakame Jyako) with Salmon Skin was a bad choice, with barely shredded crispy salmon skin and more lettuce than seaweed. The Zaru Cha Soba (cold green tea noodles) arrived in a clumpy manner; making it hard to dip the noodles into the sauce (soba tsuyu) on the side. Though the Teppan Salmon was quite good; with a tangy sauce laden with grated radish.
The number on the colourful plates on the wall depict the prices of the respective sushi on the kaiten belt. And good to know that they’re opened 7 days a week, though take note that on weekdays, they are closed for a 3 hours period in the afternoon.
On the whole, the dining experience at Oh Sushi was not exactly a miss, but a mixed bag of good and bad choices. Interesting items to look out for?
Wagyu beef (RM68/100g) and Kobe beef (RM110/100g) are served in a sizzling manner, on hot stones. And the prized beef cuts are also served nabe mono style (Japanese steamboat stew). Uni (sea urchin) is also featured in sashimi platters, or you can go all out and order a full tray of them for RM90+, or half a tray at RM55/USD16.70. Not forgetting the delectable options of ordering Toro (tuna belly) from the menu.
Oh Sushi does NOT offer bento meals (set meals or ‘lunch box’ meals), nor value sets. Hence everything’s ordered ala carte style, so you’d better be prepared to squeeze in some extra minutes in figuring out what to order from their rather extensive menu.
OH SUSHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT (PORK-FREE)
DGR-2,3 & 4, De Garden Zone D,
1, Persiaran Medan Ipoh, Medan Ipoh, 31400 Ipoh,
Perak, Malaysia.
Telephone : 605-547 4199, 547 1687.
Business Hours : Mon-Fri (11.45am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm), Sat-Sun, Public Holidays (11.45am – 10.30pm)
** Opening promotion – Get 10% off from the total bill for dine-in at Oh Sushi. Limited time only **
See the Trend in the Desserts? STRAWBERRIES overdose? 🙂
Strawberry Moment Dessert Cafe opened its door recently at De Garden as well, facing Oh Sushi Japanese Restaurant. Review to come at a later date, but you can read my accounts of our experience at Strawberry Moment back in Cameron Highlands. Other new outlets at De Garden include Boston Restaurant and I Love Yoo! (soy milk + you tiao).
To get the latest updates on NEW Eateries in Ipoh, or happenings around town; be a fan of All About Ipoh facebook page. Please leave a comment below, or drop me an e-mail HERE if you’d like me to write about your favourite haunts for GOOD food in Ipoh.
I want! I want! 😀 Salmon!
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hmmm…. fyi.. remember seeing tengood selling kobe beef at RM90/100g… seems like tengood’s kobe is slightly cheaper than oh sushi…wonder if any grade difference… these restaurants does not seems to be revealing the grade of the cut they are using…
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Yeah, but you can ask them for clarification.
Secret Garden serves the Grade 5 Wagyu, at about RM168 for a 220g cut of steak.
Indulgence and Citrus also serve Wagyu, though not so sure about Kobe.
Maria’s Cafe used to serve both, but not sure about now.
For cooked food, I’ll go for Tengood’s anyday.
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D-Tourist Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
grade 5 is top grade..issit.. ?
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Nope, it’s Grade 9 if I’m not mistaken.
Though to get a Grade 9, you may have to mortgage something already, or give up on breakfast-lunch.
D-Tourist Reply:
August 21st, 2010 at 12:30 am
hmmm wagyu at rm168… seems enticing.. considering that my relatives paid like rm300+ for a piece of the steak…
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D-Tourist Reply:
August 21st, 2010 at 12:30 am
in japan tat is..
im looking for makan kakis also! collaborate effort can increase our “firepower”! come, lets organize ipoh floggers gathering. LOL….
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Hahaha …. I can understand that. Fire Power?!!!
Purchasing Power’s more like it. 🙂
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hahah.. at least u r getting some cold hard cash from nuffnang to pay for ur foods 😛
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Barely, D-T. Seriously ……
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D-Tourist Reply:
August 20th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
issit… hmmm.. was thinking of trying out blogging for some extra cold hard cash… hahahah!!! looks like plan A scrapped… now need to think of plan B
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 21st, 2010 at 12:31 pm
So what’s Plan B then? 🙂
Bring me into the Plan as well …
D-Tourist Reply:
August 22nd, 2010 at 5:25 pm
perhaps we need to sit down to brainstorm on plan B 😛
Strawberry is never too many for me 😛
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 21st, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Haha, we found ourselves another Strawberry lover here, huh?
I like the tarty fruits too, but more often than not, we get those tiny ones that are way too sour.
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Went to both Oh! Sushi and Strawberry Moments today…not too bad, like you said, lunch at Oh!Sushi was a mixed bag experience, same goes for Strawberry Moments!…choc mousse and strawberry frosty juice was good, but wished the puff pastry for the strudel was lighter and fresher…will give it some time to settle I suppose but will definitely go back for seconds 😀
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:07 am
Thanks Anne for sharing that experience with us.
Yeah, probably going back for seconds very soon; with regards to Oh Sushi.
Strawberry Moment leans more towards a dessert cafe or a place for light drinks, though they serve a few savoury items as well.
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[…] Oh Sushi Japanese Restaurant @ De Garden, Ipoh […]
So from what I gather, Oh Sushi is rather pricey for the portions they serve. BTW, you can get all the fresh yellowfin tuna you want for only RM12/kg. Tuna belly included. Only problem, you will have to go to Kota Kinabalu to get it. They sell fresh yellowfin tuna there in the pasar malam next to the Filipino market!
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:17 am
RM12 per kg?!!! Damn that’s cheap. But all the way to KK?!! Aiyo …..
Thanks for the suggestion anyway. That should be a good pushing factor for me to buy some tickets now …
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tuboflard Reply:
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Yes, raw tuna meat is only RM12 per kg. If you buy the whole 5 foot yellow fin tuna – fins, gills, guts and all, it’s only RM10 per kg.
The huge cockles you find in Japanese restaurants for sashimi are sold at about RM9 each – they are RM6 per kg in KK!
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yeah what a foolish idea to pay for japanese food!
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:54 pm
I can’t help but disagree to that comment, tan.
It’s not foolish to pay for Japanese food in general; as NOT every single dish is made up of sashimi, or raw produce.
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I do not think Oh Sushi is great. Just tried few days back. I am dissapointed with the service overall. Had calling three times after finished my meal, no one came with period of waiting 10-15 minutes in between. Had to walk up to the counter to foot my bill (Only they could tell me earlier, I would have done so). upon reaching the counter, they were fumbling for my receipt for some time again! Worst of all, they could not present me a copy of the bill! I walked out from the restaurant after paying, feeling diassapointed!
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 27th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Thanks jenson for sharing that experience. Kind of funny nowadays. New outlets tend to be better in terms of service when they first started. For the first two visits, I was attended to very professionally, and to a point we thought this team must have been trained in the other outlets belonging to the same group prior to their launch here in Ipoh.
Then I got various unfavourable views and feedback from the readers and friends. And there was once when the sushi we were served crumbled even before being picked up with the chopsticks. Goes to show how sloppy the rolls were prepared. And those were not from the kaiten belt, but prepared on the spot.
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Been there last weekend wif some buddies……as advice from others i made reservation before hand ( got the number from this blog hehe)….and lucky for us wif reservation that night was packed. Anyway to our surprise the food were came in a haste to our table with that much hungry mouth in the restaurant. A bit disappointing with the Beef sukiyaki pot cause its stone cold until we finished the gas cylinder and asked for replacement and not much luck with the second gas cylinder. We can’t handle the taunting anymore we ask the waiter please take the pot to the kitchen and heat it up for us…less than 5 min hurray steamy hot pot is back. For services i’ll give them an A and for food B-.
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 30th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Hey Eric, thanks for sharing your experiences at Oh Sushi.
Service was good, although the place was packed, the smiles were there, and a wave of hand ensured prompt refills of green tea.
But foodwise, the cooked items still were not up to par. On second thoughts, the sushi was not as impressive either. Let’s give them some time before the traffic (human traffic, of course) stabilize and maybe things will get better from there.
After all, the last thing we Ipohans need would be a sushi scene dominated by the King (you know which one), with no Sakae, Genki, or even Zanmai appearing anywhere near the horizons.
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[…] Sashimi knocked our socks off; encompassing thick slices of tuna belly (otoro) *you know how much I love fatty, oily tuna belly! *, kanpachi (amberjack fish) and two types of fresh clams; the akagai (bloody/red shells) and the […]
[…] growth in the food & beverage department with new chain eateries launching left and right. Oh Sushi, Purple Cane Tea House and Strawberry Moment Dessert Cafe started charming their way into the […]
[…] Google Map to Strawberry Moment Dessert Cafe *This cafe is situated next to Oh Sushi!, and opposite of Ding Fung […]
yesterday i visited oh sushi,environment is good,staff service excellent,but the food is so suck.I’ll not visit again.
the food is good looking but taste bad.the basic food unagi and salmon taste like shit.really waste my money.
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Je terminerai de voir ça dans la semaine
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J’ai trouvé ce site internet par chance puis je ne le regrette nullement !!
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I love oh sushi, so sad that it was closed down.
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