Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

Kizuna @ Ipoh Garden East - One of the pioneers in premium Japanese cuisine; a follow-up of Moritomo previously THE place for Japanese food in Ipoh.

It is close to 3 years now, since the last write up on Kizuna; the Japanese restaurant that possibly sparked all the interests in premium Japanese cuisine; independent Japanese eateries spawning like wildfire there after including Akamomiji, Waraku, Tengood, Mokuren, and even Kizuna One @ Royal Perak Golf Club.

Many years ago (at least a decade or so) Moritomo was a brand to be reckoned with; situated at the now Cafe Takahashi’s location in Jusco Kinta City.

Then as the story goes; the restaurant went into a frenzy of break-ups (not the lovey-dovey kind) and the co-owners went their separate ways. Hence Kizuna, Akamomiji and Kizuna One came into the picture. A Lai I on the other hand, was started by one of the chefs from Moritomo.

Confused? Don’t be. Just know that there are WAY more Japanese restaurants in Ipoh than the pathetic (sorry, had to) Sushi King. And do continue reading for my insights into the Kizuna’s latest performance ….. Read the rest of this entry »

*Update Nov 2011 – Kizuna One is now CLOSED. The restaurant has been taken over by another, serving Japanese and Thai cuisine.

#1 – Cucumber Maki (RM12/USD3.60) – Delicately rolled prawns and unagi with fritters and topped with a dollop of spicy mayo, and roes.

Kizuna One Japanese Restaurant is located at the revamped Royal Perak Golf Club (RPGC) on Tiger Lane (Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah); and has been proudly serving authentic Japanese cuisine for about a year now. Many locals are still confused whether this restaurant is opened to the public, or catering only to the members of the club.

Much like the misunderstanding that reigned when I first posted on The Fairway (that other dining establishment in RPGC), let me clear the mystifying air of confusion for you readers.

BOTH OF THESE RESTAURANTS ARE OPENED TO THE PUBLIC. Just that, if you’re a member of RPGC, you will get discount from your total bill. There, that’s settled! Happy?

#2 – The majestically-splendour ambience of Kizuna One (K1) @ Royal Perak Golf Club

With that out of the way, let’s concentrate on the review of the day. Kizuna One is NOT a branch of the other Kizuna in Medan Ipoh Bistari, albeit the almost similar sounding names. Yes, there WERE some connections back then, and established relationships with Akamomiji and to some extent … even A Lai I. But everything dates back to the days of Moritomo; that fantastic Japanese restaurant in Jusco Kinta City back in the late 90′s, and still famous during their stint in the early noughties.

Among the many Japanese restaurants in Ipoh today; Kizuna One triumphs indefinitely in the elegance, exclusivity and ambience departments. Read on to find out how exactly the feast turned out to be one of the BEST dining experiences we have had in a long time ….. Read the rest of this entry »

Fresh Oyster baked in Cheese - RM13.80/USD4.20

Now let me share my current favourite Japanese restaurant in Ipoh with you readers. Previously I was an ardent fan of Akamomiji‘s, until the last few visits that revealed some rather poorly executed cooked dishes, and mediocre service. Waraku became our favourite then, with their cheap RM15 lunch sets available on weekdays, with close to 20 choices. And they STILL grill some of the best kushi yaki in town (grilled meats and vegetables on skewers, like our satay without accompanying dipping sauce), bar none.

Of course there’s the Kizuna which I have neglected since the first review, A Lai I that cooks up a variety of mean teppan yaki dishes, and Sushi East that well, best left unsaid.

Still remains a mystery as to why I have not written about Kampai yet, possibly the first and definitely longest running Japanese restaurant in Ipoh. Kampai serves what could be the most value-for-money set lunch (around RM15 each) with sizeable portions, and lots of varieties.

Resembling an “Izakaya” (a type of Japanese drinking establishment) more than a full-fledged restaurant, Tengood serves a myriad of light snacks, finger foods aside from salads, sushi and sashimi, and they serve PORK as well.

And so there we were on a fine evening, seeking for a bite (or slurp?) of supposedly fresh and plump oysters. (*Pardon the incompetence, I failed to inquire about on which days they got their freshest supplies of seafood, but give them a ring and the lady will be glad to inform you). I visited Tengood a few times before this, for lunch usually since the place is located right smack in the midst of a bustling Greentown Business Centre which is close to my previous working place.

Wanna know why this particular Japanese restaurant impressed me so much that evening? Read on to find out ….. Read the rest of this entry »