Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Hanare Authentic Japanese Cuisine – Relatively new, when we talk about eateries located in The Intermark itself. Where is this Intermark? That’s where Doubletree by Hilton Hotel is.

And you were wondering where The Intermark is? Don’t worry. I was too; when this invitation for a resplendent ‘omakase‘ session at Hanare came knocking on my door. A fan of Japanese cuisine since the (ahem) Sushi King days, I have not heard or read about Hanare before at that moment of time.

Can’t blame me, since I was only down in KL for short of 3 months, and Hanare’s relatively new in the neighbourhood. But if you’re thinking that “Blah, just another bloke from down the streets …” then think again!

#1 – Ankimo Sunomono (Angle Fish Liver in Vinegar) – A palate teaser of a starter; the vinegared fish liver had this creamy, velvety texture not unlike foie gras, but with a subtle briny tang to it. The succulent shrimp was there; to complement the cube of liver.

And why oh why was Hanare different from others? Firstly, their fresh supplies are being flown in THREE times a week – Mon, Wed and Fri. And they have someone at the famous Tsukiji fish market to hand pick the best tuna (especially) and various delightful seafood to be shipped on the spot. Talk about QC.

Secondly, Executive Chef Sudo was from the famous Tykoh Inagiku. If you’re a fan of real, authentic Japanese cuisine, you must have heard of the name Tykoh Inagiku before. I have not been there, but according to my aunt who works as a tour guide with a Japanese travel agency; the aforementioned restaurant used to be one of the BEST in the city. (Picture of the chef at the end of the post)

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Fresh oysters on the Rocks – Go crazy on these and guaranteed satisfaction. In every sense of the word.

I once stayed at Holiday Villa Subang, sometime back in 2008 or 2009. Good experience though, still remember how spacious the room was, and the easy access to everywhere around PJ and Subang. That experience (back when I was still with the civil service) was definitely one of the better ones throughout my tenure in the service. If you’ve been following this blog since 2008, you would have realized that travelling’s part of the job. (To some extent … eating as well)

Anyway, fast forward a couple of years and here I am, stranded relocated to the almighty madhouse that is Kuala Lumpur. But good to know that I am in good company, surrounded by foodies with a deep passion and penchant for everything and anything edible. 🙂

From the look of it, this poor baby ain’t gonna miss his Mama too long …..

Holiday Villa Hotel & Resort Suites Subang (that’s the full name, btw) recently held a tasting session for the media; launching their inaugural New Year’s EveCarnival – BBQ Poolside Buffet. As far as Christmas and New Year buffets go, every year we’ll see tough competition amongst the F&B players and no doubt the thousand-and-one hotels in the Klang Valley.

Routinely, to set each other apart from the competition, the hotel would go to the extent of organizing a feast surrounding a particular theme. A gimmick or a timeless business strategy, it all depends on the execution of the tactics.

For this year, the management of Holiday Villa Subang has decided to embrace a carnival-like theme; and judging from the camaraderie of wacky costumed personnel, fancy decorations and the experience of eating beside their Olympic-sized swimming pool; caressed by the warm breeze of the night ….. Read the rest of this entry »