Daikanyama presents RAW - The Acoustic Sing-Along Series No.1

A couple of days ago, we were invited by our good friend Barri, to RAW - The Acoustic Sing-Along Series No.1, at Daikanyama, Changkat Bukit Bintang. Most of you who know, or have been to Daikanyama are probably wondering, where on earth, this rather cozy restaurant, could possibly have space to hold parties etc.Well, the answer is that the upstairs of Daikanyama has been fully renovated and now functions as a really rather laid-back funky chill out area ideal for nights like RAW. Lounge chairs, a bar area, an out-door balcony area and DJ turntables complete the upper deck party area. Also, Flattops helped enhance the acoustics of the room.

As the young musicians took to the stage, they really wow-ed the crowd with their tight guitar sound and good vocals to boot. Towards the end of the night, there were a few impromptu guest appearances and some open-mike jamming. Even Barri did a rocking, solo performance on the guitar which really thrilled his guests - click on my u-tube link to hear just how good he was! (Photo a bit dark, sorry, because musicians love being shrouded in mystery). Gawd.. I had no idea he was so talented! Barri feels that this is how music-connecting-souls should be. Enough of the hum and drum of normal..! Of course c&c also love the gorgeous, extensive yet affordable selection of sake served at Daikanyama.. and the food... the oh, so tasty finger food.. Anyways, say no more.. we are looking forward to next week's series 2 .. for sure!

PHOTOS and VIDEO enclosed!

People chilling and waiting for the performance to start..

Some excellent acoustic guitar skills were showcased, followed by more open-mike jamming. The place is packed to the rafters. Paranoid Android who practically lives next to Daikanyama swings by for a quick shot of sake.. "But PA, we have a whole bottle! You were supposed to help us finish it.. not run home and work! Chis!"

Three shot glasses.. and then there were two.. boo-hoo :(
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This shot turned out so cool! Barri looks like my favourite character from the arcade game, Mortal Kombat, Raiden.. the god of thunder. Sans white outfit and white hat, he still looks like he's about to unleash a bolt of lightning on his victims!

C&C getting pissed on sake.. ahem!

My favourite jerky snack at Daikanyama.. fish jerky dipped in mayo!

Barri on the right... looking shy because he got such an ovation after his song! Anyway, I figured I'd show you his face first before I played you the video because he is enveloped in darkness and you will never see his face on the video. Have no fear, its his voice and guitar playing that is the Phwar! factor:P

click here for u-tube video!

Cumi.. at the turn-tables.. don't ask me how he spins.. the answer is the opposite of "like a pro".

Music makes the world go round..

This Friday the 30th October 2009... is Harajuku Harroween Night at Daikanyama! (yes, it really is a typo - Halloween? geddit?) Girls, come dressed as the manic, colorful, punk Harajuku Girls and get two cocktails free! Just incase you do not know what a Harajuku girl looks like.. erm, looks like me :P (Kidding!) To give you a feel for it, kindly refer to the collage below...so get creative!

Photo from here

No mommy.. I don't smoke crack for breakfast and I am not color-blind either.. I am a Harajuku girl:P

Add:
Daikanyama,
42, Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel:603 2141 0323

(Pork Served)

Senjyu Sushi @ The Curve, Mutiara Damansara

Senjyu Sushi is a premium kaiten sushi restaurant.

What sets them apart from other kaiten sushi restaurant, so I am told, is their sushi and sashimi that is specially air-flown to the restaurant, ensuring top quality food. Their trademark dishes are contemporary and lend a more fusion feel to the conventional japanese food such as, premium delicacies like foie gras, giant fresh air flown scallops, akaza ebi (baby lobster) and giant oysters.

Not only that, I can see you shaking your head wondering whose arm and leg you need to give up for a meal here, but amazingly, the prices for the food at Senjyu are extremely affordable.



The man with the plan.

The cook sears the foie gras.. oh, pray do not over-sear mine oh, good cook.. !


Wagyu Foie Gras Temari Sushi - RM12.00

Just look at this first dish. Are you not already impressed? Considering that that deliciously succulent sliver of red meat that wraps the rice ball is Wagyu, and that the garnishing of square chunks on top of the ball is Foie Gras, that price of RM12.00 should draw Oos and Ahs! from you .. no?
Anyway, I like the fact that this dish comes in a set of two and you don't need to over eat, saving space for the other goodies to come. Good enough to whet your appetite but not saturate your tastebuds. At RM12, very impressive accept that I would have liked my foie gras a little less seared - it was bordering on rubbery (texture of overcooked liver). Next time, al dente please.


Lobster Salad - RM16.90

This salad is for the lobster lover. I don't know if it was because we were there for a review, but they were certainly generous with their chucks of lobster. No complains about the salad.


Oyster Sashimi - RM12.00

Slippery, slithery and known for its (immediate) aphrodisiac properties, this little beauty did not stay long in its shell.
I have had some gorgeous oysters in the past, then I've had some stinky stale ones as well, however it was safe to say that this one was good. A nice size ( I would not call it huge).. but big enough to impart that metallic, zinc like taste and taut texture, that one comes to expect and love in a good serving of marine mollusk.
Highly satisfying.


Fuji Moriawase - RM23.00

The sashimi was plump and of a generous cut. The freshness of the Tako was evident in its texture. Generally I judge a Japanese restaurant on how fresh its sashimi is, especially the Toro.. the fattiest part of the tuna... mmmmm...


Unatama Maki - RM26.90

These sushi rolls topped with premium(is there any other sort?) eel slices was delicious. Each carbo laden mouthful were mini explosions of melt-in-your-mouth fish ( yea, eel are fish incidentally.. did you not know..)

Sugar rush.


Soft Shell Crab Mentai Maki -RM8.00

At 8 ringgit for a set of two, this maki is such value for money, words cannot begin to describe. I cannot decide which is better.. the eel or the soft shell crab. Another great choice for lunch or dinner.


Shishamo Cheese Tempura - RM9.90

Unidentified ugly object! What is that? Well, battered and fried shishamo do not make very handsome fodder I admit, but coupled with a good cheese center and a body full of eggs, what you have before you is an extermely interesting 'fusion' japanese dish.
Fresh no doubt but an acquired taste. This was too salty for me. Not my cup of tea.


Mochi Crepe with Vanilla Ice Cream - RM9.90

Vanilla ice cream wrapped in Japanese mochi skin ...
What can I say. I love mochi skin and I love ice-cream. This dessert rocked. Since Cumi did not want any, I ate the whole damn lot.
Fantastic... and cheap.


More photos of this delicious, pretty-in-pink dessert.

Finally, the konnyaku umeshu dessert. I forget the price but this dessert had some alcohol in it with a gorgeous springy konnyaku texture.

A great end to the night.

If you decide to swing my Senjyu Sushi, we highly recommend the wagyu balls, fresh oysters and the sashimi.


Add:
Senjyu Sushi Cineleisure,
Lot G2 & G3 Ground Floor,
Cineleisure Damansara,
PJ
Tel - 603 7727 9028

Kuriya

Kuriya Japanese Restaurant - fairly new and already packed, at Bangsar Shopping Centre.

Sashimi Mori Hana - RM60.00

Fresh, sweet, Taut..
Delectable, no doubt about that.

Ozeki Osakaya Chobei 300ml - RM80.00
Fresh, sweet, Tangy - also highly delectable.. ahem!

Karatsuki Nama Hotate Butter Yaki -RM80
This was a stir-fried fresh scallop dish with loads of assorted mushrooms in butter sauce. For the minute quantity served, this dish was rather pricey.

Taste wise, exquisite.


Boiled Ebi and Hotate - RM16.80
Gorgeous presentation - more scallop & succulent prawn. The prawn as a little overcooked.


Tempura Mori -RM28.00 and Soba.
The Soba was overcooked. Rather disappointing if you ask me.


The Isaki Shioyaki (3 Line Grunt) -RM90.00

For a tiny fish, this little fellow sure can fetch a high price. For this size just slightly larger than my palm, a resounding RM90.00 ! What sorta fish is this? Flesh taste just like any other fried up fish. Delicious and fresh, but still crazy I tell ya.


Australian Wagyu Houba Yaki - RM130

This was the australian wagyu beef, cooked in miso sauce, on this really cool looking piece of Houba leaf. This dish is prepared by grilling miso and other ingredients on a leaf of the Japanese Magnolia ("hou" in Japanese), which grows in the alpine forests of the Hida Region (in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture). It represents the local cuisine of the Hida Region. The rich taste of beef goes perfectly with the flavor of miso and the aroma of roasted mongolian leaf.

The portion was small (as with most Wagyu protions unless you are loaded or something) and I don't think it was prime cut wagyu as the meat lacked the intense marbling-melt-in-your-mouth texture that higher grades of Wagyu have. Eventhough we had ours medium rare, it was still far from marbly soft. Luckily I did not order it Blue! LOL.





Add:
Kuriya,
Lot T2 Bangsar Shopping Centre,
Tel: 603 20939246

Izakaya Tamako & my cousin's birthday

It was my cousin's birthday this week and we had dinner with him at the cozy Izakaya Tamako, in Plaza Damas.

Agedashi tofu is an old and revered dish.

Izakaya is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. The food is usually more substantial than that offered in other types of drinking establishments in Japan such as bars or snack bars. They are popular, casual and relatively cheap places for after-work drinking.


Sashimi which is very thin bite-size slices of fresh raw fish, traditionally served with soy sauce and wasabi.

Knowing my cousin, he is particularly careful about the type of food he allows into his body.
Seeing as he is such a huge KDT fan and one of its top students (ahem!) , his very effective but simple motto of, staying away from emotional eating, but rather switching your perception and looking at your meals as "everyday food" vs. "sometimes food", will actually see you lasting longer on a health regime that you pick for yourself. It is a life long science vs. a one off diet fad really, i.e. exercise regularly, eat a healthy balanced diet , but occasionally feel free to pig out on that bakuteh or huge, blood red steak- without feeling guilty.

I love my cousin. He is very wise!


The nice, cosy atmosphere of Izakaya Tamako is really conducive for chit-chat and slow, unhurried makan! Very pleased to meet you, K of Velvetescape and little Kafka!


This place is actually famous of it's Japanese Satay. Yes, you guessed it.. the Yakitori.


The Buta Bara looks like some form of hap-hazzard nyonya layered cake accept that it is layered lean and fatty bits of pork belly.

Babi-yakitori to be specific.
(Hallelujah! I am a convert.. I am a Babitarian! Pass me another skewer please.)



In between yakitori sticks, we take more photos.


Enter the new and 42KM improved, Bald Eagle.
Lean, mean, yellow machine.

I don't want to fight with this guy for that last piece of Yakitori.


No, I lie.. I will fight for the last skewer of pork belly Yakitori:P



Cordon Bleu Chef and Masterbaker Nigel!


Oh Shishamo.. I would like to be slim and trim like the shishamo ..., but not grilled whole while full of eggs!


The extremely healthy soba will become the Crying Soba, especially if someone chucks a whole dollop of wasabi into the miso soup (without telling you) and you happen to scoop it up, right into your eager, open mouth!

Spitting it out would be uncouth. So instead, you sit there. Crying. Swearing. But mainly crying.

:P

Happy Birthday Nigel! Hope your birthday was a great one! Continue to be the wonderful, kind, generous soul that you are and may God always grant you the desires of your heart and prosper you!



Oh, yea, one last thing.... this gorgeous, moist, butter walnut banana cake you are seeing for the first time, has been Christened...
Cumi's Banana.


Don't ask me why. Ask the Masterbaker:P





Add:
Izakaya Tamako
E-0-10/E-1-10, Plaza Damas
(Walk out of Hartamas Shopping Ctr, Opposite Starbucks),
Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
Sri Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Daikanyama is not a swear word!

PART III to Ciki's Birthday Week

Of course Daikanyama is not a swear word! Aoyama, Omotesando and Daikanyama all share things in common- they are in central Tokyo and have small shopping centers and restaurants, as well as a relaxed atmosphere.

Daikanyama... we saw it walking by Changkat BB the other day en route 21. I also recently read about it on Sean's blog. No wonder it is named as such, because walking into the establishment, one is immediately aware of how relaxed and trendy the place is.


Anyway, I had been badgering Cumi to check this place out for a week now, and so it was with great surprise when we walked in and saw Bari aka Barricudda! and Edwin, who are both our friends.. what a small world!

Cumi knows Bari from his adventure activities (Bari is an accomplished diver and daredevil.. amongst other things ahem..) and I know Edwin from Hajime. You can see and feel the upbeat tempo and deco of the place from the moment you look at the menu, drawn out to look like the Tokyo subway, to the 'green-lung' in the centre of that cozy bar.


I should call it the 'un-green lung' rather, because that's where the smoking corner is!

Looking at the menu , we feel rather perplexed as the menu is rather brief. Then Bari informs us that Daikanyama is positioned not as a restaurant but rather as a bar with quick and easy food! It is not a place to bring families and have a long and extended dinner session. It is more a place for a drink to unwind after a hard day's work and for some fuss free, quick, Japanese. On the menu are, Sashimi, Yakitori, Japanese Rolls, Japanese Noodles (cold/hot) and an interesting variety of Japanese fried rice. To get this point across, Daikanyama does not serve Ocha... that's right.. we are not a restaurant.. goddit? :P

Well, if you've been following my birthday week, you will see this was the perfect place for us for dinner that night, because after eating that humongous lunch only hours ago and birthday cake courtesy of fbb, we were still stuffed. (well, cumi was.. me .. i was ready for dinner!)

The first carafe of Sake was the Toku Toku Non-Bei and the last was the Kasen Ginkan Ozeki. Don't ask me what came in between:P

The Umeshu which Edwin gave us on the house (sweetie!) was the 'Taru' Umeshu which was a premium Umeshu(plum wine) that's stored in Oak barrels for a premium finish. Not too sweet like some other brand of Umeshu for sure.

I love the Maki here. No complaints all these dishes go really well with Sake.

Reading about the battered soft bone (Chicken) on "Eat Drink KL", I just had to have it. Good is not the word! I use to 'whack' all the soft bone out of my Grandma's boiling pot, before she could give it to the dogs. That's why, till today, I have such good enamel. Kids, eat your bones.

Sardine with a not dissimilar feel to that of beef jerky(I call this fish jerky), dipped in the Japanese mayo, also a winner. Don't let my description of the texture put you off - the flavour is smoky and grows on you the more you eat it.

Chicken gizzard.. tres tres yum!
There's me fighting tooth and nail with my food. My, my .. what strong jaws u have ciki. All mine - cumi would have none of this :P

Many rolls later, we were finally satiated.

We really like this place. It's as cosy as the bars you find in Tokyo proper. We will definitely be back to kick back and unwind to a nice, chilled, shot of sake, knowing that there will be no screaming kids to disturb our Zen.

Thanks Bari and Edwin for a smashing night:)

Add:
Daikanyama,
42, Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel:603 2141 0323