Uogashi-zushi

It all started with my sudden desire for good sushi. And, I don’t mean the kind you can just pick off the shelf of 7-11 in Japan, although I must say, those ain’t too bad when needing decent-ish sushi on the run.

Down at the hotel lobby, Miss Concierge directed me to some seemingly fancy sushi place at the nearby mall. The way she was bragging about the views, I got a feeling the view probably eclipses the food. So, I said, “no, no no…where do YOU go to eat sushi around here?” It was then that she sheepishly pulled out the “floor guide” for the Landmark Plaza. Her exact words – “the sushi here is very very good-o”. Good-o enough for her, then good-o enough for me!

And so, I navigated my way there, and sure enough, Uogashi-zushi was packed with Japanese families. That’s the good news! The bad news? None of the staff speak English. There is also no such thing as an English menu.

I scored a seat right at the end of the sushi counter (next to the wall) and basically pointed at pictures. The best thing about sitting at the counter is getting a chance to watch chef in action. It is also important to “make friends” with said chef. When I asked (another, younger chef) for extra ginger and wasabi, he was just going to gather some with his fingers to plop on my plate.

Then, the older chef who served me came running over, uttered a string of words, after which young chef smiled, bowed and walked away. Older chef then accosted the ginger and wasabi I was about to be served. I panicked, thinking “oh no, he’s not giving me any extra!” But, older chef merely wanted to “do his thing”. Five seconds later, a cute little platter arrived. He had shaped the ginger into a rose, and the wasabi into a leaf. Served with a toothy smile, older chef said “jeen-jer frow-wer”. So sweet yah?

I think I ordered a numazu komachi (at least that’s what it sounded like). The sweet egg was excellent (very very little rice), prawn sushi was so-so and roe sushi was pretty good. I don’t really know what kinds of fish there were, because, honestly it was just in different shades of pinkishness.

Everything I pointed to, chef merely rattled off a string of Japanese words. When I asked for the English name, he says tuna! When I pointed to the next one, it was “another tuna”!! I think I must’ve had about half a dozen types of tuna (ranging from tuna to another tuna, to good tuna, to fat tuna, to chopped tuna to special tuna!). I’m sure chu-toro and akami toro was on there somewhere though! Hahaha….

I hung around at Uogashi till most of the family-crowd have gone. Towards the end of the night, old chef came over again and gestured animatedly at his tank of life seafood. I had no idea what he was going on about. So I shrugged. Not one to be brushed aside, he reached in and picked out a live prawn. He then did a swishing motion (with sound effects). I must’ve had a confused look on my face because he just put up his hand and asked me to wait.

In the next few minutes, he had peeled this prawn, deveined it, slapped it on some sushi rice, and plopped it on my plate! I was in so much shock (read: awe), I forgot to video the action, or take a picture!! He then poured out this clear liquid and motioned for me to dip in and eat up. Excellent would have been an understatement.

I have no idea what it was, and would not be able to order it again (he no kapish me, me no kapish him). I was hoping it would appear on my bill (then can bring the bill back and ask them to make it!). But after I paid, I realised it was on the house. My sushi platter, accompanied by a seafood salad (with prawns, raw squid and scallops), as well as a fish miso soup and refillable cups of green tea only set me back JPY2100. And, I had to go for a post-dinner stroll to walk it off!

Uogashi was fab. I loved dining with the locals. I loved being the only tourist in the joint, I loved the fact that chef tried so hard to please. And, the yummylicious freebie was just icing to the cake!

A little note of caution: when looking for this restaurant, don’t expect to find a huge signboard screaming out to you. Uogashi’s sign is written ONLY in Japanese. Pull out the Landmark’s floor guide, or what your concierge has scribbled down, and play “match the Japanese characters”. I walked pass it 3 times before summoning up enough courage to stroll through their doors.

There is a moral to this story. When asking for food recommendations, don’t ask the locals where to go. Instead, ask them where THEY go - world of a difference!

Where: 5th Floor, Landmark Plaza, Yokohama

Style of food: Japanese

Price guide: $

Uemura

So, this page has remained idle for a while…we’ve been busy travelling and eating, and writing for our real jobs! Photos will be lacking from this post because well…I was dining with clients and internationally-renowned specialists. Whipping out a camera for each dish of the 12-course menu ain’t cool!

I’d like to state upfront that my dining experience at Uemura was PURELY for work. If it were my choice of a location for kaiseki, it would not be at a hotel and we’d all be reclining on tatamis. Nevertheless, I have to admit that Uemura does dish up a pretty good kaiseki.

For the uninitiated, kaiseki is to Japan what degustation is to Australia. It is basically a multi-course showcase of gastronomic artistry. I say artistry because kaiseki “balances the taste, texture, appearance, and colors of food”. The end products, as the Japs say, are as beautiful on the eyes as they are on the palate.

Without the assistance of my trusty camera, the three dishes that stuck to my mind were:
1) Matsutake Dobinmushi (Matsutake mushroom soup)
2) Tempura (deep fried assortment of goodies)
3) Fugu Tomewan (miso-based puffer fish soup with rice)

I could rave on and on about the Matsutake Dobinmushi. The Matsutake mushroom, I’ve been told, can cost up to thousands of dollars a kilo. One of the Japanese doctors sarcastically commented that we could probably buy a modest Japanese home considering the amount we consumed tonight (to which the client from New York reckons could be worth about 2 American homes given the current US economy)!!

OK, back to the dish…the flavours were subtle, yet wholesome. I could taste the aroma of the mushroom in the soup, yet the taste wasn’t as overwhelming as truffles. A few drops of lime juice magically enhances the flavor of the broth. Superb!

The tempura was nicely battered. There was the usual vegetable and seafood flair, but the best surprises were chunks of tempura abalone, and the lemon-flavoured salt. The chewy (read: non-rubbery) texture of the abalone perfectly complimented the crispyness of its deep-fried casing. Dipped in lemon-salt and then quickly bathed in daikon tempura sauce – yummyness!!

I remembered the tomewan not because my tastebuds were screaming for more, but because I remember “rummaging” through my bowl of soupy rice, and felt totally “cheated”. Where is the fugu??!! The waitress reckons, it’s cooked so well it’s disintegrated in the soup. Urrr…madam, the soup is clear!!

This post probably is too high on the word to picture ratio already. So, I’ll stop ranting right here. More pictures next time…promise…

Where: Pan Pacific Tokyu, Yokohama

Style of food: Japanese

Price: $$$

Yamato Japanese restaurant

Yamato in Kimberley Plaza on Great George Road in Causeway Bay is a Japanese wannabe. I say “wannabe” because it really is Chinese food trying very hard to be Japanese.

What makes a great ramen? To me, the two things that could make or break the dish are: (1) the texture of the noodles and (2) the quality of the soup. Yamato did not wow in either of those categories. Enoki mushrooms wrapped in sliced grilled beef were mediocre at best. I have had better, but then again, I’ve had worse. The slices of beef enveloping the enoki at Yamato were a little bit of the overdone side (read: dry). But, the enoki within were done just right! Go figure…

The sushi - we ordered tempura king prawns and soft shell crab rolls – were not too bad. But, I certainly will not say they were “out of this world”.

I must say though the cold soba was a saving grace. The cold buckwheat noodles were cooked and cooled to al dante (if there is such a thing!). The sauce could’ve been a tad thicker, and the “soba soup” that usually comes in those big thermos flasks after the meal would’ve been a great finale for the dish. Sadly, Yamato failed to add the finishing touches!

If I happen to have a sudden urge for a quick pseudo-Jap chow down, sure – I’d come to Yamato again. After all, the food ain’t all bad - if you look past the fact that it’s very much adapted to local (read: Cantonese) tastes. Generally, ramen tastes like ramen; and sushi like sushi.

It is important not to expect chef to serve up “top notch” Japanese, for it is in the finer details that Yamato misses the mark.

Where: Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Style of food: Japanese
Price: $$

agnés b. le pain grillé

There are three little words that could best describe the little le pain grillé outlets popping out around Hong Kong: “Shopper’s pit stop”.

We will never recommend anyone stop here for the food (nothing to shout about); or the coffee (mediocre at best). But, more and more of these little kiosks are popping up in large shopping centres. We only chanced upon the one at Times Square in Causeway Bay only because we’ve been walking around for ages and those little petit fours were calling out to us from the display cabinet.

The petit fours may look great, but were only so-so to taste. But, do try the bottled juices. We had the goyave (tasted like guava and berries) and it was really yummy.

Oh, and don't expect much on the service front OK? Staff were inexperienced and inattentive.

For what it’s worth, le pain grillé is nothing more than what we expected it to be – expensive Starbucks. But hey, at least we got to rest our tired little feet!

Where: Large shopping centres around HK (e.g. Times Square, Festival Walk)

Style of food: pseudo-French cafe

Price: $$

P/S - I hear the "proper" restaurant is at Leighton Rd in CWB. Don't know if it is good (yet)

Maju Selera Hawker Centre

Ah....these are the eggs even momma could not make.

When I was growing up, I used to watch my grandmother plop two eggs into a metal container and cover it with boiling water. A few minutes later - semi-solid goodness of half-boiled eggs, a smattering of soy sauce, a few shakes of white pepper and the crunchy crispyness of Jacob's cream crackers. *droooooool*

It's actually not easy getting perfectly half-boiled eggs. Underdone, and it'll be like slurping slime; overdone, and it'll be well...hard boiled eggs!! And trust me, I've had my share of both underdone and overdone eggs (especially when dad made up his mind that half-boiled eggs were the perfect supper treat on cold, wintry Melbourne nights) - not good...

The last few trips home to Malaysia for holidays, my cousins introduced us to the half-boiled eggs at Maju Selera. I am pleased to report that the guys at Maju Selera has the science of half-boiled eggs down pat. Perfect. Every. Single. Time.

When I come, I bring my own Jacob's cream crackers, only because my grandmother used to eat it like that. I cannot be sure if the crackers actually make the eggs better. I could be pretentious and argue that the crispyness adds to the taste. I suspect it's just a touch of nostalgia.

As a yummy aside, the nasi lemak (coconut rice, with half a hard boiled egg, peanuts and sambal ikan bilis) is also excellent. Go for the one with the red label (from Yati's stall NO. 6). Unfortunately, the otak-otak (grilled fish mousse) is only so-so. I personally prefer it nyonya style (i.e. the way my grandmother used to make it).

Oh, and my cousin swears they make the best milo ice in KL (note: ask them to make it "gau"/thick). Personally, I like finishing off the meal with a refreshing air limau ais, and then hop home to bed. So bad for the hips, but who cares? I was on holiday!!

Where: Jalan 222 (opp Amway factory)
Style of food: Mamak
Price: $

Hau Kee Seafood Restaurant

The golden rule when dining in Asia: Eat only at places the locals flock to.

Hau Kee has so many “local flockings” that it has expanded to FOUR shop lots. We’ve been here twice, and both times, there seem to be more people streaming in than out.


"Kum heong" and "yeem kook" crabs

When at Hau Kee, crabs are a MUST. I reckon there must be a QC guy out the back that separates the crab from the crap. Every single crustacean that has graced the serving platters at this institution is succulently juicy and meaty. I’ve tried crabs done three ways here: with a chilli paste and curry leaves kum heong); baked with salt and a touch of chilli (yeem kook); and with a curry sauce and egg (can’t remember the Chinese name). I must say the yeem kook is the best because the sauce is more subtle, you can therefore still taste the freshness of the crab. Having said that, if kum heong and the curry sauce are the only ones on the table, rest assured, I will still stuff my face with no complaints!!

An honourable mention (for hubby’s sake) is the deep fried pork knuckle. Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside! So yummy, but so fattening!! For me, cooked to perfection in a fragrant dried shrimp and belacan sauce is their ladies fingers. *drool*

Their creative twist of the classic zha ji gai (fried chicken) should also be applauded. It’s chicken meat, minced and mixed with fish paste; then flattended, fried and presented like zha ji gai. Verrrrrrrry good…

The worse bit about coming to Hau Kee is that we will always get a tour of the neighbourhood. This is for no other reason except parking in the 2-block vicinity of this restaurant is next to impossible. (Residents of the nearby housing estate has my deepest sympathies)

But hey – I try my best to never have to negotiate KL traffic anyway. So, for me, it’s a case of sit back and relax while the cousins demonstrate their impeccable parking skills!!

Where: Taman Segar (in Cheras)
Style of food: Chinese
Price guide: Not sure!! Uncles and Aunties haven’t given us a chance to pay yet. Hopefully we’ll get to pay and update this post after the next time we head home to Malaysia.

Australian Milk Company

OK, so I was already starving and totally unimpressed at being dragged ALL THE WAY from Mid Levels to Jordan just to go to a cha charn teng (read: Hong Kong style café). Worse still, hubby’s sense of direction ain’t top notch. By the time we actually found Parkes Street, I was already wilting in the summer heat.

You can imagine my joy when I finally spotted the shop signage that read Australian Dairy Company. Sadly, my elation quickly turned into frustration when I saw the long queue waiting to get in. I kid you not, it was 11-ish in the morning and there were at least 15 people ahead of us!!

The Australian Dairy Company is housed in quite a sizeable shop lot (for Hong Kong standards). There must be something special about this place because it was packed to overflowing. We also couldn’t figure out why it is called the Australian Dairy Company when the milk they use seemed to come from the Kowloon Dairy!??

Being unable to read most of the menu, we figured it would be safest to order the items just about everyone in the shop seem to be merrily scoffing down: the tea set (cha charn) which includes eggs – scrambled or fried; 2 slices of ham; buttered toast; spaghetti or macaroni with cha siew; and a choice of tea or coffee.

The eggs were perfectly cooked – not too dry but not mushy, and with just the right amount of seasoning. Goes really well with the toast. Unfortunately the spaghetti was nothing to shout about (sorry guys, pasta just ain’t meant to be cooked this way).

Can’t come all the way out here and not have desserts right? The “auntie” sharing our tiny table (evidently a regular) recommended the double-boiled steam milk (dun lai) and egg (dun daan). We absolutely loved the silky smooth dun lai but could not stomach the dun daan (waaaaaay too sweet!). We each tried a spoonful, and politely left the rest of the bowl untouched. So we are not dun daan people. Mr Sooky Waiter really didn’t have to give us the “do-you-know-how-many-children-are-dying-of-starvation-in-Africa” look!!

Hubby’s been calling this the Asian Bills all day (Bill Granger’s probably having a mild coronary at this suggestion). I guess there is a degree of truth in that:
(1) Hand to heart, after being here for 5 months, we believe THIS is Hong Kong’s answer to Bills’ scrambled eggs (minus the atmosphere, presentation, service and price tag, of course).
(2) This is, in a way, communal dining – hey, what would you call getting acquainted with strangers across a 1mx1m table?!

For all it’s inequities, the Australian Dairy Company offers value for money. The scrambled eggs and the dun lai are definitely must-haves. If you are a dun daan fan, the locals seem to swear by it. We think the pasta’s a waste of time – "speg cha siew"??! Come on…

Oh, and for the “star gazers” out there, we bumped into Maggie Siu Mei Kei here. The food must be pretty good though, ‘cos everyone seemed to be too busy stuffing their faces to care.

Where: Parkes Road, Jordan (use exit A)
Style of food: Cha Charn Teng
Price guide: $