It’s Japanese this round! Tatsu, Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur is a favorite restaurant to indulge in excellent contemporary Japanese cuisine this MIGF.
I have previously dined at Tatsu and was truly impressed with Chef Yanagida Tetsuya’s sophisticated and authentic Japanese creations. Tatsu not only brings an extraordinary touch to its cuisine but also has a gorgeous ambience reflecting the Oriental Japanese inspired royal blue combined with wood, soft lighting and an impressive glass wine and sake cellar. I also adore the exclusive décor using sake bottles and sake cups to enhance the whole Japanese inspiration throughout the restaurant.
The sushi bar is the place to check out Chef Yanagida’s creations while one can also dine in privacy with many of its elegant private rooms or spacious dining area.
Chef Yanagida Tetsuya is a humble and inspiring chef who has won several distinguished awards over the years of perfecting the art of Japanese cuisine. He is a chef to look out for as his dishes boast an air of upscale contemporary dishes while retaining its true heritage in presentation and flavors.
Tatsu features a four course dining menu that constitute of many items in each course for its Japanese connoisseurs. All dishes are well paired in each course to showcase the chef’s skill and talent in engaging all our senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and even hearing!
The first course of appetizers stirred up a sense of excitement in me! Four striking items sat beautifully against an earthen platter to show off its artistic reflection of the chef’s talent.
A Combination of Japanese Yam and Fried Anchovy Bruschetta was an inspired creation to showcase Japanese yam in its roots and anchovy to signify the sea of ocean treasures found in Japan. Cuts of yam were crispy and soft altogether with an air of fluffy creamy yam inside while the baby tomatoes provide a hint of refreshing sourness to contrast the root vegetable. The ultra crispy baby anchovies supply the crunch factor against the softness of the other elements.
Tuna and Trifoliate Citrus Leaves with Wasabi sauce was as good as I had remembered it from my last tasting. Simplicity is the focus to show off lightly blanched tuna against a hint of wasabi and citrus!
Avocado and Sweet Shrimp with Spiced Cod Roe was a favorite of mine from my last visit and it still is among the appetizers I sampled that night! Superbly smooth, luscious and unexpectedly light, the creamy avocado meld beautifully with sweet shrimp and rich cod roe in flavors. I literally cleaned out the avocado from its shell that night!
Finale of appetizer was Sushi Roll with Eel, Avocado and Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab served with Almond Sauce. Sounds like a mouthful but the taste is exceptionally harmonized from all the elements of savory, sweet, creamy and crispy!
Our starter features a pair of sea treasures showcasing the ever favorite prawn and cod fish. There is just something about the art of presentation with Japanese cuisine that never fails to amaze me!
Foie Gras Steak in Cod Fish Teriyaki is flawless in my opinion. The thick piece of cod fish was ultra smooth and coated in a lovely sweet caramelized teriyaki glazed with the addition of a luxurious piece of seared foie gras. Imagine sinking your teeth into a silky smooth bite of luscious foie gras and the succulent cod which exudes a wonderland of pleasure!!
The hint of glittering gold dust on Sautéed Tiger Prawns and Eryngii Mushrooms topped with Japanese Soba Sauce contributes the precious combination of a jumbo tiger prawn nicely stacked with the king trumpet mushroom in a lovely light broth. Juicy and almost bouncy, the prawns were satisfyingly sweet while the Eryngii had a firm almost meaty texture soaked with the juices of the crustacean and soba sauce. The lightness of this dish seems to balance out the rich counterpart in a good way.
When I meant that Chef Yanagida creates his dishes to trigger our all our senses, I meant this dish of Tatsu’s Volcanic Stone Grilled Wagyu Beef with Chef’s choice of Ginger Soyu and Tatsu’s Spicy Dip with Green Tea Rice Onigiri!
The piece of marbled wagyu waiting its destiny on the stone was so glorious at sight!
Then the pretty kimono clad wait staff brings out the super hot volcanic stone and starts to grill the delectable beef under our very own eyes.
The sound of the sizzle when the wagyu hits the stone was simply music to my ears while the heady aroma of pure unadulterated beef was intoxicating!
Crisp golden garlic pieces and shreds of gold spring onion accompanied the Volcanic Stone Grilled Wagyu Beef like a partner-in-crime. The wagyu was cooked to medium and tasted fabulous with its marbles of tasty fats intertwined with the meat! The juiciness of the meat was amazing and even without seasoning, it was certainly lovely on the taste buds. Be warned… once you have a taste of true wagyu beef, there is no returning back to regular beef!
Do kick it up a notch by dipping the beef into the chef’s signature sauce of Ginger Shoyu and Tatsu’s Spicy Dip! Both sauces are equally good in their own way.
Green Tea Rice Onigiri was pleasing on the palate but it did not leave me with much of a wow factor or was it because I was already wowed by the wagyu? (wink!)
I have to compliment Chef Yanagida for his creativity in whipping out unique desserts! My previous dessert here was just as unique as this one. Dried Fruit Tempura served with Chocolate and Red Bean Fondue lets us play with our food for some fun!
A clay plate holding a pool of rich dark milk Chocolate with a mount of red beans was gently being heat up with a tea candle. Tell me this does not look tempting and fun!
Dried Fruit Tempura was an adorable display of colors so cheerful it makes me feel like a kid again. Dried fruits of apricot, pineapple, peach and kiwi was lightly fried to golden perfection. My only gripe here was that dried fruits tend to be a bit too sweet. Gently dip this into the pool of chocolate to extra happiness!!
We also caught up with some of the House Signature Cocktails that night!
Let’s catch up on some ‘happy faces’ that night!
Our gorgeous Esther and cool Xiang having some fun with Chef Yanagida, whom was so sporting in posing like happy kids!
Infamous baker Sunny with Chef Yanagida
That night was a fabulous sensory experience with the journey of Chef Yanagida’s creations. Each course brings forward a new level of sensation and ended on a whimsical note of fun and sweet memories. Tatsu defines the expert in bringing Japanese cuisine to another level which is truly worth its weight in gold!
Appetisers
A Combination of Japanese Yam and Fried Anchovy Bruschetta,
Tuna and Trifoliate Citrus Leaves with Wasabi sauce,
Avocado and Sweet Shrimp with Spiced Cod Roe and
Sushi Roll with Eel, Avocado and Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab served with Almond Sauce
Capel Vale Debut Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2010
Starters
Seafood Duo
Sautéed Tiger Prawns and Eryngii Mushrooms topped
with Japanese Soba Sauce
Foie Gras Steak in Cod Fish Teriyaki
Capel Vale Debut Chardonnay 2010
Mains
*Tatsu’s Volcanic Stone Grilled Wagyu Beef with Chef’s choice of
Ginger Soyu and Tatsu’s Spicy Dip
Green Tea Rice Onigiri
Capel Vale Regional Series
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Desserts
Dried Fruit Tempura served with Chocolate
and Red Bean Fondue
Full Festival Menu RM430 per person with wine; RM330 per person without wine
*Light Festival Menu Tatsu’s Volcanic Stone Grilled Wagyu Beef with Chef’s Choice of Ginger Soyu and Tatsu’s Spicy Dip, RM150 per 100g
Block Bookings
Book more than eight seats and enjoy 10% discount on the Festival Menu.
Beverage Offers
Enjoy 20% discount on all Sake cocktails.
Cigar Offers
One complimentary cigar for first 25 paying male diners.
Special Offer
For your added pleasure, enjoy 20% discount on the à la carte menu (dinner only).
Room Night Offers
Festival Menu diners can enjoy 25% discount off daily best available rates for all room categories.
Birthday Offers
Festival diners with birthdays in October will enjoy a 10% discount on the Festival Menu.
Future Promotions
Christmas and Year-end Offers Enjoy 20% discount for Christmas Eve / New Year’s Eve bookings.
Tatsu Japanese Restaurant
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
165, Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2782 6118
COntrolling myself.. not looking on food.. wow
ReplyDeleteWow, you make simple food looks extremely good with your photography skills :p
ReplyDeletei can spend the whole night just having the volcano stone grilled wagyu. done before our eyes, its a rather exquisite experience!
ReplyDeleteNikel: hehe.. got such will power eh? :P
ReplyDeleteThristhan: Tq tq... I m still learning each day!
missyblurkit: Yeah.. I think I would have just been satistifed with the wagyu alone!! :D