Grand Millennium finally has a Japanese restaurant, with food and service that sparkle on the same level as other sashimi-serving outlets in KL's hotels.
Salmon roe marinated with soy sauce on organic grated radish. Perfect pops of pure pleasure, though a spoon (instead of chopsticks) might have made these easier to scoop up.
Couldn't find fault with the sushi platter; everything from the saltwater eel to the medium-fatty tuna belly tasted lusciously fresh.
Raw octopus with basil sauce. Seemed more like Italian carpaccio than something from the Land of the Rising Sun, but this supplied slick, slimy satisfaction nevertheless, with a nuanced chewiness and pesto-like fragrance to prevent blandness.
Flounder grilled with miso sauce. We could rhapsodize for several minutes about how moist, flaky and flavorsome this flatfish was _ a thorough triumph for the kitchen, which suffered no first-night teething troubles whatsoever.
Shiso Shochu Tantakatan. Pressed for time, we couldn't finish this. Thankfully, the restaurant helped us doggie-bag the bottle, enabling us to smuggle it into a neighboring multiplex and take swigs from it while watching mutant heroes battle villains.
P.S. Unrelated to Tenjin, but here's some cool news for the residents of Kota Kinabalu and everyone who might visit Sabah next month: the first KK Food Festival will take place July 9-22, organized by lifeandstyle.com.my. See www.lifeandstyle.com.my/kkff for details!
Tenjin Japanese Cuisine,
Grand Millennium Hotel,
Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2143-9399
Can't wait for your repeat review on this restaurant... there should be no?
ReplyDeleteikura is calling my name!
ReplyDeleteAnother choice for some Jap goodness :D
ReplyDeletePerfect pops of pure pleasure, eh? Oh I gotta get me some of that, oh yessirree! ;)
ReplyDeletethe flatfish looks really interesting! must try..! How does this place compare, price wise, to Hanare?
ReplyDeletei like the sneaking sake into a cinema, good work!
ReplyDeleteI have just read about Tenjin in The Star last weekend and there you are.. with this post on Monday :)
ReplyDeletegoing outstation for a few days... catch up later
That salmon roe looks so tempting! I should try neaking alcohol into cinema the way you did. :P
ReplyDeletemichelle: heh, this restaurant is definitely worth more than one visit! :D
ReplyDeleteky: yaaa, lotsa ikura dishes here, including the usual ikura sushi =)
ulric: 2011 seems to be the year of very good new japanese restaurants in the city center! hanare, coco.tei, riki-ya, and now tenjin :D
lfb: it's like a liquid explosion in your mouth. not sure if that's a sensation you're familiar with. ahem :P
ciki: cheaper than hanare, yay! probably comparable to, say, iketeru at kl hilton :D
ReplyDeletejoe: heheh, we ended up leaving the bottle on the drinks holder between our seats. luckily it was empty by then! =)
leo: oooh, i just tried googling for the star article, but couldn't find it! wondering what they wrote, heheh :D have a safe trip, ya!
bangsar-babe: heheh, ya, just put in a bag, since the cinema staff doesn't check! and a sake/shochu bottle looks quite innocent, unlike a wine or whiskey bottle, phew :D
I think u hv just started a trend on sneaking booze into cinemas, lol! Great, another Jap place uncovered :)
ReplyDeletepureglutton: yikes, what's the penalty for getting caught, i wonder. i dun wanna be blacklisted from GSC for life! :D
ReplyDeleteLove the feeling and taste of salmon roe bursting in my mouth!
ReplyDeletebaby sumo: heheh, yeah, that's why i wish we could just use a big tablespoon to scoop it all up and swallow a larger helping :D
ReplyDeleteThe sushi platter looks SO good and fresh! And I'm not even a sushi fan! But I'm attracted most to the fish! Salivating!! :)
ReplyDeleteiamthewitch: oh yeah, the fish totally surprised us too! it tasted almost like cod, with a beautifully delicate texture! :D heheh, i love sushi, i could happily eat it five times a week a week =)
ReplyDeleteIt's like a liquid explosion in one's mouth, you don't say? Sounds like it's certainly an experience you had. Hehe.
ReplyDeletelfb: me? of course ... but only at restaurants, while eating salmon roe *innocent, vaguely blank stare*
ReplyDeleteFive pops of pleasure at least in a go, methinks! And adventures await! GLEE!
ReplyDeleteBEST JAP FOOD IN KL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my.. i cant catch up! ;P
ReplyDeletemin: what a coincidence! five has been my favorite number since i was like eight years old. our stars are aligned! :D
ReplyDeleterussie: oooh, glad you like the place! =)
tng: thank goodness these outlets are not too far from my workplace! :D
Ya. Rite.
ReplyDelete:P
food and service there is awesome!! definitely going back for a second time :D
ReplyDeletelfb: oh ye of little faith :P
ReplyDeletelim: say hi if you see me there! :D
wah can take away the bottle one ah! haha..
ReplyDeleteeiling: heheh, yeah, most other restaurants would just offer to let us keep the bottle there for our next visit =)
ReplyDelete