Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Mizu, Japanese Fine Dining, Bangsar Village


mizu
It has been 12 days since my last Japanese food post. I still love Japanese. I just don't have many friends who appreciate Japanese food as much as I do (hint: if you like Japanese food, feel free to apply for position as "friend". Interviews will be conducted within a week of application. Knowledge of Japanese is not essential but will be an advantage).

Y Y Y Y Y

The following conversation takes place all the time with the Makan Club:


2005

Bouncing Barbie: What's for lunch today? (Note: Same question every day)
Lyrical Lemongrass: Let's go for Japanese!
Pretty Pui: Ewww!! I hate Japanese food!


2006

Bouncing Barbie: What's for lunch today?
Lyrical Lemongrass: Let's go for Japanese!
Pretty Pui: Ewww!! I hate Japanese food!


2007

Bouncing Barbie: What's for lunch today?
Lyrical Lemongrass: Let's go for Japanese!
Pretty Pui: Ewww!! I hate Japanese food!


I suppose you get the picture.



Y Y Y Y Y


A window of opportunity opened up one day when Pretty Pui wasn't around:

Bouncing Barbie: Japanese? *wide grin*
Lyrical Lemongrass: Hai dozo! *wide grin*


Y Y Y Y Y


We had heard of the cheap set lunches at Mizu in Bangsar Village, and because budget is always a factor, the decision to go there was a no-brainer. Finding the main entrance was a little more difficult. A dark narrow passageway (where I half expected ninjas to pounce on me, but that would be a different restaurant) eventually led to a modern setting with water features, sleek furniture and open-concept kitchen.

unagi

Barbie's grilled unagi set came with huge, juicy looking grilled eels served with rice, miso soup, chawan mushi and pickled vegetables. I thought the serving was quite substantial and could easily feed two people. This was good value at RM26 (US$7.50) for the set. The accompanying chawan mushi was rather disappointing though. It was watered down and too plain for my liking.


Service was extremely fast. Perhaps it was because I whispered to the waiter that we were in a terrible hurry (which wasn't a lie). Our lunchtime is normally from 1.00pm to 2.00pm and we had risked going to a fine dining place just to satisfy a craving. No, we are both not pregnant, but thanks for asking.


salmon ikura don


My salmon ikura don (RM28/US$8) is what I would term sushi in a bowl. The ingredients were there - vinegared rice, strips of seaweed, raw salmon and fish roe. I love biting into ikura (fish roe) and feeling the juices burst into my mouth as they trickle down my tongue and throat. The slightly salty taste of the ikura went well with the vinegared rice, while the thick-cut slices of salmon, drenched in soy sauce and wasabe, provided a full-bodied taste to the rice dish.




We made it back to our office at 2.15pm. I think that's pretty good timing.

pickled vegetables

Also check out:


Mizu

1st Floor, Bangsar Village I, Bangsar, KL.

Tel: 03 - 2283 6988

32 comments:

wushukid said...

A lotta people think Japanese is only sushi and raw fish. They will come to be converted. Give time.

I was mesmerised by your satay post and the pic was perfect.

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

wushu kid: thanks for dropping by! I'm so glad you like the satay post. Your compliment has put me in seventh heaven. :-)

catsndogs said...

err ... hello m'am . i'm here to apply for the job , i saw the ad. :P

have u try out Hotel hilton japanses food ??? u should ... go on weekends for their buffet round. only falls on weekend :), u'll loving it.

Big Boys Oven said...

I think I will be very choosy when comes to Japanese food in KL and PJ this days. As they are flooding the town everywhere.

Rarebeet said...

Me! Me! Can I apply? Love that last picture, it looks like its floating. So tranquil, now I want to eat it!

sc said...

the sets here are reasonably priced too! the unagi looks succulent *drools*.. so, when is your next jap food invasion? since i love jap too, will do my very best to tag along! hehe

k.t.x said...

hv been eyeing this salmon ikura don for a while. i know u r trying to tempt me, but i really dont mind giving in this time around ... lol.

btw, i m sure i will excel in the 'friend' interview so much, u will buy/subsidize me jap food, like how the gov sponsors bright students abroad....lol. deal? kiddin la. lol.

wmw said...

Still considering....hahaha...

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

damnit..i knew there was still some other ppl working in the area..im at client place at HP towers..and i virtually exhausted my calling list..how come i didnt smsed u..now i regret chowing dwn on that darn croissant from san fran..boo hoo..

Aeric said...

Ooh! Me, me!

I can't join you on your culinary adventures since I live IN Japan but may be up for it at the end of August when I'm back in KL visiting the folks.

Babe_KL said...

i wanna submit my application :p

err does this means Joe is constantly preggy? *grin*

Anonymous said...

*Checking my previous posts* Oh No! It has been a month since my last visit to japanese rest. 2 applications here, char siew bao n I are super japanese food luvers, interview? hmp...bring it on! ;p

WokandSpoon said...

That Japanese place looks nice! And the food looks even better! I love Japanese food as well - grrr, we'll just have to move somewhere with decent Japanese restaurants (none here!).

Anonymous said...

Hello, u calling me a glutton???!! The unagi serving was JUST NICE ok.... (If they reduce the portion in future, I hold u responsible) The portion at most of the other restaurants are tooooo small ma. ;p

backStreetGluttons said...

v r visually eyepoppingly impressed by your impeccable fine mystifying zenlikesan delightful japanese pixs but as yet continue to be ruffled with a deep dislocated sense of unsatisfied satisfaction & so dearly clamoring 4 those utopic burst of warm juices trickling down your throat.
( did somebody say or...gasmic ? ...again ? )

Anonymous said...

Hello! my first time popping by comments. Nice to meet u last Sat.

So farnee leh you n your makan gang.... It's a blessing Pretty Pui didn't show up that day, otherwise won't haf this review. haha!

love Jap food too....(not much knowledge of it though...Just been chomping down any sashimi/teriyaki unagi that comes along the way)

ahhhh one day we organise Jap food outing la.... (catsndogs suggestion of Hilton buffet seems nice... mmm)

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

wahahaha!..actually the craving bit if u read my profile is derived from preggy mah..

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

catsndogs: Aah. The first applicant! Your application is now being processed. TQ. As for Iketeru, haha...I'm their No.2 fan (No.1 fan is Henry who is currently missing from the scene). Do see my sidebar for my blog post on Iketeru in KL Hilton. :-) If you like we can organise a session on a weekend? ;-)

big boys oven: yeah, you're right. They're everywhere, aren't they? Soon they will be the fourth major cuisine in this country. Korean will be the fifth. :-P

paprika: the last pic was amazing. I'm not sure how my camera did it! haha. And your application was approved before you even signed up, girl. :-)

sc: I'll be putting your name on the food crawl list. hehe. U know ar, I was sooo tempted to stick my chopsticks into Barbie's fat unagi!

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

k.t.x: oooh. you have finally given in? the force is strong here. i can feel it. oi, very demanding ar you, first you want da wagyu beef, now u want me to belanja u dis...what will I get in return ar? ;-P

wmw: the force isn't so strong with you, huh? never mind. we shall persist.

nipple joe: ya lor. what lar u. How long u gonna be there ar? next time, call LL first. The others don't matter. hahaha. kidding...

aeric: welcome! why do you want to eat japanese food in malaysia when u can eat all u want in Japan?? hahaha. drop me an email when u come to KL...we go eat yummylicious local cuisine instead, k. :-)

babe_kl: TQ for your application. It has been approved. We shall be communicating with you shortly. :-P And yes, Joe is preggie. U dunno meh? Constantly preggie. Baby wants to come out, and nipple is ready. Ewww. that sounds awful. But u know wat i mean. ;-)

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

xiu long bao: no need to interview you guys lar! Your blog proves that you're highly qualified for this position. hehe. Okay...2 more signed up for next japanese food crawl!

wokandspoon: aiyoh, you poor thing! Too bad can't fed-ex to you, hor. Never mind, next time you come to Malaysia/Singapore, go crazy with Jap food, k. Better still, make a trip to Japan just for the food. I'd gladly do it too. :-)

barbie: hahaha. your unagi was fat and juicy, man. next time, I'm gonna order that. enough for both lunch and dinner. :-P

team bsg: aiyoh, got so many big words in your comment lar. Can you do a tamil translation for me ar? I dunno wat orgasmic is lar. TQ ar. :-P

pam: hi and welcome! it was nice meeting you on Sat too. :-) Sure, will let you know when Jap food crawl is...Iketeru, you say? Can be arranged, ma'am. :-)

nipple joe: see above remark to babe_kl. :-P

msiagirl said...

I had to run out and have some supermarket sushi for lunch today :( sad, very sad. Still, better than nothing. Love those pics as usual - and that roe!

Anonymous said...

Can I be your makan partner for Japanese food. I love jap food.

Yeah I heard about the famous Hotel Hilton Japanese buffet on the weekends. They said must go there earlier because there will be a long queue.

Anonymous said...

I don't go crazy over Japanese food,as much as you...can I still apply ?

will it be the case that *only shortlisted candidates will be notified" OR " your records will be kept in our database for 6 mths, and we will notify you if there are any openings that match your profile* ....buahahahha!

Anonymous said...

Em... Can I apply for 1/2? LOL... Still learning to appreciate sashimis maa :P

teckiee said...

I love restaurants filled with glass bottles. This place reminds me of a Jap restaurant in Shangri-la.

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

msiagirl: we'll always have Umai-ya. :-P

the cooking ninja: too bad u're so far away lor. But I'm recruiting you based on your enthusiasm. hehehe.

tigerfish and jason: I'll take half each. heehee. I wonder what tigerjase would look like. :-P

teckiee: yeah, the glass bottles do remind me of Zipangu too, although Zipangu's bottles do not have natural sunlight streaming through them.

Henry Yeo said...

I am back!!!!!!.......from Bangkok....plenty of Japanese food there.....just not fine dining quality......

Downtown Bangkok has been totally revamped, do try out the gourmet dining hall at Paragon Siam if you ever visit Siam Square area.

PS: thanks for the compliment. will forward you their next kaiseki/omakase menu for July.

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

Henry, welcome back! :-) Did you enjoy Bangkok? If I go there, I'll check out your recommendation. Okay, will look out for your email. Thanks, Henry. :-)

UnkaLeong said...

Hmmm..Looks like a nice place to take a date :P Mahal Ke?

WokandSpoon said...

hehe - yeah, one of these days, I'll have to go to Japan...just to eat! ;-)

Anonymous said...

If you're looking for cheap and good japanese lunch sets, you should try Matsuba at Desa Sri Hartamas - near Decanter Too, 1st flr across rd from Devis Corner. Typical fav lunch set box has tempura, sushi, a small piece of unagi, rice, salad, chawan mushi, miso soup, all for RM12++, includes the green tea too :).
BUT only lunchtime, mon-fri, non pub holidays and all that. My colleagues and I go there almost every week... Sure it's not the best japanese food ever, but it's definitely not "low end" in quality. Healthier than KFC/Pizza for the price ;).

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

Thanks for the tip, Link. Pretty cheap sets! And you're right...way better than KFC. :-)