Old friends

Kiku sushi for RM20. Top this, Sushi King!

I’m a loyal person. It takes a while for me to warm up to people, but after they’ve gone through my Glacier Queen initial persona, they usually find a dedicated friend. I stick to things, which is why I am so ashamed to say that I actually forgot an old friend when trying to assuage my sashimi hunger. Yes, indeed, in the Nagomi vs Kiku Zakura melee, I forgot a faithful friend who has been sitting quietly in the wings with no fanfare.

The place in question is the Japanese restaurant in Kelab Golf Negara Subang (KGNS). I used to dine there often when Erin was less than a year old. My amazing tax consultant and accountant Agnes enjoyed our discussions over slabs of sashimi. But somehow, after one Ramadan when I was in a particularly foul mood, made fouler by the fact that I was hungry and desiring Japanese food, only to be told the restaurant was closed for lunch, I think I subconsciously wrote it off.

I remembered Tokyo Tengu out of the blue this evening and, still craving sashimi, invited my folks for dinner at the club. I was warmed when Lai, principle chef and partner greeted me like a long lost friend. There was new carpet on the floor and a few interior changes which made it look a lot less Spartan than before.

I went to town on the menu, partly in apology for my absence, and also because I was delighted at the prices. I am ashamed to admit, once again, that I scarfed the sashimi before I even remembered to bring out my camera. However, it was just too good value for money to resist. The large sashimi moriawase had salmon, tuna and mackerel in inch thick slices. About four of each kind. The price? I kid you not RM35!

Age tofu - it tastes better than it photographs.

Shisamo which even Erin enjoyed.

The kiku sushi was featured six pieces of salmon, tuna and butterfish sushi with three other sushi for RM20! I ordered appetizers to gauge the size of the portions and I am glad to say their RM8 plate of endamame rivaled even my usual Wednesday lunch haunt, Sumo in USJ9. Same went for the RM6 agedashi tofu. And RM13 for Shisamo, that amazingly decadent roe filled whole fish, was a steal.

Yasai tempura.

Beef and enoki mushroom udon.

It's a seaweed eating monster! Actually, it's just Erin and her newly trimmed bangs.

My mains included an order of yasai tempura, which was done perfectly. I particularly liked the little fan of straw mushrooms which came with the assorted vegetable platter. Dad raved over the beef teppanyaki, praising the cut of beef and its tenderness. Erin enjoyed the niku inaniwa udon (udon with straw mushrooms and sliced beef), as well as the plate of seaweed Lai was so generous to extend to her for her masticating pleasure. And of course, the cold sake made a great meal even more pleasurable. The bill for four adults and one seaweed scoffing toddler? RM169.05. With a plate of pineapple thrown in for dessert.

Granted, Lai has had a struggle on his hands to maintain his amazing prices. Presentation has had to be sacrificed since even the odd chrysanthemum on ice can tip the profit margin into the red, not to mention the elaborately lacquered presentation dishes used in kaiseiki.

So what diners get is a generous helping of really, really good Japanese food, in very simple presentation terms. It is quite shocking to be eating off melamine plates when the maguro is this thick and succulent, but better Tokyo Tengu’s melamine, than Sushi King’s!

Lai is a real trooper – he has juggled this restaurant for years, while also opening two other Japanese outlets. Needless to say those ventures feature less melamine, considering that they are going to be helming one of the restaurants at The Intermark in Kuala Lumpur city centre!

He tells me that he will be having to re-price his menu when his contract at KGNS comes up for negotiation in March next year. As a Chinese-minded businesswoman, I know he must, in order for him to retain a small measure of profitability to justify his time and effort at the club. However, the greediguts in me will be bringing the deserving people in my life to wipe out his sashimi before the price increase. The fact that KGNS is a members’ only club just adds to my wicked satisfaction!