May 2014
Away from the ludicrously long lines at the immensely popular Sushi Zanmai in 1 Utama is Ichiro Sushi Bar, a stark and cosy Japanese establishment that has quietly blossomed into a cult favourite amongst sashimi and nigiri devotees.
Ichiro’s unfashionable location – along the secluded corridor behind Menya Musashi at Isetan’s Eat Paradise – and above-average shopping centre prices don’t exactly attract the casual mall crawler out on a lazy Sunday troll, but that’s just as well because space here is at a premium. Limited seats at the counter and a solitary row of tables certainly make Ichiro a cramped choice for large parties.
A few quick swipes on the iPad menu later and we ultimately landed on the salmon sashimi to start the meal. Masterfully sliced and superlatively fresh, the sashimi was the perfect precursor to the equally brilliant negitoro. Essentially raw tuna belly with a sprinkle of spring onions, the negitoro was complemented by the pillowy, fluffy steamed rice. We also suggest you go for the set meal (an additional RM5) – while the red miso soup was middling at best, the silky smooth chawanmushi egg custard was some of the tastiest we’ve had in town.
Just when we thought Ichiro had showed its last hand, the ensuing soft-shell crab rolls got us waxing lyrical again. The rolls were an exercise in textural precision, combining the soft-shell crab’s pleasing crunch with a flawless rice-to-seafood ratio.
From the ever-evolving set promotions to the charming sight of Japanese-conversing chefs earnestly working on orders behind the counter, this two-year-old hidden gem has a lot going for it, not least the added lure of a quiet dining spot in one of the busiest malls around. The maddening crowds at Sushi Zanmai don’t know what they’re missing.