Furusato

In direct contrast to the Japanese chain stores that have, in recent years, experienced a massive influx into Penang’s dining sphere, Furusato doesn’t sport the sleek, reflective, black shine that most of the others have come to adopt; its decor is influenced, instead, by the homeliness and cosiness personified by the tan-coloured wood and slide doors that are so often found in ordinary Japanese homes. There is a shelf of Japanese books and comics that you can browse through while waiting for your food to arrive. And if you’re keen on having something special, instead of the usual bentos, dial in beforehand and order a serving of sea urchin.