Yoshinari: A great Japanese lunch that’s remarkably affordable in Plaza Damas
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — There’s no such thing as a free lunch, but plenty of restaurants and cafes dangle the promise of a spectacular bargain in front of our noses, hoping to get a lunch crowd through their doors.
The vast majority of these lunch sets often leave me somewhat underwhelmed, though the bill usually softens the blow.
Still, one can only eat so many mediocre meals before the urge to do something drastic arises, so I jumped at the opportunity when a friend invited me to lunch at Yoshinari, Plaza Damas.
I’ve heard good things about this place, but most of it has been about the dinner omakase for RM155++ which changes every month and requires reservation.
They also offer a sushi course menu for lunch, served at the counter and only available by reservation for RM88++, limited to only seven sets per day, but the real steal here is the Omakase Lunch Set for only RM28, available everyday.
It comes with six to eight small dishes, accompanied by a steaming bowl of rice and comforting miso soup, and is a hard deal to beat.
Without a reservation, we strolled in at noon, which is when the restaurant opens for lunch.
The bar counter is where the sushi set is served that requires a reservation, but the regular seating (not pictured) does not.
In the blink of an eye, the restaurant filled up with people from offices nearby, with most also here to take advantage of the lunch sets.
Though it was full, the atmosphere was far from raucous; instead, hushed whispers dominated the room, underlined by a smooth, jazzy cover of Radiohead’s Creep, which I found absolutely hilarious.
A server brought two trays over: the first held the aforementioned Omakase Lunch Set, an assemblage of colours, aromas and textures, akin to an artful collage.
The second held the Grilled Hokke Fish Lunch Set, priced only slightly higher at RM38, with the fish butterflied and splayed open at the very centre of the tray, surrounded by rice, miso soup and a number of side dishes.
The Grilled 'Hokke' Fish Set comes with rice, miso soup and a few other side dishes.
With the former, there’s no order to how you eat the little dishes.
Go in for a sliver of aji sashimi, fishy and robust horse mackerel that’s tempered by grated ginger and lots of chopped negi, then take a detour with a comforting braise of lotus root, carrots, shiitake and konnyaku which are chewy little cakes made from konjac, and finally wash it down with a pinch of rice and gulp of soup.
Or maybe you go for the mackerel tempura first, lightly battered and seasoned with a good helping of tentsuyu, before taking a bite of soft and sweet marinated radish, ending with a tasty spoonful of chawanmushi that’s supported by a bold and intense dashi base.
The Chicken Liver Confit is a delight to indulge in.
Either way, it’s an utterly delicious and satisfying meal that’s incredibly wallet-friendly at RM28.
The grilled hokke is simpler, but no less delectable.
It’s a variety of mackerel that can be found in Hokkaido, where Yoshinari sources them (though they can be found elsewhere) and are commonly sun-dried and grilled before serving.
The result is deeply smoky and rich-tasting flesh that’s also supremely tender and flaky, not unlike Portuguese bacalhau. However, the hokke is less salty and instead mildly sweet with a buttery quality.
The front of Yoshinari.
Despite the overall budget-friendly approach to our meal, we couldn’t help but be enticed by the allure of the Chicken Liver Confit (RM15).
The server produced a small bowl of livers sitting in a pool of ponzu, topped with chopped negi and a smooth orange sphere which turned out to be a still-intact, soy-cured egg yolk that softens to the touch, possessing the consistency of a creamy, jammy spread.
The rich, smooth liver has just the slightest hint of iron on the tongue, but it is welcome due to the balance of citrus and bright green flavours from the ponzu and chopped scallions.
The mouthfeel is unapologetically luxurious, fitting for a small, fleeting indulgence in an otherwise austere but fulfilling meal.
Yoshinari Japanese Restaurant
A-00-11, Plaza Damas-3, 63, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Taman Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur
Open daily, 12-2.30pm (last order is at 2pm), 6-10pm (last order is at 9.30pm). They close every last Monday of the month.
Tel: 03-6414 8612
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoshinarirestaurant
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