aly's wonderland

Japanese Fix @ Mizu, Bangsar Village

Wow. This Christmas has been all about turkey. Turkey for dinner, leftover turkey for breakfast, then a fresh turkey again for dinner. I’ve got stuffing and pigs in blanket coming out of my ears, and no matter how hard I scrub, I cannot seem to get the garlic and sage smell off my fingers.

So it’s only natural that I put off writing about the many turkeys of Christmas 2009 until the smell fades and the image of gravy soaked flesh, tattooed in my brain disintegrates into a mere pleasant memory.

I woke up this morning with a craving that I haven’t had for a long time. Japanese…. I went through a Japanese phase that lasted about 2 months, until I’d done one too many food reviews and Saturday lunches with Lil’ Chef that had me stuffed to the brim with Toro. However, it seems that now, the craving is back.

Not long ago, I reviewed Mizu at TTDI plaza  for Red FM’s Big Red Food Review. Lil’ Chef and I often eat at Mizu Bangsar Village when we crave a quick and tasty Japanese Meal, and with this sudden urge to fill my tummy with Japanese, I found myself browsing through some photos from our lunch there last month. Normally, the usual suspects that we order are things like the Mizu Maki, Suki Yaki and a couple of other hand rolls. At this lunch, on a Saturday when we were pressed for time, I decided we should try some of the dishes I’d had at the branch in TTDI Plaza, just to see how they compared.

Mizu at Bangsar Village is the original branch, and is tucked away on the first floor with a discreet entrance you could easily miss.

It is a fine dining restaurant and it shows in the deco. With a ‘Zen’ water feature, the entrance leads you into the stylish and dimly lit restaurant. You will see a sushi counter to your left boasting fresh whole fish on ice.

Behind that is an open-concept kitchen, and a partitioned dining area to your right, with racks of wine bottles on display.

Venture further and the space veers round to your left, with more tables dotted around, a private dining room with more wine bottles wall to wall, and an outdoor balcony overlooking Bangsar Village Two and the bustling street below. It was pretty full that afternoon so we plonked ourselves down at the sushi counter and promptly made our order, knowing full well the arm ache you can get from sticking your hand up if you lose the attention of the staff for one minute.

The Mizu Maki at RM 35 is a must.

One of my favourites, it did not disappoint. It was fat, and exploding with deep fried prawn, avocado, wrapped in unagi (eel), drenched in Mizu’s Signature Sauce and a layer of Tobiko (flying fish roe).

It’s hard to fit it all in one bite, so I recommend trying to eat in two bites, which isn’t easy.

We ordered the Salmon Sashimi at RM 30.

Five thick slices of raw salmon on a bed of ice with wasabe and pickled ginger. I almost didn’t want to share…

I remembered how good the Negitoro (Tuna Belly roll) was at the other branch, so we also had that. Six delicate rolls in a more manageable size than the Mizu Maki.

One, pop in my mouth. Two, pop in my mouth. Three, pop in my mouth. Between the two of us, it was gone in seconds. Delicious minced toro with spring onion wrapped in Japanese rice and seaweed.

Of course, I wanted Lil’ Chef to try the Jumbo Ebi Tofu with Truffle Sauce from Mizu’s Signature Dishes. Well, it was more for me than for him because of the juicy prawn head, and of course he know it!  Juicy, fat king prawns soaked in a thick sauce with a hint of truffle.

Just look at that prawn head. Worth every penny.

The Foie Gras Daikon (seared duck liver on white radish) was a little disappointing because the Daikon could have done with being cooked a little bit longer.

It was still very tasty and I do like how you can eat the broth like a light, clear and tasty soup, loaded with flavour.

As always, the usual Miso Soup and hot green tea comes in handy to wash it all down. Of course, they have an extensive wine and beverage selection if you fancy going for the hardcore stuff.

Perhaps next time if we’re going to order such substacial dishes, we’ll sit at a table. The sushi counter can get a little cramped!

A light yet filling meal, we got our Japanese fix and I must say that the standard in both branches are equally as good, with slight variations from the hands of each chef. The total bill came up to RM 170, mainly due to the prawn and foie gras dishes which are a little more expensive. Mizu also offers a more affordable set lunch daily.

So having looked at my photos again, I think it’s time to head over to Mizu Bangsar Village and satisfy my craving again. Having a good meal like that also means you won’t buy ridiculous things on a whim at The Village Grocer afterwards!

Mizu
L6, First Floor
Bangsar Village I
Jalan Telawi Satu
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur

Tel No: 03 – 2283 6988

(Pork Free.)

Mizu TTDI Plaza and Mizu Bangsar Village  are bookable through theQguides.com. Book, Eat, Be Rewarded.