The showing of TVB's drama "鱼跃在花见" (Eng sub: The Rippling Blossom) has definitely sparked our appetites for Japanese cuisine: Bento boxes, platters of sushi, cups of O'chas, wasabi dollops and fragrant sweet sauces. We have thus visited two Japanese cuisine restaurants in Ipoh within a fortnight: Oh Sushi located in De Garden and also, Sushi East which is just behind Ipoh's Kinta City.
First stop... Oh Sushi
The ambient is comfortable and cozy, not to mention with an extravagant flair. High-backed wooden chairs with cushions in deep-purple satin casing, one word: Nice!
Of course, the food are more pricey compared to those in Sushi King, but the Bento boxes featured in the menu definitely attracted our eyeballs. The hot O'chas are served in HUGE porcelain mugs which just warmed-up our hands nicely; the cold ones are served in transparent tall glasses with its little ice cubes reflecting the ceiling light.
From its vinegar rice to chawanmushi, to its assortment of tempura and miso soup; I really enjoyed the food at Oh Sushi!
Definitely recommended and will go back for more!
Teppanyaki chicken cubes with assorted tempura; Age tofu, rice, miso soup, salad and chawanmushi.
Chicken Katsu Don in mini wok with a mini stove; complete with miso soup, rice, salad, and chawanmushi.
Marinated Unagi with assorted tempura; garlic fried rice, miso soup, salad, fresh iced salmon cubes, and chawanmushi.
2nd Stop... Sushi East
Comparing to the previous restaurant, Sushi East has a more common and cozy feel (suitable for families to dine) rather than the extravagant and chic ambient at Oh Sushi. It was full-house when we arrived and we had to wait by the doors acting as attendants for other customers before we are properly seated.
Its rather obvious that the throng of customers got the waiters and waitresses very worked-up; they looked rather out-of-breath and clumsy while attending to us.
Upon seeing their O'cha mugs, my friend says, "Oh, so small! One or two gulps then I've to call for refill!" Well, certainly its incomparable to those at Sushi King and Oh Sushi.
From the menus, it seems that the shop offers a variety of selections: udons, sushi platters, sobas, Bentos, appetizers.
Frankly speaking, I don't really fancy the food and so are my friends. We ordered quite alot, soft shell crabs, seafood udon, salmon don, two different Bento boxes, sushi combo platter, assorted tempura and tofu miso soup... The only passable item is the tempura, its ebi (prawn) are real fresh; the rest.. uh, well.
Seafood udon, great outlook but it taste just as ordinary.
Sushi combo platter; the maki is full of veges, the Unagi slice definitely tasted awful and the vinegar rice are very hard (it won't even break after my friend threw it around).
Unagi Bento with watery chamwanmushi and fruit salad with longan (?)
[Clockwise] Soft shell crab, assorted tempura, sweet sauce and sushi platter.
Recommendations:
Sushi King has my favourite Nitsume (sweet sauce) and good Agedashi Tofus.
Oh Sushi's Bento boxes really worth the price and the ambient is just lovely! (not to mention great looking waiters and their warm welcomes!)
Sushi East... erm, its ebi tempura?
Sakae Sushi serves really tasty sobas and maki.
p/s: It would be great if you guys can recommend me good Japanese food :'P
