Surrounded on three sides by sea, the Aomori prefecture in Japan is famed for its abundance of fresh seafood – in particular, giant scallops, some of which are as large as a human fist. Being the blessed KL-ites that we are, one will not have to fly far for a taste, as they can be found breaded and deep fried to juicy perfection at Tonkatsu Anzu @ The Table, ISETAN The Japan Store. 

For those who have never been to The Table, it’s located within ISETAN The Japan Store in Lot 10 Kuala Lumpur and is home to six restaurants serving Japanese cuisine. Tonkatsu Anzu, as the name suggests, specialises in tonkatsu (pork coated in bread crumbs and deep fried).

My maiden visit was in late 2017 as part of a media tasting – and it was the first time I had their seasonal specialty, the scallop tonkatsu. Back then it was available for a limited time only, but it seems like you can sample it now as part of the regular menu! And so it was that I braved horrendous KL traffic on my last day of work in 2018 to treat myself to a spot of these sweet ocean treasures. 😀

For RM79, you get three pieces of juicy scallop katsus, with a side of rice, miso soup and salad. Pricey, but these are imported scallops after all. And after months of dealing with sht, I felt I deserved to end the year on a positive note.

You can also opt for cheaper sets with a scallop katsu + ebi (shrimp) and pork mix, or a scallop + pork fillet set.

Pickled ginger for cleansing the palate.

The scallops arrived plump and piping hot, the tender white flesh encased in a thin, crisp breaded shell. The ‘skin’ peeled off rather easily so the scallop kept popping out – would have been great if I could have gotten the batter and scallop together in one bite for a nice blend of textures. They were served with a side of Japanese mayo and the subtle sweetness went great with rice. Could have easily polished off half a dozen but sadly you only get three lol.

All in all, a satisfying meal that was well worth the price. Not sure if these are seasonal offerings because you can’t get scallops all year round – so get them while they last!

TONKATSU ANZU 

Level 4, Lot 10 50, Shopping Centre, Bukit Bintang Street, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur

Opening hours: 11AM – 11PM

Phone: +603 2119 2625