KL-ites have a love affair with Japanese food, and there are plenty of kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurants around to fit every budget. Some of the more value for money chains include Sushi Jiro, Sushi King and Sushi Mentai, while the mid to higher-end ones include Sushi Tei and Sushi Zanmai. The latter is one of my favourite places to go to when I have the money to splurge. There are also two specific dishes that I must order, lol.

Sushi Zanmai has many outlets scattered across the Klang Valley. I usually dine at the one at Jaya Shopping Centre, but this post was when I went to 1Utama with N.

First must order: Chuka iidako (baby octopus). I love chewy things (like squid and mochi), so chuka iidako is a must have whenever I go to any Japanese restaurant. The one at Sushi Zanmai, however, has perfected the marinade, so much so that it doesn’t feel right eating it anywhere else. It has a nice balance between sweet and savoury, peppered with fragrant sesame seeds on a bed of fresh lettuce and shredded radish. Portions are of a reasonable size as well.

Second must order: Shimeji karaage. Lightly battered and served with a dollop of mayonnaise, these are crisp, salty and I like how the mushrooms have a crunchy exterior complemented by a juicy, almost meat-like texture on the inside. I usually order a bowl of rice to go with it.

And that would be what I eat when I’m alone – I call it my trinity of Sushi Zanmai – and I never tire of ordering the same things. On this occasion, however, I had to digress from my weird eating habits and order other stuff for N.

N’s Chicken Katsudon. The chicken was first fried before it was cooked with the egg and sauce, but that meant it was soggy and somewhat tasteless. Maybe stick to their sushi offerings ? 

Anago (boiled saltedwater eel), basted with a light teriyaki-sauce for that perfect sweet-savoury taste, and salmon.

SUSHI ZANMAI 

For a full list of their outlets, visit: supersushi.com.my

PS: In case you’re wondering, no this is not a paid spot, but the personal opinion of the writer.