Food: Fine side of Japanese

Hanare prides itself the freshest ingredients, especially seafood that is so fresh you can still smell the ocean, writes TAN BEE HONG ITS all still relatively quiet at The Intermark in Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. Parking is a breeze and soon, I am sipping hot green tea at Hanare, a fine-dining Japanese restaurant on the ground floor. The interior exudes calm tranquillity. Perhaps its the liberal use of wood in the solid wooden tables and chairs, the timber flooring and a wall screen. Or is it the spaciousness, with tables set well apart. There are a couple of private rooms, with unusual shaped tables that make great conversation pieces.

And a wine cellar offers wines from all over the world as well as sake selections. Facing the door, at the sushi counter, a mountain of crushed ice keeps rock oysters chilled. Beyond that, the rest of the kitchen runs along one side of the restaurant. Were having nibbles from the Chinmi menu (from RM12). These are rare delicacies from the various provinces of Japan. Usually pungent and savoury, they are, for some, an acquired taste. Theres hotaru ika shiokara (salted baby squid) from Toyama, mentaiko (salted spicy cod roe) from Fukuoka, fugu mirin (dried puffer fish) from Yamaguchi and eihire (dried stingray fin) from Miyagi.

I find the saltiness of the tofu miso zuke (from Kumamoto) titillating. The mashed tofu marinated with miso, bursting with flavour, would be great with sips of sake. So will hoyashiokara (marinated sea squirt, an oceanic filter feeder) from Aomori though the rubbery texture is an initial shock. Sudo-san often springs surprises unlisted in the menu, such as cold tofu with black sesame paste, shark fins with cucumber and fish roe, and grilled eel stuffed with prawn paste. Next is ebi pan toast (RM28) with French bread topped with minced shrimp and deepfried to a crisp. Eat this hot but dont bother with the accompanying chilli sauce which does it no favours. At Hanare, its almost a crime not to have sushi and sashimi. The seafood is so fresh you can still smell the ocean spray. After all, they are airflown in thrice a week, straight from Tsukiji market in Tokyo. And before you utter the R word, rest assure that all food exports from Japan go through extremely stringent checks, and certificates are issued as proof they are radiation-free. Amaebi (sweet shrimp) from the river has a firm texture and a sweet flavour that evokes images of laughing brooks with crystal-clear waters. Tuna, white fish, snapper, scallop and octopus... all deliver a resilient freshness that prompt us to send for a second platter. The rock oyster is shucked only to order. The huge mollusc is deftly sliced into four pieces and dressed with soya sauce, chopped scallions and a lump of tobiko (flying fish roe).

Beef lovers will approve of the wagyu beef, slightly panfried and served on a bed of chopped salted beans. And panfried prawns come with a creamy sauce, a la western style. Our kitsetsu no gohan (seasonal claypot rice) has two ayu fish in it. This summer trout-like fish is caught in river and is prized for its delicate taste. Watch out for the small bones though ayu lovers feel the taste is worth the trouble. The fish is grilled and placed on the rice after almost all the water is absorbed. Then the main bone is removed and the fish is mashed up with the rice, to allow the flavour to seep into each and every grain. The fish is so fresh the chef does not even use ginger. Fighting for equal attention is the gouma somen (RM30). The off-white noodles, speckled with ground black sesame, are served on a bed of ice with chopped spring onions, minced ginger and seaweed flakes. Place a bit of all these in individual bowls of soya mirin for a refreshing dish. Hanare chefs Sudo San and Kenny Yew also offer an Omakase menu. Omakase means leave it to the chef and its said to be the ultimate Japanese dining experience. At RM250, you get 7-8 courses include appetiser, sashimi as well as seafood and meat that are simmered, grilled, deepfried, panfried, rice and soup. What will be served depends on seasonal ingredients available and the probably the chefs mood. We are surprised how a simple dish of konnyaku and burdock is lifted to gourmet heights. Corn and prawn tempura definitely excites with its contrasting textures and flavours and wagyu beef is panseared lightly with soya sauce to leave a pink interior that shows the excellent marbling of the meat. One thing about Omakase is that you may never get to eat the same dish again. This however, means a gourmet adventure every time you decide to have Omakase. Hanare is open daily for lunch and dinner. HANARE Ground Floor, The Intermark 182 Jalan Tun Razak, KL Tel: 03-2164 2133

Read more: Food: Fine side of Japanese http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Food_FinesideofJapanese/Article/#ixzz1Zor5N 1qs