REI Contemporary Sushi, is a Pop Up restaurant, located in the heart of TTDI. It has set up shop for a mere 3 months, in DC restaurant and is helmed by Husband and wife team, Chef Eddie Ng, and wife, Maho.
Mio sparkling sake – a fruity sweet, sake that is as pleasant on the tastebuds as it is easy on the eyes..
Don’t let this fresh-faced, Perlis-born chef fool you. His contemporary omakase sushi renditions are just amazing. He first trained in London’s Yashin Sushi, where he honed his skills. It was also in London that Eddie met his future wife, then went on to work in Nagoya, and Tokyo, and finally a short stint in Nobu KL, before he decided to do his own thing. And boy are we glad he did.
The ground floor of DC restaurant is a long bar, with an open dining concept where 10 – 15 pax may sit and chat and enjoy sushi at their own leisure, while interacting with the Chef. Chef Eddie and wife like to keep things lean so they basically run the whole show. From the time the fish arrives, is aged (for two weeks minimum) and served at the counter, it’s all them. Make no mistake, this is not traditional Japanese sushi bar dining. It definitely has a unique, titillating contemporary spin on it. The flavors pop and sometime overwhelm the tastebuds, but in a good way. Some might say, this is Chef’s Eddie’s signature style, and they would not be far off the mark.
torched Tachiuo or cutlassfish – great texture with a heady, smoky flavour
Yes indeed, the deep umami of each delicate sushi morsel can be attributed to the fact that his fish & seafood are aged in a box filled with crushed ice over two weeks, rendering them more tender as well. The dressing and garnishing also pop with flavor – look out for the Pickled Apples infused with Calamansi & Ginger extracts, or Sushi toppings of Dashi Jelly made fm Bonito flake sauce or Spicy Ponzu. Subtle yet explosive, but I guess we won’t give too much away here.. you need to try it for yourselves!
Uni is served!
Putting the finishing touches on the O-Toro.
Look out for the delectable Tachiuo – a summer fish very popular in Japan. Tachiuo means “Great Sword Fish”. This one was served with a spicy pozu and totally hit the spot.
An almost translucent scallop topped with cucumber & squid with hints of lime, topped with Sapporo sesame & dulse red seaweed flakes
Also fabulous creations of Scallop, Shimaji (yellowtail), Ikura (Salmon roe) topped with a smoky jelly made fm bonito sauce, firm yet delicate Squid with hints of lime, topped with Sapporo sesame & dulse red seaweed flakes, tantalizing Uni (Urchin), Skipjack (tuna), Saba(mackerel) and finally the most unctuous Otoro (tuna belly), tinged with a mix of soy-marinated fresh wasabi & wasabi paste..
.. wow, it’s amazing what the freshest of fish in a capable Sushi Chef’s hands can do to one’s tastebuds. The sushi harkens back to the Edo-era of preparation, which I am sure a lot of sushi aficionados would appreciate.
Firm and chewy, yet succulent squid…
We were definitely impressed with the heady flavors impart by all sorts of high quality fish, wrapped around firm, well-separated grains of rice, flavoured subtly with red vinegar.
Apart from the conventional pickles served with the sushi, we particularly loved this pickled apples infused with calamansi & ginger extracts one that was served midway through the course. Tart, juicy and fruity, this was a delicious accompaniment to the meal.
Apple pickle on the left…
Ikura (Soy marinated Salmon roe) topped with a magnificent Dashi jelly made fm bonito flakes and the freshest, melt in your mouth Uni, this side of earth.
At REI, they don’t keep any Uni past 3 days.. I guess Chef Eddie and wife eat a lot of Uni, when it’s not used up in time;)
Soy marinated Skipjack tuna (Edomae style) and the most fatty and delectable, Tuna belly!
End the meal with a tuna hand-roll and pickles and be happy you’d ever stumbled upon REI.
Chef serves this to you by hand.. and you are supposed to take it with your hand, straight into your mouth. Can’t have it served any other way;)
Jelly mochi and sparkling sake.. a perfect match and the end to a perfect night.
An omakase session such as this, at REI, is priced at an affordable RM180++ per person. Time slots are currently for 7pm or 9pm. You are strongly advices to make reservations in advance.
Add:
REI Contemporary Sushi Pop-Up
Grd Floor, DC Restaurant, 44 Persiaran Zaaba,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL.
Open Tuesday to Sunday. Slots for 7pm or at 9pm.
Tel: +6012-279-4188
fantastic soooshee & awesome pics!
Fantastic indeed! You must try!