Review: Sushi Zen Japanese restaurant at The Gardens Midvalley

A new favourite restaurant of mine is Sushi Zen at The Gardens Midvalley. It is located on the lower ground floor where the Cold Storage supermarket is, and is a free standing open concept restaurant. The seating runs all around the counter of the restaurant so it isn’t exactly a choice location for a tete-a-tete.

That said, I like the food there because its fresh, reasonably priced and above all, yummy! I’ve been back a few times since discovering it, and every time has been a pleasant surprise. The menu isn’t very extensive, but there is a decent selection of rice and noodle dishes, as well as sashimi and sushi and temaki handrolls.

I personally recommend taking a set meal, because for about RM25, you get a lot of food. So far, I’ve tried the Zaru Soba set, which comprises a large portion of cold soba (buckwheat) noodles together with its condiments, 6 pieces of sushi and a chawan mushi (steamed egg). The soba noodles felt a tad hard but dipped in the sauce mixed with bonito flakes, spring onions and seaweed, it was delicious. The sushi too is very fresh. There was 2 pieces of Tamago (egg omelette), Kanpachi, boiled and grilled prawn, raw salmon, raw tuna and squid. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the Salmon was actually sweet and the Tuna did not smell or taste fishy. Sure signs of fresh sashimi.

Another time, I had a Sukiyaki set which comes with a large pot of Sukiyaki with choice of beef or chicken slices, rice, 2 temaki handrolls, miso soup and a chawan mushi (steamed egg). The portions are large and the food is tasty.

I’d go so far as to say that the set meals are enough for 2 to share with a side order or two. It is that large.

I’ve also tried their Katsu Don, which is a fried breaded chicken cutlet and egg on top of rice. It was nice as the chicken cutlet was not over fried so it was still juicy. Best part is that its served hot.

One of my favourite side orders is the Crab Roll (RM4.90). I was initially wary about ordering this crab roll, because from experience, many restaurants fool you by using crabstick. However, when it came and I bit into it, I was shocked to find that it was actual crab meat used! It is boiled crab meat mixed with mayonnaise and rolled in seaweed and rice and the outside of the roll is coated with fish eggs. Very very yummy and well worth the price.

The restaurant is owned by the same people who run the Japanese supermarket just opposite, and if you see any fish or seafood in the supermarket that you like they can grill it for you for only RM3.00. Or, you can purchase the sushi and rolls from the supermarket at very reasonable prices.

Am I through gushing? I think so Yes I like the food here and I will be back for more.

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