Like any good married couple we have designated a specific evening of the week in which to spend time with each other. As any successful couple knows, especially those with children, spontaneity is wildly overrated, and is really only something to be dabbled in by those of you who are under 30. You young people will one day look back and wonder why you ever bothered with such frivolity.
Anyway, my wife and I dutifully got spruced up, well put on some reasonably clean clothes and set off for a dinner date, heading for what is one of Taman Desa’s best restaurants, and perhaps one of the best Japanese BBQ restaurants in KL. Maruhi Sakaba is tucked away in a corner with no clear marking and only the smell of great food and the noise hustle and bustle of a busy eatery. The decor is taking minimalist to extremes, and is either stark industrial or unfinished, depending on how generous you are being. However, it all adds to the charm and the place is clean and the staff are as smiley and friendly as can be, quickly seating us on the still warm stools of leaving customers.
The menu is simple, yet intriguing, with such dishes as: Wing, Lamb, Belly and a host of Japanese dishes that I couldn’t pronounce.
Essentially though it is like a Japanese tapas with everything served on little metal dishes and ordered as individual items. There are other options, such as soups and the like, but well, we just love meat on a stick. As usual we just ordered a bunch of dishes, safe in the knowledge that they will happily keep it coming if need be. Tapas style is undoubtedly one of our favourite style meals as you get to try so many things. That said, we have been stopped by waiting staff who felt we had ordered too much food on two, yes two, occasions. First time was a traditional Spanish style tapas, where they suggested we didn’t need to add anything to our order when we realise we had forgotten to order garlic prawns. The second was in a Lebanese restaurant, where we should have known we were pushing our luck when they pulled over another table. Far from being offended, we saw this as a challenge. We had the last laugh over the Spaniards, however, we left the Lebanese with a large doggy-bag and our heads hung in shame. Anyway, I digress, back to dinner.
First up, after the obligatory Asahi, was the Salmon sashimi, beautifully fresh and every bit as good as you’d get in a traditional sushi place.
Next up, were the chicken wings, which might not look the most appetizing, but are rich in taste all the same.
This was followed up by one of the highlights, prawn skewers, these are so good.
Then for a little variety and to show we are not complete heathens we ordered some asparagus………..wrapped in bacon.
Just as we were beginning to think we might have finished we spied this tasty morsel on the table next to us. After enduring a brief political lecture from an elderly Chinese man he informed me the dish was called Tsukune, made from minced chicken and spices. Thoroughly delicious, maybe my favourite.
Finally, to finish off, we had a second helping of the pork belly, under the guise that I had forgotten to photograph it first time around.
By this point my wife was trying to pour my Asahi into her bottle, having previously insisted she didn’t need anymore. On this note we paid the bill, which came to about 70rm (15 usd), departed and headed home….via the Thai restaurant for dessert.
I cannot recommend this place enough, the food is amazing, the staff are lovely and it has a cracking ambience. Go. Eat. Enjoy.
Address: Seputeh 6A, Faber Plaza, Jalan Desa Jaya, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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