Japanese Nook

First published in Options, The Edge Malaysia, August 22, 2016

A few original twists and good Japanese food in a cozy corner

Ensconced on the second floor of a corner shoplot, Uroko imparts a feeling of discovery, of a getaway above the hubbub and noise of humdrum daily activity. The cozy décor is of a layer of illumination between the dark floor and black ceiling. Spot lighting catches the brassy highlights from the metal fish-scale pattern (“Uroko” means “scales” in Japanese) on the metal dividers, gleaming wooden tables, and details such as the irregular stone bowls and smooth pebbles for chopstick rests.

An extensive selection awaits the diner, with an omakase for the undecided. We picked out mainly restaurant recommendations from the menu.

Of the starters, the Salmon Ball Salad (Rm22) was indeed a ball of vegetables wrapped in a thin layer of salmon.  The salad was generous and fresh, with a tangy sauce that went well with both fish and vegetable, fish roe adding a nice touch of intense flavor.

The Uroko Salad (rm28) was clever, with deep-fried salmon skin, soft shell crab and leafy greens, the contrasting textures and tastes combined by a smooth and mellow mayonnaise dressing. I liked the crisp puffiness of the salmon skin, almost keropok-like, but fragile.

Maki rolls can be quite creative, and for some dazzle, the Golden Dragon Maki (Rm30) added a dab of gold leaf on a combination of eel, prawn and avocado, which made for a tasty morsel.  The eel and avocado were smooth, and the various tastes were a harmonious combination.  No less glamorous was the Uroko Maki (Rm38), a house specialty of a complex, multi-layered roll topped with caviar, which lent the distinctive, salty tang for a touch of luxury to the salmon-rice combination.

Also distinctive was the recommended Hanabi Sushi (Rm28), comprising slices of tuna topped with foie gras.  Relatively unembellished, small pieces of tuna, cooked on the outside and still red within, were topped with foie gras with a little vegetable.  I like tuna and it was lovely and fresh, but the foie gras didn’t have much to contribute to the combination.

Still on the cold dishes, the Kiku Sushi (Rm100) was a luxurious spread of various fresh seafood on rice, each beautifully constructed with a tight rice pellet overlaid by a piece of raw fish, with cuts of seaweed-rolls for variety.  The raw fish was excellent, with the clean texture and distinct flavor of fresh seafood, while the seaweed was crisp and distinctively salty.  Not cheap at Rm100 but quality wise, a world apart from nasty conveyer-belt sushi.

For the hot dishes, the Gindara Mentaiyaki (Rm40) was a slice of cod rather smothered over with fish roe and thick mayonnaise – too heavy on the mayonnaise, even if this wasn’t the supermarket-variety white stuff, and the fish-roe mayonnaise combination worked well – but overwhelming, nevertheless.

The Kaminabe (Rm48) was a return to lightness and delicacy, a beautiful presentation of a soup with vegetables and prawn in a folded paper container over a mini-stove. A metal mesh basket and the soup prevented the stiff paper from charring. The soup was light and sweet, a welcome respite from the heavier cold dishes, the vegetables crunchy-fresh with a variety of textures.

Finally, we had Chawanmushi (Rm12) and some Garlic Fried Rice (Rm6). The Chawanmushi, enhanced with fish roe and a little bit of prawn within, was the smoothest I remember having, with a delicate, silken texture, just sliding down the throat and leaving a mellow warmth in the mouth. Everyone at the dining table was wholly impressed by it.

The Garlic Fried Rice was unremarkable, not overpowering, with a nice flavor, but a little stodgy and dull. 

For dessert, the Ume Shu Jelly (Rm12) which was Plum jelly, was presented on shaved ice, a few blocks of clear, golden jelly with a firm, bouncy texture, quite delightful and refreshing in taste.  And the Kuro Goma Ice Cream (Rm8) was also memorably good, being dense with sesame flavor but not so overwhelming as to seem inauthentic. The Yuzu Ice Cream (Rm10) was lighter, almost a sorbet, with a bright, perky flavor.

We had to wait for the Abekawa Mochi (Rm10) to be prepared, which turned out to be rather dense, with finely-grated peanut, and pleasantly but not too sweet, but nothing special otherwise.

Overall, the quality of the food was very good, with a few original turns and a few standouts. Seafood was fresh, preparations were careful and clean, service was pleasant and the overall ambiance informal and relaxing, a place to unwind after a long day, watching the tedium of the day turn into the romance of night from the upstairs perch.

Uroko Japanese Cuisine,

22A-1, Jalan 17/54, Section 17,

46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 03-79320191, 03-79321023

Email: uroko.pj@gmail.com

Business Hours:  Daily, 12pm-2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm.