Gonbei San

Back to Gonbei San. Earlier entry: March 11.

Kicking off this round with sea urchin. A sizable serving of the ocean's golden gem; subtly sweet but also beautifully briny, as uni uniquely is.

Mentaiko mania! Roe is always a treat, whether in Japanese cuisine or nasi kandar.

Sunomono Moriawase (vinegared seafood, seaweed & cucumber with sesame seeds). Refreshingly tangy and perky, with a mild pickled flavor.

Seaweed roll of tuna belly, garlic & chives. Melts in the mouth, not on the chopsticks.

Tamago Yaki. Warm, light and pillow-soft. Healthier than regular fried omelets too.

Yellowtail steamed in rice wine. Delectable; the eyes have it, glutinous & gooey.

Mixed tempura, comprising kisu (sillago fish), shiitake mushrooms, eggplant & prawns. Competently executed, but not the most memorable moment of our meal.

Teppan prawns. Creamy crustaceans _ smoky, savory & superbly succulent.

Dobin Mushi (soup with ginkgo nuts, chicken, shrimp & trefoil herbs, served in earthen pot). Blazing-hot broth, though not terribly flavorsome.

Crisp, fresh salad to keep things healthy.

Gonbei San boasts KL's best selection of Japanese liquor by the cup. Here's the Saiba Kome Shochu & 7-year-aged Okinawan Mugen No Utage Awamori (30 percent alcohol, yay!).

A creative cocktail, Bloody Mari-Chan (shochu, tomato juice, togarashi), as well as Kozutsumi Kuri Shochu, made using Tanba-Guri chestnuts, reputedly Japan's best.

Gonbei San,

Starhill, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.