Kuala Lumpur 2016 - Dashi Dining Saya

There was a good crowd during lunchtime at the brand new Isetan food Hall at Lot 10 - but it was not as packed as we would have expected. Maybe people were a bit apprehensive due to the poshness of the venue - thinking that the prices would be very high. Some of the outlets were indeed pricey - but the good thing is they have prices to suit every pocket. I decided on an interesting kiosk serving rice dishes with dashi stock - Dashi Dining Saya.

I ordered the set with soy-marinated tuna. It came with a bowl of rice topped with generous slices of tuna, a small serving of chicken cooked in dashi broth, some pickles, side garnishes and a pot of the hot dashi broth. The way to enjoy the rice is to pour the dashi broth into the bowl - you can add as much as you like. The tuna was very fresh and succulent - augmented by the subtle saltiness of the light soy marinade. After enjoying a few slices of the tuna, I poured some dashi into the bowl. With a small amount of stock - the texture was a bit like a risotto. I added more stock and it became like a Chinese porridge. It was fun playing around with the texture by adding the stock. On the whole, I really enjoyed the dish and the dashi provided the required umami kick.

The chicken pieces were very tender and falling off the bone - and the broth was more intense with the sweetness of the chicken.

I also ordered a chawanmushi - though the texture was good the taste was a bit disappointing. I expected more than just some mushrooms and a tiny prawn for RM15.

Dashi Dining Saya is an interesting concept and the pricing is surprisingly good value considering the venue. If they continue to maintain sensible pricing and quality, they should do very well.