Sushi Kikuzawa

the year should end with a bang and how else to celebrate in style : with a buffet, of course! this must be my first buffet entry and it has really been a long time since I had a buffet. Every time Carol is back its almost ritual that we celebrate her return with Jap buffets - the last time she was back we went to Kuishinbo 3 times in a week man during their one hour 19.90++ special..those were crazy times..

but of cos I've moved on from those manic days when i kept returning to the same old places and overdosed on the food there so this time round we decided to come here for their sushi buffet. This is my first time and Carol's 2nd.

Its a really small restaurant - consists of bar counter seats only, and can only accomodate under 15 people. It was a Monday evening and the restaurant was full. On our left was a bunch of scholars (and their mentor right smack in the middle, we presumed) and our right were 2 couples. Really intimate.
They have lunch buffets - $29.90 on weekdays and $39.90 on weekends - they do express lunch sets as well.

For dinner buffets its$ 39.90 weekdays and $49.90 weekends.

Recently I've learn to appreciate sitting at counter seats because watching the Jap chefs at work adds to the gastronomic experience. I feel like Sushi Kikuzawa's sushi buffet is like an omikaze experience - because for the most part of the meal, we let the chef decide what he wishes to serve us.. and when my friend stopped , I then started ordering the ones that I really wanted to try, off the menu. And because the chef is right in front of you, you can just ask him directly to prepare it and he would whip it up almost immediately. Definitely more interesting than other alacarte Jap buffets (Hanabi, Kuishinbo, yawn) where the food is mostly prepared in the kitchen.

Obviously the sake is not in the buffet...the free flow green tea is charged under the miscellenous (i guess, along with the towels) at $1.50 per pax.

The pictures came in useful when I was trying to figure out the first few sushis when the chef was serving as he pleased..

Edame Beans

I've learnt to like this in rj when hwee ying bought a bunch of this over to school..they were always lurking around during the conveyor belt sushi days and I never knew that these pods actually tasted good lightly salted.. its like a firmer cousin of those pea pods.

Sashimi

There is only one serving of sashimi - quite fresh I suppose. Tuna was particularly red- and there was swordfish, prawn and salmon.. I tend to overeat these during those frew flow Jap buffets.


I actually quite like this sushi buffet because despite the rice - which was soft and fluffy! - I managed to try many many types of fishes - most of which I haven't tried before. For these fishes I tend to try the fish on its own first before diluting the taste with the rice. In sashimi buffets I'd just be loading up the volume of the protein without really thinking much of the tastes..quite a brainless affair..

but for those carbohydratically challenged...you'd be better off at Ikoi...

This was a complimentary appetiser - chicken and vegetables in a light broth - and this suspicious gelatinous greyous looking amorphous substance on the left - I ate it anyway.


Okay the next few I was kind of clueless as to what I was eating - but this was the first time I was eating seared fish and I love it! It is amazing what the blowtorch does to the fish man - melts the fats and the aroma just drives me nuts!

And this was one of them - the blowtorch really brings out the flavour (and oil!) from the fish.
Swordfish and another fish...any idea?

This was fish roe and uni...The fish roe was bursting with salty sea goodness, but the uni seemed too fishy tonight.

Another seared fish..

Prawn, another fish and eel - the unagi here is particularly good because they sear the eel and it is FANTASTIC! I had like 3 rounds of unagi..too bad they ran out of the river eel though, I will wanna try that.

Another fish (that was really tasty) and tuna dusted with sesame seeds - the tuna was particularly thick!

The ginger atop this fish really complements the salty fishy taste of this, quite interesting.

Its some minced fish inside this handroll, Im not too sure which part of the tuna this belongs to..

Finally something that I recognise...SALMON..haha...nothing too exciting...

I wish there was some subtitles...

moving on...

I guess i get quite excited when I can name some of what im eating...TAMAGO!

The omelette here is slightly wetter and has a good balance between sweet and saltiness. I liked this and had 2 rounds of it.

SQUID! I don't like this so my excitement died down...and my friend stopped here ( I guess the squid is quite uninspiring) but of course I rambled on till closing time... i guess this was the time when i decided I should decide my menu lest he serves another pesky squid...

Pufferfish

Fugu is something I haven't tried before, and for something so exotic sounding (and poisonous too) it was really quite bland and rubbery, and in your mouth it'll break up into strips. Interesting with that salty red thing atop the fish.

Chawan Mushi

This has chokeful of ingredients like gingko nuts, chicken, mushrooms, fishcake and crabmeat. But of course I still prefer the tangier one at Tatsuya, which has a smoother consistency as well. This has many air pockets.

Akagai

The arkshell is something I've been meaning to try for a long time too. Its quite a salty clam fish and quite firm.

Negituro

This was the best sushi for the night for me. The buttery garlicky minced fatty tuna belly was really really good. I had 2 rounds of this. It was supposed to be in a maki form in the menu but the chef kindly did it in a sushi form for me. Happiness! Even Carol who was stuffed managed to squeeze this in after she stopped long ago. And she agreed it was very good.

Herring Roe, Silverfish

The Herring was really salty and crunchy, whilst the silverfish had this fishy taste. Something that I'll try only once. Herring was a fish I tried before in the scandinavian restaurant ABOF (where I had my 21st birthday party and is extinct now) and I tried it salted in an open face sandwich

Half Beak

Makes me think of something out of Harry Potter (the monstrous gigantic pet bird that Hagrid had) and this was firm but quite bland tasting.

Unagi

My second round of it... I wish it was thicker and longer and bigger...I love every bit of the seared goodness!

Salmon in Ponzu Sauce

I had an appetiser in the middle of the menu (because I wanted to stimulate my appetite more so I can keep going). Actually the real reason is that cos I wanted to try it earlier on but I forgot...good conversation distracts me =)

2nd serving of Tamago and 2nd serving of Negituros.. obvious which was my favourite!

Hotate and Unagi

The scallop was what I wanted to try since I haven't tried a seared version before. Really saltier and tastier with the magical touch of the blowtorch. My third serving of eel.

Oh well, this was the last order and I was still ready to roll on actually (but I won't be able to roll out of the restaurant after that). We started at around 715pm and the last order is at 9pm (or until the rice runs out) .. I should have quickly zoomed here when the buffet starts at 6pm (or started first then Carol can join me midway it'd have been just nice)..

I sure needed all the calories I can get to fight my patho exam...I just hope that all that mercury (and that poisonous pufferfish!!) didn't kill off my brain cells!! Michelle, I hope you like it tomorrow! I wish you can come over to get the Kukizawa loyalty card cos for every 6 buffet stamps, the next buffet will be at 10 bucks only!

We didn't have enough cheesecake from the other Allanbakes white chocolate strawberry cheesecake so my mom popped by Secret Recipe near Jelita (without consulting me!!!!! I'd rather have something from Cedele or that walnut cheesecake from Swissbake) to get this Choc Cheez. Its half chocolate mousse and half cheesecake, with a generous coating of dark chocolate cream and plenty of whipped cream round its border.

Secret Recipe reminds me alot of my rj days - we popped by here for meals and cakes once in awhile - and once during their 50% off during national day or some anniversary my family came here and tried almost every cake - and in Malaysia where everything is in ringgit we've another self induced cake buffet as well. Choc Cheez is one of my favourite though I still prefer a similar version from Miss Clarity Cafe - the Twin Divine - where the chocolate is Valrhona and is thicker, whilst the cheese is creamier.

Here, the cheese is rougher, and is like a denser version of the Fiesta cheesecak (that we used to buy from Yaohan supermarket - not sure if they still have it now) - and the chocolate cream - is well, just cream and not dense dense chocolate!

Thats why I can't wait for my second cake from Allanbakes...coming on new years eve..yay!! sugar rush is welcome during hard times slogging in my room...

Happy new year everyone!