Food Review - Ishin

Name

Ishin Japanese Dining
Address

201, Persiaran Klang, 3¾ Mile, Off Old Klang Road, 58000 KL. Tel: 03-7980 8228

Food

Japanese

Location
Old Klang Road

Getting there

Located along Old Klang Road, one would think that the place would have a lot of traffic but in truth, that’s not the case because it’s situated at a peculiar location (it’s actually a residential area) on the Old Klang Road that’s a little quieter than one might expect. Right on the corner itself, it’s visible from Old Klang Road if you slow down after the 1st Shell station.

If you are coming from Mid Valley heading towards Pearl Point or OUG, the restaurant would be on your left. You need to lookout for the 1st Shell station on your left. It’s just about 500m after the Shell station.

Parking

Altho’ there isn’t a lot of parking spaces, it would be enough for diners as it is situated in a quiet residential area of Old Klang Road. Diners can opt to park along the road side or let the valet staff park your car for you when you dine there.

Service

The service is exceptional. They even have valet parking for diners. So the valet staff (I saw 4 of them) greet diners with a warm welcome even before you enter the restaurant premises.

As we were there for the very first time, we had some trouble deciding on what menu items to pick. We took our time trying to decide what to have and eventually asked for some help from the waiters. They warmly welcome guests with a smile and are very patient & polite.

Ambience

It’s a 2-story bungalow. It’s brightly lit, clean, minimalistic and uncluttered décor makes the place a little more formal and makes it seem a little high-brow, than say Bubba Gump’s. Right at the corner on the left as you enter is the sushi bar where the sushi chefs would prepare your food before your eyes.

The place does not have any music and without the din from diners, can make you feel a little conspicuous.

Taste

I had ordered the Ishin Bento Set Dinner which I thought was a nice introduction to the food served there as diners get samplings of the best they have to offer, incl:

- Tempura

- Tofu with Bonito flakes

- Sashimi

- Chawan Mushi

- Miso Soup

- Rice

- Teriyaki-Grilled Mackerel

Very good overall but for the sashimi pieces on my Bento set were not as fresh as some other I have had before elsewhere, BUT still top-notch.

The freshly rolled Maki have a very fresh taste to it with the soft & tangy mango slices nicely decorated on top of the maki together with the rice wrapped around a crunchy deep-fried shrimp centre. It makes for a very interesting blend of taste & sensation when consumed.

Presentation

The presentation is impeccable and makes me a little hesitant in desecrating it by eating. Very nice! The way the maki were presented with the giant prawn head and tail on the maki long plate makes it almost a piece of art. We had ordered a mixture of both the Phoenix Roll & Hawaiian Roll.

Another visually interesting item is the 3-Taste Mini chawan mushi (steamed eggs), where they are painstakingly put into 3 egg shells with their tops cut off, to be finally garnished off with 3 varieties on the tops.

Variety

There are literally so many items on the menu (plus also a few not on the menu – you need to ask the waiters for these and they would be more than happy to assist your dining experience) that diners unfamiliar with their menu might find picking a meal a little daunting.

They also offer a quite few house specialty items like wagyu beef. These are priced higher than the standard menu items, with one going up to RM180 per item.

We also had some dessert:

- the black sesame ice cream

- 3 flavors mini mochi ice-cream (ice-cream wrapped in mochi but they are REALLY SMALL!!!)

Value for Money

The sets are really good value. Most of the Set Dinners range from RM38-RM42 and the Set Lunches, from RM19-22. Of course the ala carte items cost more.

Overall

It’s a pretty good place to dine or to bring that special someone for a memorable evening. It would be a good idea to call first to make reservations as the place is usually quite packed.