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.

Food Review - Peel Road Char Siew Rice

Name
Peel Road Char Siew Rice (Lunch Only; Closed on Thursdays)
Food
Char Siew, Chicken, Siew Yoke
Location
Peel Road, Cheras (Beside the Shell Station)

Getting there
You need to locate the prominent landmarks there, namely:- Carrefour at Peel Road- Shell Station at Peel Road/Jalan Shelly Traffic Light Junction- Queen’s Park
Once you have located any of these landmarks, you can then proceed to look for the stall situated within an old ramshackle hut with aluminum roof that is facing Queen’s Park
Parking
Parking is a breeze as Carrefour and the road-side parking bays offer free parking or you may opt to perk at the Queen’s Park across the street.

Service
As is typical for these Chinese rice stalls, you may go to the stall to place your orders. However, because they also serve other dishes such as steamed fish head and Pork Trotters in Vinegar (Chue Keok Cho), they also take orders at the table when they are not overwhelmed with customers who are waiting for their take-away orders. Be prepared to wait as sometimes, you may need to wait for the food.

Ambience
Similar to most of the eateries along Peel Road, the place is old and run down! The plastic tables and chairs are rather new, so that helps.

Taste
Although there are quite a few places reputed to have good Char Siew (such as the ones at Tengkat Tong Shin & Section 17, PJ), this one is not the best BUT is still pretty good! They use the choice marbled pork loin parts for their Char Siew (that’s prepared freash daily from the back of the hut) and when you sit in proximity, the aroma tempting is enough to shatter a vegetarian’s resolve to abstain from meat!

You are advised to arrive early – preferably before 12.00-12.30pm to avoid disappointment. Previously, I had many disappointing visits as they had already finished their food even before I could sit down. However, lately, I think they have started to prepare more food to cater to the demand as I had been able to eat there several times recently.


Mention must also be made for the chili sauce that MUST go with the meal. It has a zesty tang combined with a subtle sweetness that makes going for a second helping a delight.

Presentation
The food is served on colored plastic-ware, quite standard for fare of this type but no less appetizing.

Variety
Besides the standard items such as Chicken, Char Siew, Siew Yoke, they also offer steamed fish head, braised chicken feet and pork trotters in vinegar.

Value for Money
Pretty reasonable at standard prices of under RM5 per plate of rice with no frills added.

Overall
Really good food here, as the crowds and waiting time can attest. If you have not tried the food here, I suggest you give it a go! You will come back for more.

Food Review - Peel Road Satay

Name
Peel Road Satay (Dinner only)
Address
At the Peel Road/Jalan Shelly Traffic Light Junction
Food
Satay (Halal)
Location
Opposite the Peel Road Carrefour/Queen’s Park
Getting there
You need to locate the prominent landmarks there, namely:
- Carrefour at Peel Road
- Shell Station at Peel Road/Jalan Shelly Traffic Light Junction
- Queen’s Park

Once you have located any of these landmarks, you can then proceed to look for the stall that is facing Carrefour.

Parking
Parking is a breeze as Carrefour and the street parking bays offer free parking.

Service
As per normal Satay stalls, you need to go to the stall to place your orders.

Ambience
Strictly for locals only! This is because the place is filthy (unless you go inside the Queen’s Park coffee shop, which is only slightly better)! The tables and chairs are old and the place itself is infested with rats the size of small dogs (OK, I lie, but they are big.)

So unless you have a strong tolerance for this type of environs, I’m afraid it’s not for you.
Taste
Great stuff (but beware of the piece of fat/chicken skin on each skewer)! This is a great substitute for those who don’t want to make a long trip to Kajang for the good satay. I’d rate it equally as good. One of the best Satay places I had tried in the Klang Valley.

There are always customers waiting in a queue for the take-away satay to be ready and the sit-down diners would usually need to wait about 20-30 minutes before the food is served. Beef is a must (even if you swear by Chicken)!

Presentation
The different varieties are separated and the accompanying cucumber/onions/ketupat is art the side on a polystyrene plate while the kuah is served in tiny polystyrene bowls-for-1. The only bit I don’t like is the use of polystyrene.

Variety
You have the standard chicken, beef and mutton varieties.

Value for Money
Same as other stalls – RM0.60/stick.

Overall
Have a craving for some good satay but don’t want to drive to Kajang? This is a great place to sate those hunger pangs! Go and go often!

Food Review - Hao Wei Dao

Name
Hao Wei Dao
Food
Fusion Food (Non-Halal)
Location
Taman Desa, Old Klang Road

Getting there
I would classify that there are 4 shop-lot clusters in Taman Desa:
- The cluster near the Hospital/Bomba (Fire Brigade)
- The cluster at Telekom Malaysia/Faber Towers
- The cluster near Danau Desa Police Station
- The cluster near Shell Station

This place is tucked neatly away in the newer area of shop lots near the Shell Station cluster, on the same row with Watson’s.
Parking
There are ample parking bays around the shop-lots.

Service
Service is rather quick. However, the menu simply has too many items. First time visitors may be overwhelmed by the selection available to them.

Ambience
The place is clean and brightly lit with a prominently placed red carpet to welcome guests as they walk in. The place is not too big. The seating arrangement is very open as they are all lined up straight but I find that a tad boring.
Taste
The items here taste simply fantastic! We ordered the Butter Garlic Pork Rib Rice and the Brinjal (Eggplant) Sliced Pork in Soy Bean Rice.
The Butter Garlic Pork Rib gravy that was smothered on the rice was thick and flavorful. They were very generous with it. As for the minced pork on brinjal, the taste was just right.

Presentation
The pictures speak for themselves. Very nice!
Variety
There are so many items on the menu that I would not be able to do it justice by trying to list them here but they can be broadly categorized into
- Rice
- Noodles
I think there are literally over a hundred menu items there!

Value for Money
Good value combined with good taste and variety! Definitely worth a visit or a re-visit.

Overall
What are you waiting for? Go out and try it already!

Food Review - Peel Road Nasi Lemak

NamePeel Road Nasi Lemak* (Dinner only)
* Nasi Lemak – Rice steamed in coconut milk

AddressAt the Peel Road/Jalan Shelly Traffic Light Junction
FoodNasi Lemak (Chinese Style/Non-Halal)
LocationOpposite the Peel Road Carrefour/Queen’s Park Cheras

Getting thereYou need to locate the prominent landmarks there, namely:
- Carrefour at Peel Road
- Shell Station at Peel Road/Jalan Shelly Traffic Light Junction
- Queen’s Park
Once you have located any of these landmarks, you can then proceed to look for the stall that is facing Carrefour.

ParkingParking is a breeze as Carrefour and the street parking bays offer free parking.

ServiceThis stall does not offer any service. Self-service all the way.

Ambience
Strictly for locals only! This is because the place is filthy! The tables and chairs are old and the place itself is infested with rats the size of small dogs (OK, I lie, but they are big.)
So unless you have a strong tolerance for this type of environs, I’m afraid it’s not for you.

TasteFortunately, the taste is fantastic! As locals all know, the older and dirtier the place (esp. if it’s under an old tree or beside a drain), the better the food tastes! I love the sambal this stall offers as it is of the sweet variety as opposed to the plain hot versions served by some Malay Styled stalls. It also offers the mini crunchy deep-fried ikan bilis (anchovies) that I absolutely love.
PresentationThis is a moot point because how the food looks depend on how you put the food on your plate.
Variety
Typical for any mixed rice or Nasi Lemak stalls, there are multiple dishes for diners to choose from incl:
- Rendang Beef
- Rendang Chicken
- Curry Chicken
- Sambal Chicken
- Curry Sotong (cuttlefish)
- Curry Potatoes
- Eggs (fried and hard-boiled)
- Sambal Petai (Stinky Beans)
- Braised Potatoes
- Fried Chicken
Diners can choose between white rice (for those who are concerned with the cholesterol) or Nasi Lemak.

Value for Money
Pretty standard. Depends on the type of dishes and quantity you take. I visit this stall very often.

OverallGreat tasting food at reasonable prices but the place is REALLY dirty. So if you really want to try this place but feel a little hesitant about dining there, try a take-away pack! Let me know if you like it.