[Muslim-owned] Isn’t this the prettiest chirashi bowl? Newly opened Sushi Mastro Nikkei in Kepong offers Nikkei dishes – a culinary fusion that combines Japanese techniques and Peruvian ingredients, with a touch of Malaysian flair.
Sushi Mastro Nikkei
So what exactly is Nikkei cuisine?
This culinary tradition originated in Peru when Japanese immigrants first arrived in the country at the turn of the 20th century.
Over the decades, the two different gastronomic cultures amalgamated into this new cuisine called Nikkei food. In a way, chef Nobu Matsuhisa (of Nobu fame) can be considered a proponent of this cuisine when he used local ingredients in his restaurant in Peru in the 70s (check out his book “Nobu: A Memoir“).
Nikkei cuisine usually combines raw fish with core South American produce such as lime, jalapeño, and chimichurri sauce.
However, it is not that unusual when you consider the popularity of ceviche (raw fish cured with lime) in Peruvian cuisine.
Sushi Mastro Nikkei offers fresh seafood
Enough preamble already – so how is the food here at Sushi Mastro Nikkei?
It’s good! This restaurant was started by the founders of Seafood Maestro – who have more than 10 years experience as a fish wholesaler.
Find a variety of fresh fish such as imported salmon, Patagonia toothfish, and halibut on their menu. But the biggest eye-opener is the local sashimi with siakap, red snapper and malabar sourced from their farm in Penang – killed in the Ikejime Japanese method to reduce suffering and preserve freshness.
Besides the alluring sashimi and chirashi bowls, Sushi Mastro Nikkei also offers a selection of uramaki sushi and small plates that showcases Nikkei influences and flavours.
The kitchen here is helmed by chef Salim Ismail, who trained in the best kitchens in Japan and Europe over the last 30 years.
Oh chirashi, I cherish you!
The most popular dish on the menu is the most eye-catching as well – Seafood Chirashizushi (RM75).
This rice bowl – gloriously topped with salmon, hamachi, hon maguro, ama ebi, unagi, ikura, tobiko, barramundi, red snapper, and malabar – tasted as good as it looked.
The raw seafood was fresh and well-seasoned, and we enjoyed the texture of the rice too. After taking a few pictures of the bowl, we mixed all the ingredients for maximum enjoyment.
Unagi U-ra-maki me happy!
Among the sushi rolls, we opted for Unagi Uramaki (RM32) – crunchy battered eel wrapped in orange salsa, kyuri and teriyaki sauce.
The Peruvian influence really shines here, as the tanginess and sweetness of the orange really complimented the crispy and butter unagi.
Perhaps the only comment we have here is that we wished the dish came with more than four pieces.
Mastro chawan mushi
The Mastro Chawan Mushi (RM30) looks like a winner on paper – perfectly cooked custard egg topped with prawns, snapper, lumpfish roe, and truffle oil. Nevertheless, we did hope for more truffle infusion to justify the price.
Verdict
Sushi Mastro also offers mocktails here. Our Romero Sandia (watermelon, rosemary, apple cider) was refreshing, and comes with a bit of theatrics as it is served with a heated cinnamon stick to infuse the scent.
Overall, we really enjoyed the food here. Top marks for the Unagi Uramaki and Seafood Chirashizushi – which tasted as good as they looked.
Quality and presentation are a top priority, and we are very keen to return to try their other dishes – particularly the Ikejime Surtidas (local fishes done as sashimi), Nikkei Salmon Mango, and sushi platter.
Service here is excellent and attentive.
We definitely recommend making reservations due to the cozy space with only nine tables available for dine-in.
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Sushi Mastro Nikkei
Address: Unit 1-1 Fortune Centra, No. 2, Jalan Metro Perdana 6, Taman Usahawan Kepong, 52100 Kepong
Hours: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm Daily (Closed on Mondays)
Phone: 012-312 4112
Reservations: letsumai.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sushimastronikkei/
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