WALKING into the pop-up space for an omakase dining experience at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is akin to discovering a speakeasy bar with a hidden entrance. The intrigue begins as you step onto a dimly lit walkway after exiting the lifts that bring guests exclusively to the designated floor. This air of mystery at the point of entrance sets the stage for an unforgettable culinary journey.
For a limited time only, Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is collaborating with Sushi Azabu for a 17-course dinner titled “The Hidden Plate: An Exclusive Omakase Journey”. Set at a discreet and intimate pop-up space on Level 5, it is surrounded by a lush edible garden by Cultiveat, which has introduced sustainable precision farming in Malaysia. The omakase counters seat only eight persons to allow diners to observe the chef meticulously preparing dishes.
Served at the start of the rather elaborate course during our visit was chopped dry-aged tuna, lettuce and sushi shoyu sauce in nori (dried seaweed). Sushi Azabu’s chef Shinpei Kujiraoka from Japan’s picturesque Chiba prefecture introduced the dish, which used two-week dry-aged blue-fin tuna. “The dry-aging exudes a more intense flavour while the dish consists of different parts of tuna, namely akami, chutoro and otoro, which vary in fat content.
“As for the rice, we use Japanese rice that is mixed with red vinegar to balance out the high fat content of the fish,” he said. The bite-sized sushi had tip-top freshness and yet was mild in.
