The award-winning Xenri Japanese Cuisine celebrates 13 years of its Malaysian presence with an exquisite Kaiseki menu, featuring all of its gastronomic masterpieces inspired by centuries-old fine dining delicacies hailing from Kyoto for a contemporary yet unforgettable culinary adventure that leaves a lasting impression.
Kaiseki essentially indicates the art of fine food fusing a plethora of flavours, textures, colours and presentation, and for as long as Xenri has been serving customers, the fine dining Japanese restaurant aims to accomplish the same with every dish, every time.
Unlike common multi-course meals, Xenri’s traditional Kaiseki has no fixed menu. Instead, the experienced chefs create taste and visual sensations by handpicking the freshest ingredients, pairing them creatively and meticulously presenting the dishes on impeccable plating; with a majority of them looking too flawless to devour.
It isn’t only the food that makes dining at Xenri so delightful. More than anything, it is a pleasurable sensory journey as you dine amidst its comfortable Zen-inspired decor flanked by chabudai tables (low tables) and the calming koi pond just metres away from where you’re seated.
Now, let’s dive in to some of the Kaiseki dishes we enjoyed:
Aburi Hokkaido Mukimi Hotate – This is Xenri’s hero dish, for a good reason aside from the fact that is it visually stunning. The Hokkaido Diver scallops are slow-cooked for a succulent seared texture and served with a purple sea urchin glaze for a mind-blowing umami flavour. The dish is then balanced off with a Tatami Iwashi (dried little sardines), caviar and flower petals.
Poached Masu with Smoked Apple Wood Chips – Albeit a peculiar combination, the smoked apple wood chips and organic apple dressing accentuated the buttery, flaky salmon that is poached at a constant temperature until it becomes incredibly tender, yet retaining its fresh flavour.
Slow Cooked French Meltique Beef – This is an outstanding dish you have to experience if you haven’t already. The French Meltique beef is coated in charcoal and seared to an ideal doneness of medium rare, which paired exceptionally well with the savoury sauce and sautéed vegetables.
Spinach Chawan Mushi – This is probably one of the most tantalising chawan mushi variations we have tried to date. Steamed spinach is incorporated with egg for an extra silky and smooth custard with bunashimeji mushrooms encased. What makes this dish so special is that it is topped off with a generous slice of foie gras for an extra fatty and rich oomph.
Chirimen Jyako Houba Meshi – Wrapped in the Japanese houba leaf is short grain rice cooked in a fragrant stock, dried baby sardines and Japanese mountain pepper. With every bite, we could taste the earthy aroma from the houba leaf that perfumes the rice, which we really relished with the fermented bean condiment.
Warabi Mochi – Freshly made and served right to you, this soft mochi is made with bracken and coated in Kinako (roasted soybean flour). Dip it in the gooey kuromitsu syrup for some aromatic sweetness, and then take your time to nibble on the crispy rice stalks served with the dessert. It’s simple, yet so satisfying.
Guests who’ve already visited Xenri for the Kaiseki menu need not be concerned over consuming the exact same offerings as before. As per your request, the chefs will be able to accommodate by whipping up something new and unfamiliar to surprise your taste buds. The food at Xenri is also free from MSG, artificial colourings and preservatives, so you’d be sure that you’re getting an elevated dining experience that is second to none.
From now until 30th June 2016, every guest can enjoy complimentary sake for every Kaiseki set menu that is priced at RM230++ per pax.
10, Lorong 4/137c,
Bedford Business Park,
58200 Kuala Lumpur.
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday – 12pm to 10.30pm, Sunday – 12pm to 2.30pm and 6pm to 10.30pm
