Ali Baba Guide Trial

Miraku simply means 'a great place for customer to enjoy great food'. Miraku is a Japanese fine dining restaurant designed to the art of Japanese culinary to provide to those who desire to experience gourmet food. It is established under the Texchem Group of companies that aims to provide the authenticity of Japanese food in Malaysia.

The entrance of Miraku

This is their first outlet in Penang that is located at the 1st Floor of G Hotel, Gurney Penang which is able to accommodate up to 130 pax They have normal dining rooms and Tatami rooms as well as a Sushi bar.

The highlight in Miraku is to served the top quality and freshness of their product. Besides that, their exceptional professional and personalized service will make your dining experience in Miraku an unforgettable piece of memory.

The walkway to the private rooms

This is the sushi bar. Customers can enjoy the meal while watching the chefs in action.

Lovely display of orchid.

A large cabinet of the alcoholic drinks.

The new extensive menu with their latest revamp appetizer and lunch set (27 varieties).

A great company comes with great food. We go for a few shots of Manzai Raku Hakusan Sake (mild). The sake is priced at RM 475.00 for 720ml. This sake is to be drink cold and sake is best to be drunk within 2 days after it is open.

We kicked it off with a bowl of Miraku Salad (RM 28.00-large, RM 18.00-small) that consist of salmon, crab meat, octopus, lettuce, cucumber, tomato with tomato dressing. The dressing was superb as it has the right taste towards the salad. Criz enjoyed this dish the most.

As for appetizer, to be more adventurous we go for the Natto (RM 12.00) the well famous fermented soya beans. It is advisable to be mixed together with white rice for a better consumption. Natto reminds us of the comic we used to read when we was a kid, Shin-Chan (蠟筆小新). He always play with his food and natto is one of them!

The sushi and sashimi in a Japanese restaurant is crucial as it represent the essence of the restaurant. So we ordered a bowl of assorted sashimi to be shared. Sashimi Moriawase (Take)/Assorted Sashimi RM130 (2.5~3pax).

While browsing through the menu, realised that Miraku does also served local fish as sashimi. On the other hand, they do have the license to serve Fugu (Butter fish) at the certain season.

This would be the another creative way to consume the sashimi. Wrap it with the leave and sprinkle it with the flower patters. Looks unique uh ! :)

We are deeply in love with this Mamakarri Sushi, RM6 per piece, a vinegared sardine fish on top of sushi rice. We are also been taught a handy advice on how should we sushi be eaten together with soy sauce. You should dip the fish meat to the soy sauce instead of the rice. Oh my! We have done it the other way round all this while. A great tips been learned.

Dragon Roll (RM28.00) deep fried prawn wrapped with avocado. This dish is recommended by our host, Mr. Kamarudin. Nicely presented, the deep fried prawn is wrapped avocado paste and garnished with some mayonnaise and prawn roes.

Unagi Shirayaki/Grilled White Eel RM38 is another item that should not be missed out. This round we go for grilled eel without the sweet soy sauce in order to taste the originality of the eel.

Trying to be even more adventurous we ordered Gyutan Touban Yaki (RM28.00) grilled beef tongue, yes you read it right. Its beef tongue, served on hot plate. At first we are quite skeptical about this but we give it a go and it is a great try. Indeed its a truly great experience munching thinly slice beef tongue. For a beef lover but dislike tongue, you may order the Wagyu beef (Japanese beef).

We are given a small hot pot to grill the tongue. The texture is a bit spongy but it tasted good with squeeze of lemon.

Sanuki Udon (RM35.00). The classic cold noodles which are healthy to be eat. The udon is serve cold and chewy, just like the way I like it. It simple, you just have to deep the noodle into the cold soup that is served together with radish, spring onions and wasabi.

Miraku Lunch Box (RM36.00), a complete set that consist almost everything from sashimi, grilled fish, simmered dish tempura, chawan-mushi, salad, well cooked of mushroom, carrot and snow peas,miso soup, rice, pickles, red bean jelly and ice cream. This is a great set and value for money yet feeling full at the end of the day.

This is the Japanese paper steamboat, Miraku Kami Nabe (Petite Paper Hot Pot – RM36). The miso soup was stewed in together with salmon, chicken slice, clams, some vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu. You may taste the sweetness of the soup upon reaching to the end. But we are reminded not to drink all the soup and let it dried up as the fire might cause a flame on the paper steamboat. Indeed a great dish to be consume during cold weather by slurping the hot soup.

After the heavy meal we settled down for the Tempura ice cream (RM12.00), deep fried ice cream wrapped by a layer of biscuit in tempura style to be deep fried and topped with red bean. Two thumbs up for this!

It is special dining experience with some extraordinary food. We would like to thank Miraku for the invitation for us to experience the truly authentic Japanese cuisine in town.

As for current promotions:
* Eat-All-You-Can Sushi at RM50++ per pax available only on Tuesday and Sunday end of June 2009.

* 30% off for selected Set Lunch meals (lunch only) and assorted sushi sashimi (dinner only) from now till end of June 2009

Please refer to the link below for more information.
http://www.foodpromotions.com.my/2009/05/miraku-japanese-restaurant-3rd.html

Miraku Japanese Restaurant
1st Floor, G Hotel
168A Persiaran Gurney
10250 Penang
Tel: 604-229 8702
Fax: 604-229 8560
Email: afm@miraku-restaurant.com

Business Hours:
Monday to Sunday
Lunch 12.00pm to 2.30pm
Dinner 6.00pm to 10.30pm

* Photo taken by Jimmy

Ko Fu Loft is the newly renovated Hong Kong restaurant located at the 4th Level of Gurney Plaza, Penang over looking the beautiful blue sea and sky. Its a marvelous dining experience we had with a group of food bloggers. Thank you Criz for arranging this food review.

Once you stepped into the restaurant it has a very nice ambiance with some chandelier hanging on the ceiling.

There goes the chefs that battles in the kitchen to put the delicious food on the table for customers.

The over view of the open kitchen concept.

Counter for the beverages.

The chef in action making some fish balls.

View of the interior seating.

If you would like to have some privacy, there are area for rooms.

The common hall for dining.

We shall not waste more time, let me introduce to you the foods that has been served to us.

First of all lets start with the appetizer, the Crystal Spring Roll Skin Stuff with Vege and Chicken Meat (RM 6.90). It has been nicely been wrapped and to be dip into Thai Chili sauce for serving.

Here comes the Ko Fu Sesame Seed Ball (RM 10.90). It has minced meat in it and been wrapped with sesame seed and nicely presented on spoon.

We shall move to the Main Course of the day, here comes the Jinglo Pork Ribs (RM 14.90). It well marinated and you are able to smell the nice aroma of the ribs when it is served.

Next we have the Deep Fried Homemade Bean Curd (RM 12.90). The bean curd has been fried till golden brown and served with some chilli sauce for dipping.

The Deep Fried Five Spices Calamari (RM 13.90).

Fried Seafood Emperor Noodle (RM 12.90). Nicely presented with some garnishing.

The most exciting dish goes to Szechuan Aromatic Duck (RM 18.90).

You are served with a plate of egg rolls for wrapping together with the duck meat and some vegetable. Its the time to see how creative you are. I find it fun that we are given the chance to wrap up our own food. Nice bonding session and some competition among the eaters to see how well is their final product. So how well can you wrap yours?

Another set of All in 1 Roasted Meat with Vegetable (RM 19.90). In this dish it has slices of mushroom, broccoli, prawn, siew bak, char siew, chicken and duck meat with some based of white cabbage.