Food Blog | Sushi Oribe | Kuala Lumpur
Definitely wouldn’t describe myself as someone who has Omakase regularly, but the fact that I can tell you that I’ve been to Sushi Oribe twice is probably testament to the fact that I think that it is great value! (just for reference, I can’t think of more than 2 other Omakases in Kuala Lumpur that I’ve tried).
I brought my girlfriend here for our anniversary and I’ll be honest: I was looking for something at a better price point with better quality and sincerely, I don’t think there is one!
Is it Halal
Sushi Oribe is non-halal, with them serving alcohol and using some techniques which are not compliant. Do reach out to them directly if there are any concerns on your end pertaining to this, but I would recommend steering clear of Sushi Oribe if the need for halal food is one of your priorities.
Where It Is
It is located in central Kuala Lumpur, pretty near Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. There’s free parking - it is located over at Vipod Residences. You will just need to tell them that you are dining at Sushi Oribe and they will direct you towards the parking near the guardhouse.
Address: Sushi Oribe, Vipod Residences, Ground Floor Block C-1, No 6, Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours:
Daily (Closed on Mondays): 12 - 3pm (Lunch) 6-10pm (10:30pm closing time on Friday and Saturday)
What it Costs
Their menu will change from season to season - for 3 months, their menu would be the same, for example. What I’ll be showcasing will be their Lunch Omakase (featuring dishes from their Autumn menu). The total bill for two came up to RM928 after taxes, etc. The breakdown is just RM800 menu price with 16% taxes on top.
Just note that you will have to pay a deposit on their website if you make reservations beforehand (which I assume most of you visiting here will, since it’s hard to come here and expect a walk-in sometimes given there are 12 counter seats. A few things to say: highly recommend interacting with the chefs and getting a counter seat (especially considering there is no price difference). I always think that Omakase experiences are sort of a you get what you give type of experience.
This offering sits in the middle of their offerings in terms of price. They have a 2 cheaper sets at RM290 and RM188 (before tax) and 2 more expensive lunch offerings at RM850 and RM1180.
Dinner sets are more pricey, starting at RM400. Other offerings are RM560, RM850, and RM1180 respectively.
They have two chefs - Chef Nao - who you will see on a lot of the social media posts. He is the more senior Sushi chef at Sushi Oribe, and a more junior chef in Sushi Chef Itaru. Both have a lot of energy and a lot to share! Master Chef Nao is probably on the more flashy end, with a charisma and flashy techniques on showcase.
How it Tastes
Naturally, first, I will just make the comment that if you don’t have Omakase that regularly, it probably is a more valuable experience. You get to learn a lot (yes, I’m a bit of a nerd). They even have a book whereby they detail what are the dishes available from season to season and the area where each dish is from.
So, starting off with their appetizer! They have a marinated mushroom dish. A simple and not so heavy way to kick off the meal. Nothing too fancy, but just a way to get you ready for everything else coming up!
Next up, you have their selection of sashimi. I can’t get over their Sweet Shrimp (or Amaebi)! Seriously so creamy and that touch of sweetness really makes this such a nice piece of sashimi! Super fresh and delicious! Their tuna was pretty good too, but I would say that the sweet shrimp was really the star among their sashimi. They also have an onion sauce which really elevates some of the sashimi pieces!
Next up is their Conger Eel soup! Love how it is presented, kind of tea ceremony style. You pour the soup out and you can eat the eel from inside the pot. I would say that definitely a lot of the flavour has gone to the soup directly - my way of saying that the soup is super delicious (not overly rich as well) though the eel itself is so-so, but that’s because everything has gone towards the soup.
What you’ll see next is trout. Yes, trout, not salmon. I would say taste and texture wise it isn’t far off salmon, but the star is definitely the fresh fish roe in this dish. There’s also some rice in there as well - it’s kinda of like a mini don bowl. Really nice bowl, really appetizing. Almost wish that it was bigger!
Their choice for Chawan Mushi is to use pumpkin, and it’s a really interesting combination. I would say it isn’t overly sweet, like maybe you would typically expect. A muted combination, not too strong, but a really appetizing one - which is what I would say is the common theme among a lot of the dishes. Not doing too much, but really heartwarming. The mochi is a bit of a pleasant surprise in the dish as well.
Next up, the nigiri sushi selection. All really delicious, to the point where it is very difficult to pick a favourite. But my favourite dishes of the night would definitely be among the nigiri sushi options. There is Engawa (Flatfish), Aji (Horse Mackerel), and Hotate (Scallop) among their nigiri options. All of which have their own charm. I really like the smoky elements to a lot of them. The caramelization and umami-ness is absolutely on point! The cuts combined with the cook on the fish make it a nice crispy!
They have two rolls in their Omakase. The first one being their Murasaki Uni mini-ice cream. Really cute option. The Chef’s description is the Murasaki Uni is meant to taste a bit more like the sea relative to other Uni options, and I do feel that to a degree. Their other roll is a mix of onions and difference cuts of tuna.
As you approach the end of the meal, there’s a sweet wasabi dish to cleanse the palette before they serve a nice, hearty bowl of Oden.
I do think it is, however, a funny choice of bowl. Almost as if telling you not to drink the Oden soup. Perhaps it’s something I should have just checked haha. As there are holes on the side of the bowl and they don’t offer a spoon by default. But overall, a nice hearty bowl.
Their dessert is also a wonderful way to end the meal. It is a Chestnut & Sweet Potato Mont Blanc. Love the creaminess and the solid-ness of this dessert. The blend of sweetness and rich flavours coming from the sweet potato make this a really pleasant end of the meal.
A big thank you to the Sushi Chef Itaru as well. Sharing lots of stories, including about his knives and time in Malaysia. He shared stories such as that of him buying a really expensive udon knife and enlightened us on what the differences are as well as what he looks for in different sushi / sashimi dishes!
Star Rating
8.5/10. Honestly very hard to beat this value. The price point and the quality is really something very rare to find in Kuala Lumpur because trust me, I went looking pretty hard. A really classic Omakase place where you won’t be disappointed - this spot gets the Bibz Eats thumb of approval!