When Sushi Kazu emerged as one of the restaurants selected for the Michelin Guide for Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2023, it prompted much celebration among loyal fans of Japanese masterchef Norikazu Shibata’s Edomae sushi omakase. For Sushi Kazu’s discreetly low-profile owner, it was an unexpected (but enormously welcome) surprise, particularly as the restaurant was in the process of shifting location at the time of the announcement.
Since then, Sushi Kazu has settled into its new digs at Jalan Gelenggang in Bukit Damansara, just up the road from its original premises in Jalan Batai. In many ways, it’s bigger and better: the new restaurant extends across an entire ground floor, which allows space for magnificent orchid arrangements, elegant catwalk-like corridors, and tall ceilings from which cloud lanterns are artfully suspended.
There are fresh feathers in Sushi Kazu’s cap, too. While Chef Norikazu deftly shapes his sushi at a signature curved counter towards the front of the restaurant (which frequently sees its 20 seats booked well in advance), another section is devoted to kappo dining—which translates directly to ‘cut and cook’. Leading this multi-sensory meal is Chef Ricky Kamiishi, whose creativity leads the direction of every kappo experience, along with the ingredients of the current season.
His particular knack for cooking beef means that lunch and dinner kappo menus place Wagyu sourced from Miyazaki prefecture at the heart of the meal. Meals range from a quick but filling Wagyu business lunch (from RM198) to a full-blown Wagyu omakase course (RM698) for dinner, complemented by an excellent selection of wines personally sourced by Sushi Kazu’s owner, who possesses an intuitive, well-honed palate.
Dining at the 14-seat black marble kappo counter of the restaurant’s kappo can be a calm, contemplative experience, given the presence of a sculptural Japanese zen garden that borders the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. For those who fancy a little more banter with their kappo meal, though, the genial Chef Ricky is always happy to serve up anecdotes from his three-decade career, or to explain why his steamed egg custard with bread is such a customer favourite.
Once diners have eaten their fill, be it from a colourful irodori bento set (RM288) or a gentler omakase course (RM428, which also offers a vegetarian alternative), they can make their way to the third section of Sushi Kazu: Bā by 61M. An offshoot of the whisky speakeasy 61 Monarchy, Bā is co-owned and curated by Andrew Tan—a veteran of Kuala Lumpur’s bar scene—and boasts a tantalising menu replete with independently bottled whiskies and thoughtfully constructed tasting flights.
On close inspection, there are Director’s Selections of four Japanese and Scotch whiskies to work one’s way through, and even a Port Ellen 1983 32 Year Old single cask bottled by The Auld Alliance. Just as unmissable are Bā’s highballs, which come with pickled plums or smoked olives, and make for an ideal evening pick-me-up before embarking on a kappo dinner, bolstered by a bowl of plus-sized Japanese garlic chips. But not too many, of course. After all, Sushi Kazu is a place where you wouldn’t want to end up missing the main act.
