Affordable Japanese meals

WHEN most non-Japanese think about Japanese food, the most ubiquitous image that comes to mind is sushi or sashimi. Others might think of the teppanyaki or tempura.

In reality, most Japanese who go about their everyday lives working nine to five, eat meals that are more down-to-earth and also affordable.

To experience this, take a trip to Waku Waku in Mid Valley Megamall, which has recently revamped its menu — it now serves home-cooked Japanese cuisine in the Teishoku style, which means it comes in a meal set, or all-in-one specials.

Also called the value set meal, Teishoku meals are usually served with a bowl of rice, miso soup, two small dishes of appetisers and a cup of chawan mushi, or steamed egg custard, along with your choice of flavourful main dish.

Waku Waku’s menu is also known for its well-balanced nutritious values. There are four sets to choose from, each of them are special in their own way.

The Grilled Salmon Set presents a hearty meal with a piece of delicately grilled salmon with its goodness nicely locked in.

Beef Hamburg Steak Set is aromatically spiced and, like its name, shaped like a hamburger patty. It is drizzled with a mushroom sauce and also jet oven baked so it retains a juicy interior.

The main dish for the Chicken Tsukune Hamburg Steak Set are the chicken patties.

Popular with women for being light and nutritious, these chicken and soya patties are baked in a jet oven till crisp on top but succulently juicy inside. These are topped off with a sauce and eaten dipped into a poached egg.

Mega Momo Set is reminiscent of the yakitori but localised: bite-sized pieces of chicken grilled and garnished with sambal sauce.

The main dish of all the sets are prepared by Waku Waku’s special jet oven, which allows the food to be cooked healthily and fast. It locks in the goodness and you end up with food that is tender and juicy.

After the set, you can try Waku Waku’s matcha green tea desserts. Start off with the Ogura Pan Cake, which combines a light fluffy pancake with matcha ice cream and red bean, the Matcha Parfait, which has all the freshness of green tea in a combination of a rich sundae, and the Matcha Frozen, which is a green tea shake or smoothie topped with red bean and cream.

Matcha or green tea is not only synonymous with Japanese cuisine, it is also good for health.

Some of the benefits of matcha are that it is high in antioxidants hence may promote antiageing in certain cases.

Matcha helps burn calories and is known to detoxify the body. It is said to improve the cholesterol level and fortifies the body’s immune system.

Green tea is attributed to be antibacterial and enhances endurance and energy levels. It is said to boost concentration and memory. For all that, green tea is certainly calming and promotes a fresher breath.

The Teishoku set is the creation of executive chef Jun Sato, who has been working in Malaysia for four years. Each dish is served to satisfy your appetite, while making quality affordable.

Besides the Teishoku set, Waku Waku also offers set lunches from RM13.90 every Monday to Friday (except public holidays) from 10am to 6pm.

The Japanese word “waku waku” simply means “excitement” or “thrill”.

Located on the third floor of Mid Valley Megamall, Waku Waku is easily spotted with its unique exterior maple wood pillars. The simple yet stylish decor emanates a warm and homey feeling for a comfortable dining experience.

For more information, log on to http://www.mywakuwaku.com or look out for the advertisement in this StarSpecial.