I just had to pop in and try the chicken katsu when Nat (member of a respected foodie family hehehee) recommended it via FB.
The first time i went, it was early evening and they were closed. The remarkable thing wasn't that they were closed, but that they didn't just blurt out, "We're closed."
A velvety voice floated across the neat white cafe sprinkled with refreshing lime green highlights and tickled my ears,
"Sorry, m'am, our kitchen is closed, perhaps you would like to come back another time?"
For a split second i felt as if i were in a five-star hotel restaurant, wine glasses tinkling and life jazz pianist tickling the ivories in the background.
I didnt expect someone from a little sushi deli to sound quite so articulate and gracious.
So i did come back, albeit for a really late lunch.
This time Velvety Voice was seated having her own lunch, but when we walked in she stood up immediately and went behind the service counter despite the fact that there were other staff hovering about.
Wow, if the service standard is any indication, I'm really looking forward to the food!
None of the pre-packed sushi boxes in the display case caught my eye, so i said, "What's your most popular dish please?"
"Chicken Katsu."
Aha! Concurred with the recommendation! Happily, I wasn't disappointed.
Loved the generous portion, crispy golden brown batter, warm juicy chicken, fresh tasty sauce, beautiful veggies. Was too engrossed to remember what my friend ate. Forgot the name of Popular Dish #2 which they had sold out. Also forgot the price, definitely below $10. It really is a nice little place for a bite and a chat. Well, I'll just have to come back again, for all that and something else - their Beef Rendang.
Surprisingly, Velvety Voice, whom i later found out was the director of the business Ng Poh-Choo (hey, also from Singapore leh!) recommended Beef Rendang when i asked what else was good there. Not very Japanese, right?!
Apparently an Indonesian lady staff member assisting the Japanese chef has the lobang (connection) for getting authentic Indonesian rempah (spice paste) which goes into their beef rendang slow-cooked for four hours. Mmmmm....
That and a hearty seaweed salad with Japanese ponzu dressing plus some piping hot miso soup would have made my dining experience complete.
Hmm ... not sure if they have that salad. Well, that's another reason for me to pay the queen of chicken katsu another visit at Sushi@Royal, Shop 2, 131 Royal St, East Perth, across the road from TAFE. Tel 9225 7911.
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