I’M always drawn to casual Japanese restaurants that serve fresh, good and inexpensive food, and recently found such fare at JJJ Ya.

This Taman Desa izakaya, or Japanese bar, offers yakitori and other light bites to go with its alcoholic drinks.

The name itself arouses curiosity. It stands for “JeJeJe”, an exclamation of shock or surprise – equivalent to “oh my God” – in the dialect spoken in the Iwate fishing village of Kuji in Honshu, northeastern Japan.

We had an early dinner at JJJ Ya, and on our table were the Tako Wasabi, Buta Kimuchi, Moyatama, Aburi Shimesaba and Grilled Beef Steak.

The first is an appetiser with raw squid marinated in soy sauce, wasabi, vinegar and sake.

I would’ve liked more wasabi, but the squid’s to be enjoyed for its slithery texture, with some resistance to the bite, and the marinade clinging to it.

The Moyatama (RM11) is bean sprouts fried with egg, and served with a dollop of mayo.

Fat and crunchy, the sprouts are surprisingly flavoursome with pieces of almost-scrambled egg mixed in.

Pork fried with kimchi constitutes the Buta Kimuchi (RM22), a sweet, peppery and punchy affair resulting from belly meat cooked with fermented kimchi and gochujang sauce.

This dish is marvellous with rice. We loved that some of the kimchi had the texture and tartness of plump salted vegetables.

The Aburi Shimesaba (RM26), or flame-seared mackerel, has lush flesh that’s rich and smoky, balanced out with the acidity of lemon juice.

Spring onion and strips of raw onion top the succulent fish.

We ordered 150g of the Grilled Beef Steak (RM37), which uses Australian striploin. Prepared to tender, juicy perfection, the meat is served sliced, and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

It is a worthy substitute for yakitori, which comes recommended but isn’t available while coronavirus restrictions are in place. That would go so well with a chilled beer or sake.

Signature dishes here include the Okonomiyaki, which is a savoury Japanese pancake, Buta Don Set and Chicken Nanban, or deep-fried chicken with egg and tartar sauce.

I’d like to return for the Katsuo Tataki (RM25), or seared skipjack tuna, Pork Belly Garlic Miso (RM22) and Grilled Ox Tongue (RM26).

The Shima Aji Sashimi (RM33), Scallop Sashimi (RM38) and Mozuku Zu (RM17), a marinated seaweed dish, were the specials on the day we visited.

JJJ Ya is located at 14A Faber Plaza in Jalan Desa Jaya, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur. It can be reached at 03-7971-8676. The outlet is open from 5.30pm to 10.30pm daily, except Tuesday. – June 13, 2020.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.