A CUSHIONY sheet of bean curd laid over udon in a sweet complex broth shows the fine, deft touch of chef Tatsuo Takebayashi at Kappo Takebayashi in Kuala Lumpur.

For the Osaka-Style Kitsune Udon (RM45), the bean curd is boiled and strained, and then broiled in a dashi soy sauce.

We slurped up the noodles, pausing every now and then to marvel at the tasty broth, made from steeping kombu, bonito, dried anchovies and dried saba, or mackerel. The bean curd sheet is a textural delight, and so is the slithery, al dente udon.

The bean curd, soft and flavourful, is the delicious “meat” accompanying the noodles. It was all I wanted.

Starting Tuesday, this dish will be served as a lunch set, with salad and chawan mushi.

Other dishes to feature on the chef’s new lunch menu are the Wagyu Beef Hamburg (RM55), Fried White Fish (RM55), Takebayashi Bento Box, Unagi Donburi (RM60), Grilled Beef Curry (RM55) and Assorted Tempura (RM55).

The Wagyu Beef Hamburg came to our table sizzling on a hotplate, with chillies, onions, a slice of potato and mushrooms on the side. A ball of grated daikon sits atop the patty, which is poured over with a tiki ponzu sauce.

“Wow” was the word that escaped my mouth upon trying the patty with a bit of daikon and some crispy garlic flakes. The lightly tart ponzu sauce enhances the beef’s richness.

A salad with a special carrot dressing, chawan mushi, rice and soup come with this dish’s lunch set.

Another worthy pick is the Fried White Fish, served with tonkatsu sauce on the side.

The fish is topped with an excellent chef-made tartar sauce, which has chopped daikon pickles, egg and onion added to it. At first glance, the fish appears bland, but don’t be deceived. Pairing it with the sweet-and-sour tonkatsu sauce and a dash of Japanese mustard will hit all your senses.

The lunch set comes with a salad with that wonderful carrot dressing, chawan mushi, soup and rice.

The Takebayashi Bento Box is for those who love variety. In its four compartments are sashimi, popcorn shrimp, grilled salmon, and braised vegetables and chicken meat rolled in tuna skin.

The vegetables stand out; the chef added crunchy, bright-green pucuk paku shoots, providing a great contrast to the sweet and juicy daikon, pumpkin and carrot. Tucked between the veggies is the chicken roll in yuba skin.

A lovely sweet mountain peach garnishes the grilled salmon.

The dinner menu remains the same. Takebayashi made special mention of several appetisers popular with customers, namely the Cold Tomato Umami Jelly, Eggplant with Cream Cheese Marinade Miso, Yellowtail Jalapeno Jelly, and Grilled Octopus with Spicy Sauce.

“The baby octopus is sourced from East Malaysia. It’s very good,” said the maestro, who selects only the most premium local ingredients.

Takebayashi, who hails from Osaka, has worked in Malaysia for six years as executive sushi chef at Nobu Kuala Lumpur. He has also been with Nobu Tokyo, Montenegro, Crystal Cruises by Nobu Los Angeles, and Matsuhisa Beverly Hills and Aspen, among other reputable restaurants.

This is his first “kappo”-style restaurant – where the chef cooks in front of customers and interacts with them – in Malaysia.

Kappo Takebayashi is located at The Ritz-Carlton Residences Kuala Lumpur, at No. 105, Jalan Ampang in Laman Sentral Berjaya. It can be reached at 03-2181-3364. A nearby landmark is Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur. – November 2, 2019.

* 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.