Omakase is a pretty exquisite form of dining in Penang and often come with a hefty price tag , there are a few established Japanese restaurants in town offering Omakase but one of the latest additions is Kappo By Arakawa. The Japanese restaurant at Premier Centre Burmah Road is a small but pleasant place to enjoy the Japanese highlights carefully prepared by the Chefs. Diners are to be seated at the wood counter where they can witness the Chefs in action. Omakase is not the only way to go here- there are some prix fixe items on the menu as well. The Lunch Omakase tends to be more affordable than the Dinner Omakase; seasonal offerings are available and announcements will be shared on their Facebook Page. 

[Mini Omakase Set/ Rm 158] Sashimi Platter- Mackerel, Tuna, Grouper and Salmon Sashimi

[Mini Omakase Set] Starters- Wasabi Mayo Kyuri and Smoked Duck with Water Spinach and Spinach

[Mini Omakase Set] Steam Dish- Braised Fish Head

[Mini Omakase Set] Grill Dish- Grilled Pork Steak

[Mini Omakase Set] Tempura 

[Mini Omakase Set] Chirashi Don

[Mini Omakase Set] Matcha Ice Cream with Goma Jelly

The lunch menu offers 2 different types of Omakase (9 courses)- one priced at Rm 118 while the other one at Rm 158. The latter one offers bigger portion and more selection choices. We opted for the Rm 158 version. It started with some Starters- Wasabi Mayo Kyuri and Smoked Duck with Water Spinach and Spinach, followed by an alluring Sashimi Platter featuring Mackerel, Tuna, Grouper and Salmon Sashimi… all were very fresh and generously cut. The Steam Dish was Braised Fish Head in Japanese Soy sauce… which carried an indelible sweetness but the flavors were amazing. Up next was the Grill Dish- Grilled Pork Steak, a simple-straightforward but delicious dish with minimalist seasoning. The meat was tender and worked very well with the crisp greens. The Tempura was freshly fried on the spot and everything was flawless. Before the Rice dish, a serving of Miso Soup was served. The last highlight of the meal was the Chirashi Don, which consisted of a generous amount of cubed size Fish, Cucumers, Avocado, Tamagoyaki as well as a handful of Tobiko. The meal was concluded with a serving of Matcha Ice Cream as well as Goma Jelly. To be frank, we found the Omakase offers great value and superior quality, definitely worth checking out if you are a big fan of Japanese food. 

[Sushi Gozen Set/ Rm 120] Starter- Smoked Duck with Water Spinach and Spinach

[Sushi Gozen Set] Sashimi- Grouper and Salmon

[Sushi Gozen Set] Tempura

[Sushi Gozen Set] Sushi 7 pieces

[Sushi Gozen Set] Dessert- Matcha Ice Cream with Anko

Apart from the Omakase, we also tried the 7-course Sushi Gozen Set, in which most of the dishes were similar to the Omakase‘s in one way or another. The key difference was the 7-piece Nigiri set, every piece was a masterpiece of its own- beautifully hand pressed and topped with slices of generously cut Sashimi. The Rice was firm on the outside and airy inside, leaving the Nigiri a pleasant texture on the palate. If I must nitpick, I was a little let down with the selection as I was hoping for some really exquisite ones (eg: Anago would be nice). Being a thrifty local Penangite, I just had to compare the Sushi Gozen Set with the Omakase and thought that the latter choice offers better value and satisfaction in return. 

Ratings:

Taste: 8/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Service: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Price: 7/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)

Parking: 6.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Ambiance: 8/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Non-Halal

Service Charge: Yes 10%

Government Tax: No

Business Hours: 12 pm to 3 pm, 6 pm to 11 pm. Closed on Tuesdays. 
Contact Number: 604- 217 0047