Komorebi Dining in Penang specialises in Kappo-style dining – a form of omakase that combines skilled cooking with experiential dining. Located along the row of shops in Jalan Pintal Tali, the space features a 12-seater counter with a large area for the chefs to cut and cook while interacting with customers.
Komorebi Dining, Penang
12-seater counter
For starters, Kappo-style dining is different from Kaiseki-style dining. The former involves the chef creating dishes in front of diners, talking to them and guiding them on how to consume the dishes in the manner they were created to be consumed.
Sakizuke | Ankimo, Nara Zuke, Myoga, Kinome Leaf
Our 8-course dinner (RM650 per pax) begins with Sakizuke, sliced ankimo (monk fish) seasoned with sake and sandwiched between ankimo puree and Monaka shell. Creamy and rich, with a peppery note from the kinome; this tastes similar to foie gras, but more decadent.
Zensai | Yaki Nasu, Hamo
Prior to Komorebi Dining, I wasn’t a big fan of summer omakase, kappo or kaiseki menus. Because I find the offerings a bit one-dimensional. Chef Wayne and his team proved me wrong – the hamo is meaty yet soft, and served with plum jelly, mashed roasted eggplant and junsai.
Owan | Awabi, Tougan
The third course is Hokkaido abalone with abalone stock and winter melon, served alongside some yuzu kosho for a bit of kick. Then comes an assortment of seasonal ingredients that may seem deceptively simple, but so well prepared that the flavours are incredible.
Seasonal Gifts | Hiramasa, Mizudako, Shima Aji, Hokkaido White Corn, Tako
We had a 5-days aged hiramasa (yellowtail) with spicy radish and spring onions, mizudako with wakame and fruit tomato, 6-days aged shima aji smoked with charcoal and hay, then lightly seared with binchotan.
The Hokkaido corn soup is reduced and blended into a creamy consistency so it gives a sweet contrast to the umami packed fishes. Lastly, there’s the braised octopus served with marinated burdock and tamago.
Mountain & Sea | Kegani, Jumbo Mushroom
Yaki | Unagi, White Asparagus
Komorebi Dining delivered a most beautiful Japanese hairy crab “grata”, topped with bafun uni, deep fried (dehydrated leek) and Japanese shitake mushroom. So delicate yet bold in flavour. The chef grills the unagi in front of diners, and bastes it with Komorebi Dining’s homemade sauce. This comes with tempura white asparagus – rustic yet refined.
Donabe | Chirimi, Nanohana, Sakura Ebi, Sakuramasu
The Donabe is made using bonito flake stock and topped chiramen (baby sardines), 5-flavour sesame, Sakura ebi and ikura. It comes with a bowl of fish soup, made using fish bones that is rendered for 3-4 hours for an umami packed experience.
Warabi Mochi
Japanese melon
Tea
We end our Kappo dinner with some warabi mochi and sweet melon – the former is a deliciously chewy, almost jelly-like mochi made using bracken starch. Not too heavy on the palate and I feel, encapsulates the essence of Komorebi Dining’s kappo concept.
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Ambiance: 7.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 7.510
Verdict: Good detail to attention and clever elevation of flavours.
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Komorebi Dining
138, Jalan Pintal Tali,
George Town, Penang.
Tel: 012-858 1138
Business hours:
6.30pm till 10pm (Tuesday – Thursday)
12.30pm till 2.30pm, 6.30pm till 10pm (Friday – Sunday)
(Closed Monday)