Torii, A Toriific Yakitori Experience In the Easy To Park Part of TTDI

Years ago, in an apartment unit high above the ground, in the quiet tranquilness of Pantai Hillpark, a few strangers gathered together, almost under the shroud of secrecy, at "Raymond's" place.  That group of strangers subsequently became known as the "Everyone Loves Raymond" group, akin to new couples dating, the enthusiasm and the excitement of new love flamed the fires which fuelled regularly meet ups for eating etc.  Then as years go by, that flame wanes, as everyone gets caught up in their own lives, some give birth, others invent underwater casings for Iphones, some got married, some disappeared altogether, only to reappear again years later.

Intent on rectifying the lost love, Raymond planned a potluck at his abode, that very self same abode where we all first congregated.  Alas, as luck would have it, water rationing kicks in, and hosting a party at a house that is water rationed (especially on the 17th floor), is not exactly a wise idea.  But, coincidentally, one of the couples from the aforementioned ELR group had recently opened a YAKITORI & Whisky Bar, in TTDI, so naturally, that was the ideal replacement choice.  Nothing like supporting your friends' business ventures where possible, ....or so we thought, because at the end of the night, it ended up them supporting us, not vice versa, as the generous host and hostess did not accept our payment.

 Bonded Unagi & Foie Gras (RM28), with a slightly sweet, tangy, salty sauce sprinkled with sesame, that complemented the entire set up.  The unholy trinity also has omelette as the third component.

 Trifecta Mushi, which is their take on the traditional Cawan Mushi, only several notches higher.  Lovely gobules of ikura (Salmon roe), that pop in the mouth like magical candy in a Harry Potter movie, a prawn and sliver of pan seared foie gras, in silky smooth steamed egg custard.

 A mango salad, for the vegetable conscious, which would be a refreshing course amidst all that other decadent stuff.  Loved the tangy dressing.

 Yakitori okra, surprisingly flavourful, so simple, yet so good, but really, these grilled ginko nuts were a superb, as I've never had them presented this way before.  All we ever do with ginko is chuck it in barley, or lin chee kang.  I don't mind boosting my memory with sticks of these on a regular basis.

 Grilled Saba Mackerel, which is common enough, but the quality of this was evident in the imbued fattiness in the meat, which flakes and melts in the mouth.

Grilled Squid, so beautifully presented, it felt almost sacrilegious to cut this up.  One wondered what marine tales this creature had to tell.

 A glass of Laphroaig from the owner's own stash....complete with the ball of ice to ensure even cooling of the drink.

Torii Wagyu Burger, such lovely morsels of goodness to be elegantly popped into the mouth, accompanied by a peaty single malt.  Ah, this is the life.  If you had to pay for it, this costs RM26.

 I can't remember what this is exactly, a rice cake of sorts, but I didn't really like it, as I found it too densely packed.

 They do their cod exceedingly well.  The distinct flavour of cod is retained, but at the same time embellished by the subtle drizzling of sauce and the slight charring from the charcoal.

 Sweet potato with knobs of butter, to give it that ultimate decadence.

Where the boys are, music fills the air......

No yakitori meal is complete without some fatty chicken skin, and this was no exception.  The added oomph came in the form of a roasted garlic clove which is wrapped with the crispy chicken skin.  Oh, actually, the absolute MUST try is their yakitori chicken wings, and of all things, my picture of the wings was blur.

RM8 per serving of chicken wings (I think it's 3 skewers a portion), which is absolutely divine.   The other notable item is the wagyu skewer, which is melt in the mouth.

Their signature ice cream was out of stock that night, whisky raisin ice cream, (as opposed to rum and raisin), which I managed to try at my second visit.  Unfortunately, I was drinking whisky at the time, so the whiskified raisins were wasted on me, but I'm sure if you are not drinking, they pack quite a kick.

 Yuzu sorbet...a refreshing end to the exceedingly rich meal...

 Chocolate Sorbet...which is unbelievably creamy for a sorbet.

Interior of Torii, a rather swanky but unpretentious place.  They have a private room that can seat up to 12-15 people, depending of fatness, but requires a minimum spend of RM2k.  The place is fabulously located at that quiet row of shops along Lorong Dato Sulaiman, next to Tadika Diyanna, and parking at night is relatively easy.  It is advisable to call ahead for reservations, as the place tends to get VERY crowded for dinner.

Read the review in The Malaysian Insider HERE, written by Makan Fairy Godmother

Thanks Mr & Mrs Tan for a fabulous dinner.  We will be back repeatedly. (as has already been the case).

18 Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-7733 9309