sushi oribe 寿司 織部

"is there anything you don't eat?" chef naoya asked with a smile from behind the counter at sushi oribe, the japanese restaurant in the neighborhood of klcc opened by chef hideaki oritsuki, who was last seen sharpening his knife at sushi hinata a few months prior.



i shook my head almost immediately from my coveted seat at the chef's counter, returning his smile momentarily before i shifted my focus to the lunch menu again, trying to etch into memory what to expect from my iga pre-fixe selection (rm 168).


"this is pickled ginger, made in house," as he placed the sliced ginger on one corner of the sushi plate.




both chef naoya and chef oritsuki were completely in their element behind the counter as they expertly shaped perfect pieces of sushi, one after another seamlessly - their motions seemingly hypnotized the diners seated at the chef's counter, with the spell occasionally broken by their instructions for fresh ingredients to the assistant chefs, standing on the sidelines. a few minutes later, the rice in the wooden rice bucket by the chefs were replaced in order to keep it warm.


"deja vu..." the words resounded in my head as i stared at the japanese knives in envy, reminiscent of my food excursion to kyubey in ginza, tokyo four years ago. the feelings were similar but the setting was different - sushi oribe's dining space was a modern interpretation through its minimalist approach while still rooted firmly to the charm of a traditional sushi house.

a dainty boat-shaped bowl was placed in front of me, as the server described it as cubes of melon dressed in a light gravy with crab meat.

"ah, this is appetizer," chef naoya explained with a smile as he chopped up some spring onions together with tuna belly sashimi for one of the dishes. the two chefs prepare most of the food facing the diners across the counter and also for the whole restaurant. it was a meal that requires diners to slow down in order to savor the dishes the way each deserves.


the melon cubes was light in flavor where the gravy followed suit - almost bland but what surprised me was the slightly stringy crab meat from being overdone in the gravy. i raised my eyebrows, quiet disappointment lurking by the corner, ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

but, i was quickly distracted by the server who placed a tiny wet towel folded neatly in a similarly sized plate, "this is your finger towel," in anticipation for the next courses.



opening the cover to the chawanmushi cup revealed a clam obscuring the egg custard. the dashi-based, silken egg custard hid mushrooms and fresh clams was an umami jackpot, contrary to the first course. the comforting warmth of the steamed chawanmushi trickled down the throat, leaving in its trail a cozy feeling, embracing the heart.


"this is a yellow tail belly, brushed with some shoyu and there is already a little bit of fresh wasabi inside.." as the chef set the piece of nigiri sushi - perfectly cooked rice topped with a scored thick slice of white fish in front of us.

"please eat using your fingers," chef naoya recommended. that was when the finger towel finally made sense.


it was the opener for the chef's eight piece specialty sushi, the chef had evidently put much thought for this act of the play. the theme evolved around the freshness of high quality ingredients while the plot begins with cleaner, lighter flavors to build towards a crescendo - a pleasure to the taste buds, as it reaches the finale of the octet course. the guest star - the pickled ginger, to which we were introduced earlier, imparted a mild bite/heat underneath the sweet-tart pickling, acting as the perfect palate cleanser between each piece. the fluffy grains of rice barely had whispers of vinegar, worthy of its supporting role in elevating slices of fresh seafood into the spotlight.



each main character has its own merits, reflected in their different flavor profiles which created such a meaningful story of flavors and textures. a few stood out more than the rest, some because of the nostalgia it evoked, others were a symphony of taste and texture that worked harmoniously to leave a lasting impression in that single bite.





chef naoya gently placed a small amount of rice into a deep silver bowl where he piled chopped fresh tuna belly with young green onions, small shrimp and a generous amount of salmon roe before topping it off with uni and a dab of fresh wasabi. he squeezed a brush of shoyu over the bowl and finally finishing it off with grated yuzu.


"all mix," chef naoya gestured towards the bowl as he finished the description of this final sushi. on its own, each ingredient packed a punch. together, it was bursting with flavors of the sea interjected with undertones of citrus freshness.



a chopped tuna belly sushi roll, cut into three one bite pieces completed the flight of sushi. the chefs cleverly alternated the dishes of hot with cold meant the cup of the warm miso soup in its earthy-salty complexity followed next. the dessert closed out the meal without much conviction as the rest of the meal did.


i was still basking in exhilaration as i recounted the highlights of the iga courses when our friendly chef placed a piece of what seemingly looked like a brûléed cube pudding on the sushi plate.


"we added some small shrimp in this special tamago and was steamed for 5 hours. it tastes like cheesecake. special for you two since you've had to wait patiently," chef naoya's offered although there was really no reason for him to. taking it gratefully, the whispers of sweetness of the tamago pudding resonated with the chef's description.

tldr // sushi oribe. easily one of the most memorable meals i've had all year, despite the minor hiccups along the way. i'd love to return for an encore but the hefty price tag makes it something that cannot be done frequently. even so, the freshness of quality ingredients from japan and wonderful dining experience with a chef who is passionate about food make it all worthwhile. it is sushi done right.

so, yes to a return visit and definitely reservations for seats at the kitchen counter again a few days in advance.


when the maitre'd was overheard informing the caller apologetically, "i'm sorry, sir. the restaurant is fully booked today..." i exchanged glances with my dining companion, as if being able to read each other feelings perfectly especially after the meal.

- content...and perhaps with a sliver of gloat.

sushi oribe 寿司 織部| location 

block c-1, vipod residences
no 6, jalan kia peng,
kuala lumpur, 50450
{opens mon - sat: 12pm - 3pm;
6pm - 11pm}