Best Price for a Good Sushi

Sushi is so delicious. It’s a symphony of flavours and textures. From the fluffy, slightly acidic rice to the sweet and buttery fish. That’s just a nigiri. How about the rolls? You get a coating of seaweed along with the crisp and crunchiness of the julienned vegetables with crispy tempura shrimp.

Sushi, without a doubt, is a treat for the tastebuds. The only problem is that sushi can get quiet expensive. It can be worth much more than you bargained for. Most sushi restaurants charge about 13-14rm for a single roll. And some conveyor plates start from RM3.80.

As someone with a large appetite and a lot of space for food : I can’t be spending that much just to satisfy my stomach. But thankfully for us, Malaysia does have a budget-friendly sushi option that won’t make you settle on the taste and quality.

Sushi Mentai. Sushi Mentai is actually a franchise sushi restaurant with many locations all over Malaysia. Yes, not just Kuala Lumpur but Malaysia. I’ve seen it in Seremban and Batu Pahat so I hope there are  others scattered all over Malaysia. This sushi is seriously satisfying. Let’s start with the conveyor belt. They have a conveyor belt system that sends sushi plates all around the restaurant. And it is seriously efficient. Most often than not, this belt is packed with great sushi plates. Only seldom (like half an hour before closing time and half an hour after opening time) do I see the conveyor belt quite sparse and empty.

But other than that, the staff at Sushi Mentai always make it evident to restock their belt. The sushi on that belt is good too. My favourite thing to get is Tamago Mentai and Salmon Mentai. The “mentai” that is claimed is a sweet, mildly spicy, mayo sauce that they top the fish with. The tamago, or the egg omelette, is fluffy and bouncy. It neutralises the typical egg flavour with a sweetness. And when you did it into a little bit of soy sauce, you really get a balance of these flavours.

The conveyor belt is not the only thing in Sushi Mentai. They have a menu as well that includes dishes such as Katsu Chicken Curry, Oyakodon, Grilled Salmon, Miso Soup, Tempura Udon, Gyoza and so much more. I, personally, have not had a try at everything. But they do have a great miso soup. The miso soup has a mild miso flavour, which is favourable with me. It is not overbearing and it doesn’t leave a bitter taste in your mouth either. The grilled salmon is great as well.

It’s a great one serving size and if you order the grilled teriyaki salmon : you’ll be happily surprised because the teriyaki sauce is spot-on. It’s comparable to the expensive sushi restaurants that I have taste. And the noodles are also quiet good. They are not a show-stopper if you ask me, but if you have the taste for soup : they will satisfy that craving. I once had a horrible bout on tonsillitis and the only thing that I had the taste for was soup. And Sushi Mentai provided me with good, stalky, hearty soup for those 3 horrible days.

The entire vibe of the restaurant is chill. There isn’t any chaos and there also isn’t a lot going on. So you can take your time there. You can chill, have a chat with friends. But do be weary because during lunch hours, this place can get pretty packed so try not to hog the seats. But apart from that, it’s a great place to satisfy your sushi/Japanese food cravings while on a budget.

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Article is written by: 

Fatin Najwa binti Daud, is a medical student studying at IMU Malaysia. She is a freelance writer of this blog at Zaahara. Interests include music, art, sports and travel.

-Photos are taken from google images

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