Sakae Sushi has an on-going Tea Time Promotion on weekdays between 3:00pm and 6:00pm. Red plates (normally RM5.99 each) are offered as buy 1 free 1, essentially making them half-off. This is only limited to 10 red plates (i.e. 5 free plates) per table. Although this promotion is only applicable to items on the conveyor belt, in reality customers are allowed to order directly from the menu.
We visited the outlet in Queensbay Mall as it is the most convenient for us. As customers tend to go for red plates during this duration, more red plate dishes are prepared and available on the conveyor belt.
Similar to other outlets, a fancy iPad tablet is mounted at each table and serves as a digital menu. Orders can be electronically sent to the kitchen using the iPad. Printed menus are also available, but I don’t think many people place orders this way.
As you can expect, we took full advantage of the Tea Time Promotion buy ordering the maximum 10 red plates.
The Kani Mayo Maki (カニマヨ巻き, RM5.99) is a rolled sushi with snow crab sticks as topping, while Japanese cucumber and tuna mayonnaise serve as fillings. As mayonnaise is not a traditional Japanese ingredient and crab sticks are modern creations, I did not hold high expectations on the taste. However, it turns out to be the highlight of this deal as the crab stick has an inexplicable savory flavor.
Next up, the Salmon Ikura Gunkan (サーモンイクラ軍艦, RM5.99) is a warship-shaped sushi with raw salmon and salmon roe on top of the rice. The fatty salmon cuts are tender and smooth, while the cooling sensation of the raw salmon is quite a treat. The salmon roe are interesting as they expel salty yolk when punctured, making them enjoyable with sushi rice.
Another cherished sushi dish is the Soft Shell Crab Maki (ソフトシェルクラブ巻き, RM5.99). The center of this rolled sushi is a piece of soft shell crab which has been deep-fried with batter. The sushi roll is covered with sweet bean curd and spicy mayonnaise. Although the soft shell crab is not as crispy as expected, we enjoyed this dish nevertheless.
As for the Lobster Salad Gunkan (ロブスターサラダ, RM5.99), the sushi rice is topped with salad made from lobster and mayonnaise. Unfortunately, the lobster is not really enjoyable as we feel that the taste is inferior compared to shrimps. In addition, we prefer the lobster to be chopped more finely, instead of being served in large chunks.
One of our favorite sushi dish today is the Spicy Salmon Mayo Inari (スパイシーサーモンマヨ稲荷, RM5.99). Using inari (稲荷) or sweet bean curd as a pouch, the rice inside is topped with spicy seasoning made from diced salmon and mayonnaise. This irresistible sushi is definitely worth every single bite!
The California Hoso Maki (カリフォルニア細巻き, RM5.99) is made from rolled sushi with fillings such as avocado, tamago (Japanese omelette), crab sticks and cucumber. The main specialty of this sushi is the use of avocado, popular in California where this fruit is harvested in abundance. I love the greasy and refreshing feeling of avocados especially the ripe ones.
Next is the Salmon Mentai Sushi (サーモン明太寿司, RM5.99), a dish of nigiri sushi with salmon slices as topping. The salmon is briefly heated from the top, therefore the top layer of the slice is partially cooked while the other side remains raw. This sushi is a real delicacy as the melding of raw and cooked salmon paves the way for gastronomic enjoyment. Unfortunately, the sushi rice was unintentionally burnt a little, giving an unpleasant smell of soot.
The Twin Chinmi Maki (ツイン珍味巻き, RM5.99) is a maki roll with seasoned scallops and Japanese cucumber at the center. The sushi is then topped with a dash of shrimp roe and seasoned mekabu seaweed. Although scallops are premium ingredients in Japanese cuisine, I feel that the taste is incompatible with rice and other ingredients in this dish. As for the mekabu seaweed, it has an interesting tangy sensation but does not play a crucial role in overall taste.
As for the bowl of Spicy Tsubugai (スパイシーつぶ貝, RM5.99) or sea snails, the dish is seasoned with spices to give a strong aroma and tangy flavor. Although enjoyable in small quantities, the bowlful of sea snails become overpowering rather quickly. The portion is best shared among 2 or 3 persons.
To satisfy my sweet tooth, we also sampled the Assorted Mochi (餅の盛り合わせ, RM5.99) which comes in three different fillings. Depending on the color of the mochi, the fillings may be red bean paste (red), black sesame paste (white) or pandan-flavored paste (green). There is also the yellow colored mochi with peanut paste as fillings, but we did not have the opportunity to try this type. Overall, the mochi are tasty and quite enjoyable indeed.
As usual, the all-important condiments when enjoying sushi dishes are the wasabi (山葵), gari (ガリ) or pickled young ginger, and soy sauce (醤油). These condiments are available on the dining table or on the conveyor belt.
We also ordered a couple of California Temaki (カリフォルニア手巻き, RM3.90), which is made into conical shapes and meant to be eaten by hand. Besides rice, the fillings of this temaki dish are avocado, crab stick, cucumber and shrimp roe. The cone is made from seasoned seaweed or nori (海苔). The seaweed quickly absorbs moisture from the moist fillings and make the temaki rather dry when consumed.
And finally for drinks, our usual choice of beverage is the Hot Genmai Tea (玄米茶, RM2.00). Green tea is mixed with brown rice and served in small tea bags. The nice thing about Sakae Sushi is that hot water is dispensed directly at the faucet at each dining table.
Overall, Sakae Sushi does not fail to impress us during every visit including this one. The food can be pricey at times, but the Tea Time Promotion makes it viable for our wallets!