Pork and Beer Health Boost at Nonbei, Hartamas

I had been plagued with a series of physicial ailments and dining out seemed like a distant concept. So when it came to catching up with Fat Tulip one night, I was happy to just jump in his car and go with whatever came up.

We arrived at Nonbei in Desa Sri Hartamas with little expectations, other than some mid-week recuperation in familar company. Like Asahi, poured into Sapporo glasses. This must surely be blasphemy in certain quarters but we didn't complain.

The staff were very helpful in offering recommendations from the izakaya-like menu but we insisted on groping along. But we did succumb to the suggestion of the Buta shabu salad (Boiled pork slices with salad) to our favour. It arrived a hearty serving of greens and slices of marginally fatty pork, in wafu dressing. I was happy enough with this. We had also ordered the potato salad but it was so unremarkable and forgotten before the first beer was downed.

Then came the question about pork - there was the deep fried black pork, the braised pork and the grilled pork and each one of those spoke to us in volumes. Alas, there were only two of us, both highly prone to widening girths. We settled for Buta Miso Tsuke Yaki (Grilled pork with miso), which proved to be a sound choice. Very tender slices of fatty pork, thoroughly seeped in marinade and grilled slowly over a slow fire, sweet to the bite and absolutely lovely with beer.

He insisted on Salmon kawa (Salmon skin crispy crackers) only to be disappointed that they arrived not much more than flavoured rice crackers.

The twinskewers of Asupara Bacon (Bacon-rolled asparagus) and Enoki Bacon (Bacon-rolled enoki mushrooms) were fatty, juicy, tons of fun!

We sat and watched the very accommodating waitresses tend to a healthy traffic of middle-aged male Japanese patrons and wondered if we had somehow stumbled unwittingly into KL's version of a kyabakura. Eventually, as the evening wore on, we decided we were severely misplaced and paid the RM163 for the two of us, which covered the meal and a couple of rounds of beers.

Nonbei is celebrating its anniversary this Wednesday, 25th November 2009 by offering a RM110++ deal for all-you-can-eat (drinks up till 10PM). For reservations, call Fiona at 03-6201 6771.