Yakiniku @ Taisyu Yakiniku, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur

Japanese food tends to be delicate and mild. With harmony and subtle flavours combining, food seems to be a bit more refined. But there are also certain dishes like ramen that are hearty and more robust. If you like something real fiery, with actual fire, then yakiniku will be your weapon of choice.

Moonlight dining redefined. 

Powered by charcoal, Taisyu Yakiniku or 大众烧肉 has been feeding Japanese expats and hungry locals for years and it was after a game of bowling that I was able to try this great establishment. Literally fire and meat under the stars, it is as raw as it gets. Bare basics, but basics done right.

Back to basics people. 

Meat choices are abundant here, but pork and beef seem to be the odds on favorite. Once you made an order, staff will come by to sort out your BBQ pit. Which is essentially a ceramic pail loaded with burning coal. A metal grille is placed on top of it, where your meat rests to cook. Yeap.  Cooking is DIY though, so this needs to be taken into consideration. 

Burn! Burn!

But how was the overall experience? If you like playing with your food, this is the place to go. This will score double points if you are a meat lover. My particular favourite were the fatty pork belly bits. Fresh and chewy, this is what a good barbecue joint should be. Sure the patrons would need to cook their own food. But that does not mean the owners should neglect their part of the game also. So rest assured the meat comes here are fresh and are of high grade.

Selections oh selections. 

The sauces are quite special too. They are spicy to fit the Malaysian palate but not too overpowering. The green one with a acidic zing was a real treat. In any event, chilli is a good element to include and in any yakitori or yakiniku place I go to, I like to dab some chilli oil in it. 

Taste better than it looks. 

They have some cooked items as well, although that should not be the main reason you are here. I ordered a plate of offals, that were delightful. It tasted like sweet bean paste and kimchi combined. Having some cabbage combined inside, it would have gone down well with rice. Heck, it was good on its own too. 

Me and a few friends taking turns. 

As a matter of courtesy, do offer your hand in cooking the food. It will not be fair to just let some sad bloke doing everything and in the end have some cold pieces to spare. This place is particularly popular so go early or get a reservation locked down. You will thank yourself for that. 

Another shot of the area. 

Simple but satisfying, this place is somewhat of a budget checkpoint as well with meat pieces starting from about RM8 and most of them is at RM10 per serving. Just take note that you will be exposed to alot of heat and smoke. But if you do not mind getting intimate with your food and enjoy a carnivorous meal, this is the place to be. And Taisyu's address is as follows:

Seputeh Center Court, Plaza Faber, 
Jalan Desa Jaya, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur, 58100