Enso Teppanyaki Jesselton Mall Fire Show

Post by Chiefeater VK

Dinner at Enso Teppanyaki in Jesselton Mall, Kota Kinabalu, turned out to be more about the fire show than the food.

The environment was upmarket and to get a seat at the grill, one diner has to at least order the Teppanyaki set. That was me with Beef Light Set while Jen had the Cold Cha Soba Set and Bluefin Tuna Tataki.

The chef certainly knew how to put on a performance. There were flames rising from the teppan, making the cooking quite a spectacle. Unfortunately, the food itself didn’t quite match the excitement.

The mains are presented to you before they grill it in front of you.

The beef was probably the biggest disappointment for me. Perhaps it’s the teppanyaki style to finish it with sauce, but I’m not sure the sauce did anything to improve it. At RM128 for the Beef Light Set, I had expected more.

The beef lard saved this Vege dish.

The garlic fried rice came in a generous portion, topped with fried garlic chips. Unfortunately, it lacked the depth of flavour that I would have liked. It was filling, but not particularly memorable. Thank

The Cold Cha Soba was another disappointment. The broth tasted flat, without the umami that I would normally expect from a Japanese noodle broth.

There were, however, two things that I enjoyed.

The Bluefin Tuna Tataki was one of the better dishes of the evening. The slices of lightly seared tuna were attractively presented with garnishes and sauce, and this was one of the few dishes that stood out for me.

I also liked the tofu with goma sauce. Goma is Japanese for sesame, and the sauce brought something more interesting to what would otherwise have been a fairly simple dish.

The ice cream at the end was quite forgettable.

On the positive side, the service was good throughout the meal. The restaurant itself also looks impressive, with a large illuminated feature above the teppanyaki counter, comfortable seating and private dining rooms available.

Enso is located on the first floor of Jesselton Mall, a rather quiet shopping mall with a duty-free shop anchoring the ground floor. The mall toilets were clean, which is always appreciated.

I walked over from my hotel nearby, so parking wasn’t something I had to contend with.

At RM250.55 for dinner, including service charge and tax, I came away feeling that the experience was stronger than the food. The fire show was entertaining and the service was good, but apart from the tofu with goma sauce and bluefin tuna tataki, there wasn’t much that I would remember about the meal.

Pricing

Beef Light Set – RM128.00
Cold Cha Soba Set – RM48.00
Bluefin Tuna Tataki – RM28.00
Beer (1602 Can, Single) – RM10.00
Ocha Cold – RM2.00

Subtotal: RM216.00
Service Tax (6%): RM12.96
Service Charge (10%): RM21.60
Rounding Adjustment: -RM0.01
Total: RM250.55

MVX Summary

MVX Score: 6.8/10

M – Meal Value
At RM250.55, this wasn’t a particularly satisfying meal for the price. The beef disappointed, the garlic rice lacked depth of flavour, and the cold cha soba broth was flat. The tofu with goma sauce and bluefin tuna tataki were the saving graces.
Score: 6.0/10

V – Vibe & Venue
Enso is a smart-looking, comfortable restaurant with an impressive teppanyaki counter, private dining rooms and good service. The mall toilets were clean. I walked from my nearby hotel, so parking wasn’t assessed.
Score: 8.0/10

X – X-Factor
The teppanyaki fire show was entertaining, but it was more spectacle than a memorable culinary experience. Good service helped, although the cooking performance ultimately stood out more than the food.
Score: 6.5/10

Business Hours

Open Daily
11:30 am to 10:00 pm