KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 -- I first sampled the unagi at Makoto out of a takeaway box in 2020, during the pandemic.

Up to that point, my fondness for these grilled freshwater eels was largely shaped by the frozen variety, usually brushed and cooked in a tare that's a tad too similar to teriyaki by most standards, but they remained a childhood favourite all the same.

I've visited the restaurant a couple of times in the years since, and each time I leave feeling like I had a better meal than the last, even if I only ever get the same thing each time.

Yes, the restaurant started life in 2017 under the name Makoto Japanese Cuisine, and yes, the menu is far more than just eels, but the unaju (unagi and rice served in a jubako) special is what...