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Feast
Konnichiwow!
To theuninitiated, Japanese cuisinemayseem like it’s all just about rawseafood.
Jamilah
Lim
explores various Japanese restaurants in KL that serve towow the palate and offer
specialities beyond the basics.
Kaihomaru Starhill Gallery is open for
lunch (11.30a.m. to 3p.m.) and dinner
( 6p.m. to 11 p.m.). For reservations,
call +6018 5821 965.
Ippudo is open daily.
Pavilion: 11a.m. to 11p.m. (+603 2110
6233),The Gardens: 10.30a.m. to
10p.m. (+603 2201 6238), Bangsar
Shopping Center: 11a.m. to 12a.m.
(+603 2011 6238). Ippudo is non-
halal.
Kaihomaru (Starhill Gallery)
On
the Relish Floor of the Starhill Gal-
lery lies the unassuming yet elegant
Kaihomaru. Decked in earthy, woody
tones, it exudes warmth and comfort
instead of the usual glitz and glamour
high classed eateries are wont to show-
case. A sister outlet to the one in Federal
Hotel, their menu serves up the same
authentic, semi-fine dining Japanese
Ippudo
The
Ramen King has graced Malay-
sian shores with the opening of three
outlets in the immediate Kuala Lumpur
area, following the slew of international
and regional outlets, from New York to
Singapore to Hong Kong, among many
others. Hailing from Hakata (Fukuoka),
the Ramen capital of Japan, Ramen King
Kawahara Shigemi brings with him a
wealth of experience with
ramen
making
and bestows the wisdom that is his “
Tao
”
(Way) of
Ramen
upon chefs here.
Not surprisingly, the star of the res-
taurant is the ramen itself. Each bowl
delights the palate with a reinvention of
the Hakata-style
tonkotsu
(pork based)
ra-
men
– a delightful bowl brewed for over 15
hours to produce a steaming hot, delicate,
creamy broth that lovingly cradles each
cuisine the older Federal Hotel outlet
is famous for.
With a specialty in seafood that
hardly anyone else in KL can match, the
highlights of their menu are the sushi
and sashimi. After all, their seafood
is directly imported from Japan a few
times a week; in fact, the parent com-
pany trades in seafood within Japan
itself, so they are as fresh as you can
get to an authentic fine meal in Japan.
Check out the
sashimi
lunch set
(
Syunsen Sashimi Teishoku
) comprising
incredibly fresh, seasonal fish, or the
Jyou (eight)
Nigiri Sushi
set. They also
have
Don
sets – rice bowls with a
variety of seafood. Each bowl of
Maguro
yamakake Don teishoku Don
comprises
Japanese Nagaimo yam and the a really
dark, fresh tuna. All sets come with rice
and
miso
soup.
Their dishes are proudly prepared
and served by their highly experienced,
native Japanese chefs. They have a
variety of set menus during lunch hours,
on top of ala carte meals. Unlike the
Federal Hotel outlet, the Starhill Gal-
lery outlet has a dedicated
Teppanyaki
counter on top of a Sushi bar. Hint: Ask
for the
Tatami
dining room for a truly
authentic, Japanese experience!
stand of noodle. The noodles themselves
are works of art – light, springy and full of
flavour, they are boiled al dente, providing
that perfect balance of crispness and
chewiness. Soggy, overcooked
ramen
in
cheap soups no more!
Aside from
Ramen
, they also have a
selection of ala carte sides of old favou-
rites;
Gyoza
, Spicy Chicken Wings and
Buta Karaage
, Hot Plate sets, and rice sets.