3 years ago I mentioned that Kurata Japanese Fine Dining‘s RM120 eat-all-you-can Wagyu shabu shabu was too good to be true. If you didn’t jump on the chance to try it then, you would be kicking yourself because the price has more than doubled to RM250.

Currently, most shabu shabu buffets in KL are priced around RM45 but the selection of items are not impressive. So despite the price hike, I would still recommend Kurata because their shabu shabu buffet also offers a variety of a la carte sashimi, sushi, tempura and other freshly prepared Japanese dishes. More importantly, they actually taste good.

Recently, their shabu shabu buffet offering has been updated to cater to customers with different budgets: RM65 (Australian beef), RM90 (seafood), RM100 (Angus beef) and RM250 (Wagyu beef). If you opt for the Wagyu shabu shabu buffet, a couple of exclusive and premium items are included such as seasonal and higher quality sashimi.

Another thing I like about Kurata is that they are not so calculative towards their guests. How? Well, if you are dining with a friend, you are not restricted to ordering the same buffet set. In my case, my wife had the seafood shabu shabu buffet while I opted for the Angus one. So we kind got to enjoy ingredients from both sets.

The Angus beef has a good amount of marbling which is more superior to the normal beef. You can definitely expect the meat to be tender, juicy and flavorful. It was delicious alright.

For the seafood shabu shabu buffet, you will receive a ‘starting set’ which comes with a few slices of fish, a whole squid, a piece of prawn, oyster and scallop. However, the refillable seafood items are only limited to squid, scallop and oyster.

In conclusion, Kurata still serves the best shabu shabu buffet in KL. Although the price might be the highest among all options, it’s worth it for the choices, good service and no time limit imposed.

The post Best Shabu Shabu Buffet in KL – Kurata Japanese Fine Dining appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

It’s an open secret that Aunty Koh makes the best Nyonya cendol in Melaka, and probably in Malaysia too. If you managed to try her cendol before then count yourself lucky, because word is that her stall has remained closed for the last couple of weeks. That’s always a sign that she might be closing up for good.

So for those who came all the way out of town only to find her stall closed, fret not, as there’s an alternative just further down the road – Mdm Kiow Cendol.

Like Aunty Koh, Mdm Kiow Cendol is also only open during the weekends and they are doing it out of passion and to make some extra income. With the exception of coconut milk and red bean, every other ingredient used in their Nyonya cendol is homemade.
You will notice their Gula Melaka is extra gooey while the cendol is softer, has a deeper green and does not resemble those commercially-produced ones.

The first thing that hits your senses when you take a sip of the cendol is the fragrance of Gula Melaka. The taste is so pure and ‘kao’ that the experience is almost like drinking a melted coconut candy, a concentrated one that is. If you like your cendol with extreme Gula Melaka taste, you will surely love this.
Now for those who have tasted Aunty Koh’s cendol, you must be wondering how it sizes up with Mdm Kiow’s. Well, Mdm Kiow’s Gula Melaka is richer and their homemade cendol is definitely more superior. But when it comes to the ‘santan’ (coconut milk), Aunty Koh wins hands down because she grates the coconut herself, and that actually makes a big difference in terms of aroma.

While you are here you should also try some of their homemade Nyonya kuih. Some of the more popular items include pai tee (recommended!), apam berkuah durian, pisang goreng and pulut tai tai. Even the nangka madu sold here are harvested from their backyard garden.

The post Authentic Nyonya Cendol @ Mdm Kiow Cendol, Melaka appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

Kampung Lapan Siham Stall may be the 2nd oldest food stall in Melaka that serves boiled cockles and lala. They might not be as famous as ‘longkang siham’ and don’t have as many variety of shellfish, but they offer a more hygienic environment and friendlier service.

Just like at ‘longkang siham’, customers will also sit on traditional wooden stools here, which I feel is essential to the overall experience. Normal tables and chairs are still available if any of you are worried about wardrobe malfunction.

According to the stall owner, she has been operating her small business for more than 20 years. And since she is operating at a food court that’s mostly occupied by Malay stalls, her food is Muslim friendly. In fact, many Malays would order her siham and lala to be enjoyed along with roti canai and other goreng-goreng dishes.

A serving of siham or lala (it’s actually kepah) is priced at RM2 and you get just enough shellfish to fill the plate. Their dipping sauce, which is inarguably the distinguishing element for this kind of food, is excellent. It is still prepared traditionally with prawn paste (instead of sweet sauce), lime juice, chili boh and crushed peanuts. What you get is a rich, sweet and spicy dip that accentuates the flavor of the shellfish.

You can have a full meal here if you want, as they also serve many kinds of fried noodle and other side dishes such as fried oyster (recommended, one of the tastier ones), sotong kangkung and fried lala/cockles.

The Oyster Mee @ RM7 was a simple noodle dish that’s cooked mainly in oyster sauce. The oysters given were tiny so it seemed like they did not make any difference to the noodle. It’s not that it was bad tasting, per se, it’s just very normal.

We also tried the fried lala @ RM12. The preparation was quick and simple where poached lala is fried in onions, homemade sambal, curry powder and salt. If you like kampung-ish food which has this ‘olden taste’ then you might enjoy this. Otherwise, you might find the flavor a bit bland and boring.

The easiest way to reach here is to Waze ‘Pasar Malam Kampung Lapan’. You will know you are at the right place when you start seeing 4-storey flats.

The post Kampung Lapan Siham Stall @ Melaka appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

I have been to a lot of Thai restaurants, but not quite like Veg Fish Farm Thai Restaurant at Hulu Langat. Like the name implies, this restaurant has its own fish farm and they also grow their own vegetables.

The vegetables grown are pesticide free and are used in their dishes, so they taste fresh and sweeter too.

Since the restaurant is quite large and long (especially the left section) they use a small motor boat to deliver food to certain sections of the restaurant. This is not a gimmick but to reduce the time required to deliver the food, as the staff need to walk quite the distance from the kitchen.

There are more than 100 types of Thai and local dishes in their ever expanding menu and you can expect the prices to be above average. It’s not exactly expensive considering the restaurant’s setting and food quality, as they serve plenty of live seafood.

During our visit we had the Butter Crab, Lala Fried with Chili Paste, Steamed Tilapia in Thai Lime Sauce, fresh shucked live American oysters, Kaffir Lime Leaves Fried Ayam Kampung, Seafood Tomyam, Fried Spinach, Kangkung Belacan and Mango Coconut Milk.

I am not going into details about every single dish, but just want to highlight the crab’s tastiness. Since they also cater to Muslim customers, they are using Ketam Nipah which has a sweeter and delicate flesh, different compared to those you get at the normal Chinese restaurants.

The free range chicken is also a must try. It might appear simple just being deep fried with Thai salt and lime leaves, but it’s delicious alright, highly recommended.

Other attractions here are:

– BBQ Seafood on charcoal grills
– Fish feeding (RM2 for a packet of fish feed)
– Dine under the stars, by the pond or at the hut
– More than 20 types of Thai dessert
– Live singing of Thai oldies
– Shop for vegetables, kampung chicken eggs and Thai products

The post Veg Fish Farm Thai Restaurant @ Hulu Langat, Ampang appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

Talaykrata Seafood BBQ is the first buffet restaurant to offer catching of live tiger prawns at table side as part of the experience. Watch the video here.

The owners were inspired by the idea after traveling to Bangkok’s famous Taikong Seafood, where they are known for popularizing this dining concept. For those who are not familiar, live tiger prawns are released every 10 minutes into a ‘small river’ which is essentially a stretch of stainless steel aquarium.

But of course, Talaykrata is not the first to offer this kind of seafood buffet in Klang Valley, as two other restaurants in Hulu Langat also serve it. Instead of live freshwater prawns, you get live tiger prawns here.

For RM88 nett/pax, the buffet is time limited to 2 hours and customers can also enjoy free flow of Haagen Dazs ice cream and soft drinks. Personally, I feel this alone is worth the price because any buffet in KL that offers unlimited Haagen Dazs ice cream will cost more than RM100.

As soon as you are seated, you will receive a platter of seafood to get your started immediately. It includes a couple of super premium (and seasonal) seafood items such as wild jumbo freshwater prawn, baby Pacific Lobster, giant scallop and slipper lobster.

Seafood items that you can refill include:

– Live tiger prawn (catch yourself)
– Flower crab
– Spider conch
– Mayo cheese oyster
– Mayo cheese scallop
– White sotong
– Cockle
– Lala
– Bamboo clam
– Mackerel fish (Saba)
– Salmon
– Mussel

For grilling, there are marinated chicken (delicious), Australian beef and NZ lamb slices. And of course, not to mention some hot food like fried rice, wonton, sausages and a variety of processed food for steamboat.

If you are worried about having not enough time to enjoy your food, my suggestion is to boil the seafood (especially prawns) first then grill them afterwards. This way, they cook faster and stay juicier as well.

The post Talaykrata Seafood BBQ Buffet @ Publika (Live Tiger Prawns) appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

The drinks market in Klang Valley is saturated with brands that focus on milk tea and coffee. If you are looking for an alternative that stands out from the rest, check out Cojiitii at The Starling Mall.

What makes Cojiitii different is that they have focused on serving chocolate and fruit based drinks since their inception.
It was only until recently that they have expanded their menu to include Milk Tea, Bubble Tea, Milk Cover and Cheese Cover series of drinks.

Since Cojiitii is chocolate-centered drink brand, their Fresh Milk series (between RM8.90 to RM10.90) are what you should try, especially for first time customers.
They use a superior frothing milk that’s specially used by coffee baristas and Belgium dark chocolate to make their chocolate flavored drinks.

Because the melted dark chocolate is pure and unsweetened, 75% sugar level is recommended – just nice and not too sweet. You can opt for even less sugar if you prefer a richer chocolate flavor.
Every cup also comes with bits of dark chocolate chips at the bottom of the cup that you can chew and suck on. One sip is all it takes to know it’s more superior than those prepared with chocolate flavored syrups.

Fresh Lemon @ RM6.50 is another recommended drink here. Its refreshing and cooling properties are great for a hot day and can even act as a pallete cleanser after a heavy meal.
Cojiitii uses slightly blended freshly sliced lime to extract the tangy juice, which is filtered then mixed with water and sugar. It’s as fresh as you can get it.

Cojiitii’s Milk Tea series are cheaper than most established brands, but taste similar in quality. Their tapioca pearls (boba) are cooked in fine sugar instead of brown sugar for that shiny golden color.

Most of the commonly available flavors such as green tea, passion fruit, mango and hazelnut/caramel are available for their Cheese and Milk cover series. All of them are designed to have a colorful and layered presentation, perfect for photos.

All in all, if you are a chocolate lover, Cojiitii’s Fresh Milk series is a must try. The ingredients used are as natural as possible too considering every cup contains only milk, pure dark chocolate and sugar. Not to mention they taste wonderful and are reasonably priced too.

The post Cojiitii Malaysia – Chocolate & Tea Drinks @ The Starling Mall appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

Valentine’s Day is drawing ever closer, if you still can’t decide where to take your Valentine for dinner on Feb 14, perhaps you could take this into consideration.

This year, the team at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur will help you to impress your date with a classically romantic candle light dinner under the stars at THIRTY8.

Strategically located on the 38th floor and comprises of 360-degree view of the city skyline, THIRTY8 has the perfect setting and atmosphere for a romantic and memorable evening. I have been to a lot of restaurants, THIRTY8 is one of the few that truly awed us.

The 5-course dinner is available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options @ RM680 nett per couple. Naturally, we opted for the latter.
Upon arrival, you will be served with a glass of Rose Fairy cocktail which is included in the dinner. FYI, Rose petals table decoration is optional and can be arranged upon request for an additional RM20.

Appetizer – Smoked Salmon Tartare with hibiscus powder and black sesame brittle. The classic combination of smoked salmon and caviar offers an intense flavors of savory and briny. The hibiscus powder added a subtle floral notes and a contrasting texture.

Soup – Crustacean’s bisque with papaya ravioli. The soup was extremely rich and satisfying and we loved the ravioli. The presentation could be better though, and I was told by the chef that he will be replacing the bowl with something more appealing.

Sorbet – Lemon grass with pineapple sorbet. After two heavy tasting dishes, this refreshing treat was great as a palate cleanser for the main course.

Main – Autralian Black Angus Beef tenderloin or Wok-fried Alaskan cod fillet. For the men, it’s a no brainer to go for the steak. Known as the tenderest muscle in beef, the tenderloin we had proved its reputation correct, simply delicious and satisfying.
It should also interest you that THIRTY8 sources their steaks from Stanbroke Farms in Australia. They produce happy cows which in return results in juicy and tender meat.

Compared to the steak, the cod fillet felt underwhelming in terms of portion size. So it’s much better suited for the ladies. Having said that, the taste did not disappoint at all. The Kung Pao sauce added a nice oriental touch to the sweet and delicate fish.

Dessert – White chocolate and raspberry jelly parfait. If you are not full by the 4th course, rest assured that this dessert will do the job.

The 2-hours Valentine’s Dinner will be available for 3 days from 14 Feb to 16 Feb 2019. First seating is at 6pm while the second seating is at 8.30pm. Call THIRTY8 at 03-2182 1233 or email to thirty8.kuagh@hyatt.com to make a dining reservation.

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I finally tasted 鹿角巷 The Alley‘s famous bubble tea. Sad to say I was not impressed by the service nor the taste. Maybe I went to the wrong branch, because it’s apparent that the outlets in Penang have a lot of bad reviews compared to those in KL. How bad? The review score is 2.9 (out of 5) for Icon City’s vs 4.8 for Kepong’s.

Icon City in Bukit Mertajam is now a hot spot for bubble tea, as there are about 4-5 of such shops just within walking distance to one another. And the most surprising thing? All of them are full with never-ending queues. I for one did not expect bubble tea to be so popular in my hometown.

They are not even cheap to begin with considering the average cup costs RM12++, a lot more than Tealive or Chatime’s prices.
Also, there’s a chance that your visit to The Alley will be in vain, as they might run out of brown sugar pearls and you will have to wait for an hour. FYI that actually happened to us.

If you don’t know yet, The Alley does not allow you to specify the sweetness or the amount of ice in their drinks. It sure makes ordering a lot simpler but not so great for those who prefer to customize their drinks.

I had their signature Brown Sugar Deerioca Milk @ RM12.90. The first sip I took when the straw was positioned at the bottom of the cup was wonderful. The intense aroma and sweet rush of the brown sugar was really something.

But after you stir the pearls and brown sugar around, the entire drink feels like a slightly sweetened milk – one that you could make yourself at home. Clearly, Cojiitii’s Fresh Milk series are the superior choice and not to mention cheaper too!

**This post was not made to discourage you from trying The Alley. If you are a first time customer like me, perhaps it’s best to avoid the branches in Penang. Try it in KL instead.

The post The Alley 鹿角巷 Brown Sugar Deerioca Milk @ Icon City appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

The restoration of pre-war colonial shops in KL’s Chinatown/Petaling Street into stylish eateries, hostels and cocktail bars have reinvigorated this part of the city.

What used to be known as a place to shop for cheap knock offs is now more of a spot for youngsters and tourists alike to gather and enjoy a cuppa.

Oldies Cafe Bar is the latest establishment to join the collection of restaurants here. The premise that they are occupying currently was built in 1931 and it used to house the Selangor Grocers’ Guild. Interior wise, it’s spacious and warm and not as cluttered compared to the other cafes in the vicinity.

Like the restaurant’s name suggests, it’s also decorated with various collectibles and antiques from the past. Some notable items include the world’s first motorized bicycle and His Master’s Voice Gramophone. And oh, they play lots of oldies too.

As for food, you can expect contemporary Western and Asian food such as steaks, seafood, pasta and local favorites. Very steakhouse like and different than the rest of the nearby establishments.

One of the reasons is because the head chef used to work at The Ship. If you have a keen observation you will notice the similarities in the plating and sauces served here as well.

Among the few dishes we tried, the Roasted Lamb Rack @ RM55.90 was our favorite. It features three pieces of extra large lamb cutlets that were expertly cooked, the meat is so tender!

There’s also a nice layer of fat which provides extra flavor. The portion of the meat and sides is satisfyingly large too and should be more than enough to fill up the average guy.

6 types of steaks are available – either charbroiled or served on a sizzling hot plate. And of course, as long as the steak is cooked to the right temperature (medium rare) it’s almost impossible to go wrong with it.

We picked the Rib Eye Steak @ RM53.90 with black pepper sauce and it was deliciously tender, pairs well with the sauce too! Not a fan of black pepper? Other options include garlic, wild mushroom, St. James, green pepper and Bombay sauce.

Oldies Mix Grilled @ RM42.90 combines beef, lamb, chicken, turkey bacon, sausage and fried egg in the same serving. It’s a great choice if you want to try everything.

Usually served in Korean or Japanese restaurants, Grilled Mackerel @ RM26.90 makes an appearance on the seafood menu. The flesh is rich in flavor on its own, moist and oily – apparent from the glossy appearance.

Unfortunately they ran out of the ‘Oldies’ sambal during our visit so we got Thai chili sauce instead. Not bad, but we think it would have tasted better with a spicy sambal.

After eating, you can proceed to the small patio for a drink – great for people watching and absorb the surrounding smell, sights and sounds too. Trust me, there’s plenty to see around here.

If you are a durian lover you may want to check out their Durian Latte @ RM12.90. It’s mixed with real Musang King flesh in powder form which is normally used for pastries. Because it’s Musang King, the durian aroma and flavor are strong. I would also recommend adding some syrup to accentuate the durian taste even more.

For traditional coffee lovers, the Shakerato @ RM11.90 will not disappoint. The chilled espresso has a thick froth after being shaken vigorously in a cocktail shaker.

Oldies Cafe Bar also serve lemonade, smoothies and a couple of mocktails – all reasonably priced and in line with most cafes in the city. Try the Mango Magic @ RM12.90, it’s a mix of blueberry, vanilla, sourmix and mango and packs a sweet flavorful punch. Perfect to sip on a hot afternoon.

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Plaza Arkadia is the latest F&B spot in Desa Park City that has been well received by its residents and people who live nearby. Although it has plenty of drinking establishments, it’s still a family friendly place as most customers who patronize the place mainly come to hang out and mingle instead of getting wasted.

Despite the increasing number of restaurants available, only one of them specialize in desserts and that’s Sinful Seafood & Desserts. Recently, Sinful also added seafood and other snacks into their menu.

So you can expect to have seafood combo (commonly known as shell out) for mains then followed by a range of desserts prepared with Belgian chocolate. For their seafood combo, they all come in sets which include free flow of side dishes such as potatoes, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and fragrant rice. 6 types of flavor are available: Sinful Signature, BBQ, Garlic, Spicy & Sour, Honey Mustard and Curry.

What makes their seafood combo different from the rest is that they have opted to substitute the usual mud or flower crabs with fried baby crabs. Personally, I think that’s a good idea because it’s a lot more convenient to enjoy – all you need to do is pop them in your mouth! They are simply marinated in salt and turmeric so they have a savory and appetizing taste, pairs well with rice.

Among the three sauces that we tried, Sinful Signature (just a bit spicy) and Honey Mustard are highly recommended especially the latter. The curry sauce did not taste like the local curry we have come to expect, but more like a Japanese curry.

As for the seafood’s freshness, it’s not the absolute freshest we have ever had, but decent enough to be enjoyable. We liked the white prawns the most, they are easy to peel, firm and sweet.

Dessert wise you won’t be disappointed with the ultra-chocolatey selections available. There are pancakes, crepes, waffles, cakes, fruits, sizzling brownies and others to choose from – all ranging between RM20 and RM30 a portion with portion size large enough to share among 2 to 3 pax.

For something truly special, try the Chocolate Magic Ball @ RM29.50. Just pour the hot chocolate on top of the white chocolate ball to reveal the fruits and chocolate fudge fillings inside.

The lunch sets here are only RM14 inclusive of a drink, choose between seafood or chicken wings with rice. Kinda cheap with all things considered especially the area you’re in.

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Besides being the first restaurant in KL to provide live tiger prawns to customers to catch and barbecue directly, Talaykrata Seafood BBQ is now also the first to offer seafood tabur buffet. If you don’t know what “seafood tabur” is, it’s just a localized version of Louisiana seafood boil. Watch how it’s served in the video here.

For RM68, you get to choose your seafood tabur in two sauces: Sambal Pedas or Buttermilk. You are given two hours to enjoy the meal which also includes free flow of Haagen Dazs ice cream, soft drinks and rice. With all things considered, this buffet is of good value and I highly recommend it.

The Sambal Pedas sauce is our favorite, as it’s truly spicy (but not punishingly hot) and appetizing. It just pairs well with the seafood and makes it irresistible not to eat with rice.

Buttermilk wise, it’s more suited for those who can’t handle spicy food. The sauce is rich and creamy and slightly sweet. The selection of seafood you get include tiger prawn, flower crab, mussel, lala and scallop. Sometimes there are squid or razor clams too, depending on the stock they have.

If you have been to Talaykrata Seafood BBQ before, you would know that the owners are very particular about the quality of seafood. One of the reasons is that they are from Sabah, where fresh seafood is in abundance. So they aim to provide a fresh and delicious experience to their customers as well.

After 3 months, there are some changes to their seafood BBQ’s starting set. Some items such as baby lobster, oysters and scallops with cheese mayo have been replaced with mud crab with roe and pen shell – a type of giant clam. Other popular items like giant fresh water prawn and giant scallop are still included in the set.

And of course, live tiger prawns are still being replenished frequently. This is one of the best things of eating here as compared to other places which also offer live prawns. As soon as the customers have finished catching he prawns from the ‘river’, the restaurant would refill them immediately.

So don’t worry about the restaurant being stingy about the live tiger prawns. Don’t need to be kiasu and just focus on enjoying the meal at your own pace.

The easiest way to look for this restaurant is by locating Papparich or Bestari Nasi Kandar in Publika. Talaykrata Seafood BBQ is located at the same row, but further down the shop lots towards Jalan Duta side.

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I know I haven’t been updating my blog for quite some time now, but Yugo House‘s ongoing dining promotions are just too good not to share. So here’s the gist:

– Buy 1 FREE 1 set menu (lunch & dinner)
– For every RM30 spent, you get to redeem 1 ala-carte item at RM2. Choices include Ikageso Karaage, Atsuyaki Tamago, Nasi Lemak Maki, Onigiri, Edamame or 1 bottle of Carlsberg
– Carlsberg is only RM5/bottle

What makes these promotions even better is the fact that they are non-exclusive. It means, you can purchase a set dinner for RM37 and still qualify for the 2nd promo to redeem a bottle of Carlsberg beer at RM2.

So, if you are in KL looking for a new Japanese restaurant that will not put a burden on your wallet, Yugo House is THE place to check out. The fact that you could get a satisfying meal for 2 for under RM50 here says a lot about the restaurant’s current value.

For example, you only need to pay RM40 for the 2 sets (lunch) shown above. There’s beef fillet, sashimi and salmon with all the sides, it’s very worth it alright. Besides, there are 39 sets to choose so you are sure to find one that’s to you and your partner’s liking.

Now lets move on to their ala-carte items. Yugo House offers a mix of traditional and Japanese fusion dishes with mentai sauce heavily present in most of their dishes.

Among all the dishes we tried, Yam Fried Porridge @ RM28 was the most memorable one which I highly recommend. Compared to the normal porridge which is usually bland, this one’s super flavorful with plenty of tender meat underneath.

Nasi Lemak Maki @ RM12 is one of the more unique offerings here. As a fusion dish, they really treated Nasi Lemak with the respect it deserves by preserving the ingredients used and flavor profile.

While the sambal is understandably on the sweet side, it still has a hint of spiciness to balance it out. I dare say it tastes better than the Nasi Lemak sushi done by another more prestigious restaurant in Bangsar.

Unagi Double Cheesy Maki @ RM42 – it’s really hard to go wrong with anything that has Unagi, and that’s no exception with this. Although it’s ‘double cheesy’, it’s not that overpowering and you can still taste the Unagi and other fillings in the maki.

If you are a fan of mentai sauce, there are two things that will surely appeal: Dragon Mentai Cheese Maki @ RM18 and Crepe Seaweed Wrapped with Mentai Chicken/Fish @ RM12. The latter is more of an appetizer and we enjoyed the layers of texture in the dish. It’s crispy, juicy and creamy in every bite.

Negi Salmon Wasabi with Garlic Butter Toast @ RM25 is recommended for salmon lovers. It features minced salmon mixed with spring onions and wasabi mayo to make a spread for crunchy garlic butter toasts. They are not stingy with the salmon spread so you can apply it on the toasts generously for a satisfying bite.

Grilled Smoked Duck with Pineappla Sauce @ RM18 was another dish that pleasantly surprised us. The rich and sweet pineapple sauce complements the savoriness of the duck nicely, it’s nothing short of delicious!

The post Yugo House Japanese Fusion Restaurant @ Publika appeared first on Malaysia Food & Travel Blog.

Many years ago, Iketeru used to serve Japanese buffet and it was on top of my to try list. Iketeru was possibly the best, if not one of the best Japanese restaurants in KL at that time. Their ala carte menu was (and still) quite pricey so having the buffet makes it a more viable option, especially for people young people who could eat a lot.

Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to try the buffet because it was discontinued for a period of time. But good news guys, Iketeru’s Japanese buffet is back – albeit known as The Hungry Deal now.

The main thing you need to know about The Hungry Deal is that it’s an ala carte buffet. So you are presented with a different menu and you can order unlimited servings of each dish.

There’s no time limit per se, as the buffet is served between 12pm and 2.30pm (last order 2pm) in the weekends. The price is RM238++/pax so it’s definitely not cheap. In fact it may be the most expensive Japansee buffet in KL right now.

Probably it’s because of the price, not many people are blogging about it. And FYI this was not an invited review. So if you heard about The Hungry Deal but can’t find any info online, hopefully this entry of mine helps. I have also uploaded a photo album of the full menu so at least you know what to expect from the buffet – menu wise.

As with any Japanse buffet, ordering sashimi is where you make your money back. Iketeru offers 7 types of sashimi which is a lot more compared to most Japanese buffets in KL. Instead of the usual salmon, tuna, tako and butterfish (white tuna), you also get hamachi, shime saba and hokkigai here.

As you can see, we had multiple servings of it. Everything tasted up to standard (for buffet) but we never reordered the butterfish because of reasons you could find via Google.

Teppanyaki is probably the next best item to gorge on after you are bored of the sashimi. Among the list of items available, the Sirloin (Australian Black Angus), halibut and prawn would be the top choices. It’s quite impossible to go wrong with the sirloin as long as you request for the right temperature, eg. no medium well or well done.

It was as tender, juicy and flavorful as you could have dreamed of – beating many “wagyu steaks” I have had so far this year. Teppanyaki sirloin, medium rare, order it as many times as you could eat it, ok?

Not a beef lover? Go for Teppyanyaki Halibut instead. Basically, it tastes like cod with a similar flaky, soft and oily texture.

Teppanyaki prawns were delicious as well, firm and crunchy.

If you love kimchi, you won’t be disappointed with the Kimchi Beef. It’s served medium rare so they are definitely tender. The kimchi was great too, it was exceptionally tangy and spicy – surely a class better than those store bought ones served at the normal Korean restaurants.

Other things we tried included Sanma teriyaki, Tai Kama (sea bream head) shioyaki/teriyaki, soft shell crab/ebi tempura, tai miso shiru (soy bean soup with sea bream head) and a couple of appetizers like chawanmushi and marinated seafood with spice of wasabi.

All of them were not bad but they did not particularly impress us. Some dishes which involved the use of sea bream head were a let down despite tasting good because of they did not scale the fish properly.

We also did not try any of the sushi, rice bowl, noodle or fried items because they are too filling for 2 pax. But if you are dining in a group with more people, then I guess it makes sense to share.

Although dessert is not included in the menu, rest assured you will get it at the end of your meal. It’s an array of ice cream, fruits and cakes served on a boat just like shown above.

Lastly, for the price we paid, we expected attentive and impeccable service from the staff from waiting to serving. Since it’s an ala carte buffet it’s understandable that it will take longer than usual for them to send the dishes out, but to wait for about 20-30 minutes for the first dish to be served is not quite acceptable. Only when the lunch crowd started to disperse that the service really starts to pick up.

I hate to be kiasu, I really do. But in this case, my advice to you is to order more dishes and in more portions to reduce the down time. Although the food is good and we highly enjoyed most of it, the dining experience felt like we were just waiting for most of the time.

Iketeru's The Hungry Deal Menu

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Here’s the full menu of The Hungry Deal for your reference.

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