Japanese Cuisine

In the realm of gourmet dining, OMI stands as an unassuming yet brilliant gem, nestled in the heart of Melbourne. This unpretentious restaurant has carved a niche for itself as the ultimate haven for aficionados of Wagyu perfection. OMI has consistently delighted discerning palates over the years with its exquisite yet affordably priced Wagyu rice bowls, and our recent culinary sojourn to this unassuming oasis was nothing short of extraordinary. OMI’s success is anchored in its unwavering dedication to quality, particularly in sourcing the finest Wagyu beef from select local suppliers across Australia. This steadfast commitment to using the freshest, premium produce ensures that each and every morsel served at OMI embodies the rich agricultural heritage of Australia. Such devotion to culinary excellence has not gone unnoticed, with OMI being the proud recipient of several esteemed accolades, including the coveted “Best Japanese Restaurant in 2020” by The Age, the Australian Good Food Guide, and the Australian Enterprise Award in 2023. These accolades are not merely a testament to their commitment but a testament to the excellence that has become synonymous with OMI.

Pepper Lunch has been growing up with me for long time. I still remember those days when we enjoyed Pepper Lunch from the food court in Mid Valley and they had expanded to more outlets in Klang Valley. This time, we are happy to know that Pepper Lunch had expanded their wings to our neighborhood mall- KL East Mall. For those who are not aware, Pepper Lunch is a Japanese “fast-steak” restaurant franchise popular in the Tokyo area. And in here, one can enjoy their awesome delights where the wholesome meal is cook using metal plates that are heated up to 260 degrees Celsius. And in here, one can enjoy the wholesome meals at PepperLunch where they have loads of offers to provide.

Maruki Ramen brings you with the Pork Free Japanese Ramen which is worth to try and go for. And for those who are in love with ramen, Maruki Ramen is definitely the place to visit and transport yourself all the way to Japan when you slurp the ramen. What’s special about Maruki Ramen is where their noodles are handmade daily by their chef and they are using the imported halal wheat flour from Japan. In here, the delicious ramen not only lay on its noodles the broth and ingredients as well. In here, the broth comes simply flavourful and they are also using the high-grade of beef to serve you.

For enthusiasts of Japanese cuisine, Kazuma has arrived at Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Located in the heart of the city, Kazuma offers expertly prepared Japanese delicacies that are sure to impress. The restaurant, whose name means harmony, peace, and serenity in Japanese, is currently led by guest chef Tsutomu Haneishi. Utilizing only the freshest market produce and imported seafood from Japan, Kazuma offers a premium taste that is sure to delight. The restaurant features a cozy interior with private dining rooms, beautifully designed with Japanese touches. The overall ambiance is truly remarkable, serving as a highlight of the restaurant itself.

A hidden jewel in Ampang and I can say the restaurant is definitely worth the visit if you are a Japanese Food Lover. Located at Ampang, Fugu is definitely one of the Japanese restaurants which is worth the visit for their awesome Japanese delicacies. The restaurant comes simply cosy and the owners had put loads of effort in designing their outlet where you can find a sushi bar counter where you can watch how the chef prepares your sushi and sashimi, and then to the teppanyaki counter which brings you with the action chef makes your dishes.

Haba Bar & Restaurant is one of the latest hype in town. The restaurant is located at the first floor and it is indeed a hidden place for you to enjoy your lovely afternoon at with great food, ambience and drink. The deco in the restaurant was marvelous and instafriendly. Every part of the restaurant is indeed instafriendly where one can enjoy taking pictures of its interior. The restaurant is beautifully curated with magnificent artwork and space just like home and I love the overall interior.

Behind the scenes of HISHO Japanese Cuisine ~ Have you ever experienced a passionate chef who has got so much talent in cooking up delicious and pretty meals ? Well here we have Malaysian born Chef Danny Leow who has been trained in Japanese Fusion by respectable chefs from Japan. His imagination and passion for Japanese cuisine has brought him a long way. Chef Danny won HAPA’s Best Fusion Japanese Award in 2010 & MIGF’s Best Chef Award 2012, from then he has been interviewed on various media including television and newspapers. His work is one of a kind and he has great passion in creating artistic food for passionate food lovers

Gindaco is the No 1 Takoyaki brand in Japan, offering premium takoyaki balls with each containing 8g of high quality octopus sourced from the seas off the African continent. Served in a boat, the takoyaki is perfectly crispy on the outside with a creamy interior, with generous sauce drizzle. It's an experience not to be missed by Japan food connoisseurs!

Calia is a unique Australian restaurant-to-retail brand created in 2016 in Melbourne celebrating the finest in local Australian and international produce – both in the restaurant and in the adjoining retail marketplace. A balance of experience and excellence, Calia is driven by the pursuit of perfection for the modern gastronomist. At the heart of the brand, we believe that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. We have captured the quintessence of nature’s nest in our selection of products, to delight even the most conscientious of palates. The Calia expert team has explored the world to curate the highest quality premium products. From the highest quality White Truffle Oil in Italy, Premium and Rare Australian Whisky, to Handcrafted Ceramic Bowls from Japan, we have everything for you to create a spectacular feast for ten or intimate dinner for two at home.

Aori Ramen is the brainchild of Lee Seungri, one of the biggest boy band in the world - BigBang. Apart from being a successful artiste, he desires to use food as a gift to bring happiness to everyone through the flavors of Aori Ramen. Designed to be customer friendly and trendy , customers can control the level of spiciness with Aori Ramen’s special sauce and customize their ramen according to their preferences by selecting ingredients. Aori Ramen’s signature: Don Kotz Ramen is cooked by pairing pork bones soup with special 1.1mm Hoso noodles. Add the exclusive special sauce to allows the the broth to be both spicy and tasty whilst customers can add other traditional Japanese beans and Nira Kimchi to expand the flavour of Don Kotz ramen. Another speciality in Aori Ramen is the TKG (also known as the tamago kake gohan), it's a traditional Japanese staple that consists of rice, Aori Ramen’s special topping and an egg yolk. On 20 June 2016, the first footsteps of Aori Ramen started in Cheongdam-dong. Since then, they have been expanding to the whole country and the Asian region. There are now 35 branches around the world, 31 in Korea, 3 in China, 1 in Vietnam and now the 1st ever branch in Malaysia here in Pavilion KL.

Sushi Tei – where expert culinary skills and an innate appreciation of nature come together to inspire and enhance the Japanese dining experience. Since our debut in 1994, we have forged an identity of our own by combining the intricacies of sashimi with teppanyaki to offer the height of Japanese cuisine to the masses. Sushi Tei is no ordinary dining restaurant. We believe in providing an alluring ambience that sets us apart from a regular diner. Illustrating the emerging influence Asia has on modern Japanese cuisine, our menu features a fusion of traditional Japanese dishes with modern innovative trends. An ever-evolving selection of appetizers, mains and sushi specials will guarantee you a truly authentic Japanese dining experience. We frequently release seasonal themes to entice the taste buds of our customers. Some of which highlight items according to Japan’s seasons – Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring – and specialty items from regions such as Hokkaido, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, and many more. A modest homegrown Japanese Kaiten (conveyor belt) chain, our open-kitchen concept allows patrons to appreciate the culinary skills of our restaurants’ chefs while relishing mouth-watering savouries.

For fans of Japanese delights, I am just loving this place – Hokkido Syukudo (北海道食堂). The restaurant is one of my favorite as now we can have the fresh Japanese delights all in one goal. With the Japanese feel, the restaurant serves mostly everything from Hokkaido.