Top 10 Japanese Restaurant in Klang Valley 2013 (Must Visit!)

After more than 2 years searching for the best Japanese restaurant in Klang Valley, finally I am ready to make up my mind with my personal top 10 Japanese Restaurants which are worth visiting! Please take note that it is a personal view which you might have a different opinion than mine. So I will start the countdown from no.10.

10) Umai-ya Japanese Restaurant

Everyone is looking for a cheap and quality buffet. Umai-ya can be counted as one of the best which will makes you feel every cent you spent in this restaurant is worthwhile. RM58.00++ per pax only and you just couldn't complain more.

The ala-carte buffet lunch is only available at IOI Boulevard branch and Damansara Uptown main branch. It is only available only on Saturday and Sunday. Their price has been increased slowly every year from previously RM48.00++ to RM58.00++ now. However, everyone is still love this place. This is all credit to their very innovative and mouth watering choices in their menu. Please take note the KLCC branch is only serve ala-carte meals. More detail as below:

Umai-ya Japanese Restaurant

49A, Jalan SS21/37,

Damansara Utama,

47400 PJ

Tel: 03-77264410

Umai-ya IOI Puchong Jaya Boulevard

A-GF-40, Block A,

IOI Boulevard, Jalan Kenari 5,

Bandar Puchong Jaya 47170

Puchong

Tel: 03-80751113

Opening hours: 11:30am - 2:30pm ; 6:00pm - 10:30pm (daily)

Buffet Hours: 11.30am - 2.30pm (weekends only)

Buffet Price: RM58.00++, half price for children below 12.

9) Xenri D' Garden Terrace

Once again they are famous for their buffet not their ala-carte menu. The price is affordable too which is starts from RM55.00++ depends on the place you dine as they have two branches.

The branches are located at Menara Hap Seng which serves buffet dinner only and another one serves buffet lunch which will be at Wisma Elken. It is not just about their food served is good quality but the ambiance provided here are truly high class. You will not believe the price is only cost from RM55.00++ only. Their buffet are only served on weekends.

Xenri D' Garden Terrace - Serves buffet dinner only
2-04, 2nd Floor,
The Podium Menara Hap Seng,
Jalan P.Ramlee
52050 KL
Tel: 03-2078 6688
Business Hours: 12.00pm -2.30pm; 6.00pm - 10.30pm (daily)
Buffet Price: RM68.00++, half price for kids

Xenri D' River View - Serves buffet lunch only
9, Wisma Elken,
Jalan 4/137C, Batu 5
Jalan Kelang Lama
58000 KL
Tel: 03-7783 8118
Business Hours: 12.00pm -2.30pm; 6.00pm - 10.30pm (daily)
Buffet Price: RM55.00++, half price for kids

8) Ippudo

Apart of Japanese buffet, the rivalry between Ramen shops are very intense and competitive too. However, the competition in Malaysia is not as fierce as in Singapore which you can easily see a Ramen shop at every corner of their famous malls with a long queue together with them too but I never find them delicious except Ippudo.

The nearest competitor for Ippudo is Hokkaido Santouka Ramen which both of them had a branch at Singapore before bringing to Malaysia and opened in the same mall which is called Pavilion. However, I give my vote to Ippudo because their Ramen is near genuine that you will have in Japan. Apart of that, never missed their signature Bakuretsu Tofu which is awesomely delicious. Warning: It is really spicy!

Ippudo KL
Lot C4.07.00, Connection Level 4,
Pavilion KL
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 KL
Business Hours: 11.00am - 11.00pm (daily)

7) Ten Restaurant

This is a luxury Japanese Restaurant with 5 stars customer service. I have to put them in the rank because they are the best customer service that I ever experienced apart of their quality food. The price does not come in cheap and you might need to spend a minimum of RM100++/person. Who doesn't like to be treated like a king and queen?

Previously they were located at Solaris Dutamas, now they have shifted to Marc Residence.

Ten Restaurant
A-G-1, Marc Residence, Ground Floor,
No.3 Jalan Pinang,
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +60 3 2161 5999

Business Hours: 11:30am - 2:30pm; 6:00pm - 10:00pm (Sunday off)
Take note:

• No buffet served here
• Children below 12 are not allowed in this restaurant.
• Dress code: Smart Casual
• You can get a free parking

6) Kura Japanese Restaurant

Kura Japanese Restaurant  is located inside the One World Hotel but served the cheapest with the highest quality of Sashimi Moriawase compare to all other restaurant in this list. 8 different types of premium sashimi with 3 pieces each only cost at RM180.00++, it is a steal.

Kura Japanese Restaurant
One World Hotel
First Avenue
Bandar Utama City Center
47800 PJ
Tel: 03-7681 1111
Business Hours: 11.30am - 3.00pm; 6.00pm - 11.00pm (daily)
Buffet?: No

5) Fukuya Japanese Restaurant

Now we are at the TOP 5, you may skip the above restaurants but starting from here you just must make your point in every restaurant in the TOP 5.

In the same quiet road of Jalan Delima, there are two famous Japanese restaurant which are this Fukuya Japanese Restaurant and Coco Tei Japanese Restaurant. Just the popular Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie separating both of them. Both are equally good but somehow Fukuya managed to edge pass Coco Tei and to be listed in my TOP 5. Both have a very fresh and quality seafood but what I like is the ambiance and the customer service provided by Fukuya is truly top notch. Coco Tei's staff are not attentive and you have to request 2 to 3 times for a simple hot green tea to serve to you. The worst part is they speak Cantonese to me instead of English which is very weird for a Japanese restaurant. Even a Japanese restaurant in Hong Kong is using English to communicate with their customers.

Fukuya (M) Sdn Bhd
9, Jalan Delima
55100 KL
Tel: 03-2144 1022
Business Hours: 
Lunch: Noon - 2.30pm
Dinner: 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Sunday: 6.00pm - 10.00pm

4) Zipangu Japanese Restaurant

Another restaurant that is located inside a hotel and this time is the famous Shangri-La Hotel in KL. They serve lunch buffet on the weekends and public holidays. This is the place you will get endless of really fresh oyster. Unlike the fresh oyster at Saisaki, Gonbei San and Jogoya which you might vomit after the first bite.

This restaurant is selected because of their food quality is really top class and if you are holding a Platinum AMEX card like I do, you will get 50% off from the total bill. You can check in my post about their ala-carte meal and lunch buffet by clicking the link. After the 50% off, it is really worthwhile and affordable for a 5-star Japanese Restaurant.

Zipangu
Shangri-La Hotel (KL)
11, Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50250 KL
Tel: 03-20322388
Business Hours: 12.00pm - 2.30pm; 6.30pm - 10.30pm (daily)
Buffet Hours: 11.30pm - 2.30pm (Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays)
Buffet Price: RM96.00++, half price for kids.

3) Sushi Hinata

Talking about Omakase experience, Sushi Hinata must not be missed! Without a doubt their ingredients served are top notch. A lot of people thinks Kame Sushi does better in Omakase but it does not happened to me. Sushi Hinata got it all.

What is the different is you are able to watch live master art from a Japanese chef with 20 years of experience in sushi making. I enjoy sitting in front of them and just waiting for them to amaze me with their dishes. Even though his English is not that good but he is very friendly enough by trying his best to entertain you and introduce to you the dish that he is about to serve. Another level of Japanese food appreciating experience. However, the price is really very expensive. Please be ready for it.

Sushi Hinata
A-0-1, GF, St. Mary Residences,
1, Jalan Tengah
50450 KL
Tel: 03-20221349
Business Hours:
12.00pm - 3.00pm (lunch), Tuesday - Saturday
6.00pm - 11.00pm (dinner), Tuesday - Sunday
(Monday off)

2) Matsuya Japanese Restaurant

A lot of ugly past history in this restaurant but they started new again with a BANG! Matsuya Japanese Restaurant only serves premium ingredients at a reasonable price is certainly attracting everyone to take their visit to this restaurant. Their customer service is top notch too by remembering every regular customers about their like and dislike. That is a really outstanding job! Not to be missed as well is their homemade black sesame ice cream which is really delicious.

Matsuya Japanese Cuisine
19, Jalan Telawi 2,
Bangsar Baru 59100
KL
Tel: 03-2202 2618
Business Hours: 12.00pm - 3.00pm ; 6.00pm - 10.30pm (daily)

1) Kampachi Japanese Restaurant @Troika

Finally revealing the first in the rank, Kampachi. They have 8 branches and 4 of them are located in Klang Valley which are Troika, Plaza 33, Equatorial Hotel and Pavilion. The Equatorial Hotel is under renovation so they will be back in 2016. 

Buffet lunch is only available at Plaza 33, the semi-buffet brunch is available at Troika and the ala-carte buffet is available at The Equatorial Hotel. At Pavilion, they only serve ala-carte menu. A lot of bad review at the Pavilion branch but what I would like to recommend here is the Troika and The Equatorial Hotel branches which they are worth to rank no.1 in my heart. 

Troika serves a very exciting semi-buffet brunch which is cost at RM150.00++/pax. Maybe they seem to be the most expensive Japanese buffet in Malaysia but do not jump to conclusion that fast. The menu which is served here are very expensive too from wagyu beef, king crab, salmon carpaccio, toro, kampachi, tai, cod fish, oyster to their simplest chawanmushi which has ikura in it. Most of their dishes are unlimited orders so it is absolutely worth it instead of spending some other Japanese restaurant which you might ended up more than RM200.00++/pax but you do not even get the chance to taste all of them in their menu. 

Apart of that, their excellent customer service is worth to be noted here too. They are very patience on your picky order and never chase you out like some other buffet style Japanese restaurant when the dining time is almost over.

Final word, you just cannot afford to miss this restaurant.

Kampachi
LotG-3, The Troika
19, Jalan Persiaran KLCC
50450
Tel: 03-21812282

Business Hours: 12.00pm - 3.00pm; 6.30pm - 11.00pm (daily)
Buffet Hours: 11.00am - 12.45pm (session 1), 1.00pm - 2.45pm (session 2) - ONLY on Sunday and Public Holidays
Buffet Price: RM150.00++, RM85++ (for kids 5-10 years old)

This summarized the TOP 10 must visit Japanese Restaurant in Klang Valley for 2013. Another 2 years I will update again the new TOP 10. As for now, do enjoy the above restaurant which you will never regret...definitely!