It was back to Kinokuniya again to collect the books I've been waiting anxiously for, books that I ordered three weeks ago.
After that, it was time for dinner and since we've eaten at Yuzu Japanese Restaurant the last couple of times, I thought we'd try the other Japanese eatery here, Umai-Ya Japanese Restaurant @ KLCC.
I ordered a small bite of Tori Nankotsu @ RM11.90 which is deep-fried chicken soft bone. I've seen this many times before on menus in yakitori restaurants but have never been attracted to order it. This time I did (coz it must have been very good) since I saw it served to the table next to us who moments later ordered another serving.
Although the batter on the chicken cartilage was nice and crunchy, the cartilage wasn't. You do feel a crunch when you bite into it but the texture is just too boney and weird for me (it was just like eating chicken bones, those translucent soft bones you usually find near the breast). It wasn't something I fancied. No wonder the server asked if I wanted the soft bone or the meat (as they do a version with meat like kaarage). I guess it doesn't go down well with everyone...and I should have trusted my own instincts not to order it! O_o First and last time, this one.
I was attracted to the pic of the next dish, the Mini Shanshoku Chawan Mushi @ RM22.90 and, since I adore chawan mushi, I thought why not. The presentation was certainly pretty with the egg custard served 3-ways in their original egg shells.
The first was egg custard topped with foie gras. I've had foie gras before and loved it to bits but this one tasted fishy (like almost raw bad liver)....and wasn't nice at all would be putting it mildly.....it tasted like crap! :p
The second one was egg custard topped with smelt roe. I didn't read the description of the dish properly and though it was ikura initially (from the pic) only to realise it wasn't. The smelt roe has a lighter orange colour compared to the salmon roe and doesn't taste as nice. There's still a burst of juice (but not as juicy as ikura) with a slightly fishy taste compared to ikura. I don't think I like smelt roe!
The final egg custard was topped with black caviar. This one I liked...the eggs popped in my mouth releasing a fleeting burst of juice. It was the best of the three, hands down.
For our mains, we shared a Sizzling Seafood @ RM39.90 which featured tiger prawns, salmon, oysters and squid in spicy sauce. The seafood is not that visible covered with loads of sauce that tasted like spiced mayonnaise but with quite a bit of heat. You might think that the seafood would be well cooked since it was on a hot plate but they were surprisingly a bit on the raw side (other than the salmon). Nice :)
The other main for sharing was the Ika Hot Plate @ RM23.90 which was basically stir-fried cuttlefish with garlic sauce. The cuttlefish was slightly chewy and the sauce robust in flavour.
Both sauces for the mains were on the salty side, so they definitely need rice to go with it @ RM2.90 a bowl.
My Personal Opinion
Whenever I'm in KLCC, I always seem to end up at Yuzu when I want a Japanese meal, so I thought I'd give Umai-Ya a try. But after one try, I know for sure I prefer the other one! ;)
Umai-Ya Japanese Restaurant
Lot No 428 Level 4 Suria KLCC
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
50088 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2161 3939
The restaurant name would already deter me somewhat. Umai means delicious. A restaurant that calls itself Delicious-ya will make me feel skeptical already. :/
ReplyDeleteEh, I thought oishii means delicious? ;)
DeleteBoth are more or less the same meaning. I think umai is kind of, a slang word or something. If you watch anime, they use umai more than oishii.
DeleteI don't watch anime, so.... So, umai is more informal then.
DeleteWhat pretty presentations. Fishy tasty foie gras would certainly put me off though.
ReplyDeleteYou can say that again.
DeleteThere's one in my area and they have downsized. They shut down the ground floor and are now operating upstairs. I used to think the food here was good but the service can be pretty bad when the restaurant is crowded. My partner was so cheesed off when they kept him waiting for almost 45 minutes for his fried rice that he cancelled the order (it was about to be served when we paid the bill) and we left never to return.
ReplyDeleteSince you say the restaurant is crowded and service becomes bad, it means their business is fairly good and their downsizing could be due to them coping better. I didn't have any service problems with their outlet in KLCC, just that the food wasn't as good.
DeleteI have never been there before as am not keen on Japanese food.
ReplyDeleteOh well, at least you have tasted it before. Never try never know
Yup, I'll try a place at least once just to know.
DeleteI shudder to think what crap tastes like. ;p Did all of you finish eating all the Tori Nankotsu? I notice that there are quite many pieces.
ReplyDeleteI usually don't like to waste food but I just couldn't finish this one. Each time I put one in my mouth, I would chew and the batter would come off but I just couldn't bring myself to swallow the soft bone! >.<
DeleteYuzu at the Gardens states that their opening time is 11.30am and the other day I wanted to try it so I went there at 11.35am only to see them busy preparing the place - sweeping the floor, arranging the cutleries - setting up the table and the waitress manning the counter at the entrance has a black face when we approach her for a table so seeing this, we just walked off vowing never to return. So I guess I will need to try Yuzu at KLCC instead in the future when I am there since it gets such a good review from you every time. :)
ReplyDeleteHope you get to try it one day and it meets your expectations. But the menu is really varied (you'll be surprised at the sheer range of dishes they have), so not everything will be good, I reckon.
DeleteYeah, I hate that a restaurant says they'll be opened at such and such a time, only to walk in and see them still prepping the place.
oh, i like chicken soft bone, so i generally do enjoy nankotsu ;) eeks regarding the foie gras though - yeah, the lower-quality foie is generally not worth paying for. that sizzling seafood looks somewhat familiar ... i think i've had it before too! i do think yuzu is a bit more premium than umai-ya, which is probably reflected in their prices too, but i'm not sure, since it's been years since i've been to either ...
ReplyDeleteI think the sizzling food looks somewhat familiar to you because you've been to the recently opened Aoki-Tei by Umai-Ya (I read that review of yours).
DeleteI've dined in here after an event quite sometimes ago, food was not memorable though~
ReplyDeleteYup, I agree.
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