Jake's Charbroil Steaks @ Starhill Gallery

When we think of the old steakhouses that have been around for 2 to 3 decades and are still popular among steak lovers...inevitably The Ship, Victoria Station and Jake's Charbroil Steaks are the three that would probably come to mind.

 

I've eaten at their Medan Damansara branch a few times (though the last time has been a while) but this is my first time trying Jake's Charbroil Steaks @ Starhill Gallery.  My friends and I decided to break with tradition this year and went with western food for our pre-Chinese New Year celebration meal together (before we all embark on our "balik kampong" ritual).  We didn't want the usual Chinese food we had the previous year here (as we knew we'd probably be partaking in a lot of Chinese food during the festive season).

I ordered a couple of starters to share, starting off with the Crispy Potato Skin @ RM15 (for 2 pcs) which is one of their signature starters.  The potato skin was fried till super crispy and it was filled with diced onions, capsicum, smoked beef and topped with melted cheese.  This we loved and it was as good as I remembered it to be.

Next up was an old classic that's still popular to this day...the Prawn & Mango Cocktail @ RM27.  This was served in a large glass with prawns, sliced mangoes, tomatoes, julienned lettuce at the bottom and a wedge of lime.  The cocktail sauce that dressed the prawns were insufficient (in my opinion) coz once the prawns were eaten, there was a mountain of shredded lettuce that was deprived of any sauce.  Although I was appreciative that the mangoes were sweet and plentiful, I think the price tag is too much for a dish that only had 6 prawns (RM18 would have been more tolerable).

Another super popular starter here is the Station Master's Choice (that's what stated in the menu) of Oxtail Soup @ RM22.  This thick robust flavoured soup, with falling off the bone meat, is indeed really good.  I would say it's as good as the one at Maria's SteakCafe, only thing is...it's a pretty small portion compared to Maria's.

For the kids to share, we ordered the Chicken Mushroom Soup @ RM16.

We were served some complimentary garlic bread (with the 2 soups ordered)...nothing quite like Victoria Station's garlic bread though. 

The kids also shared a main which was Jake's Charbroiled Chicken @ RM32.  It's just a deboned chicken thigh that's been grilled and served with fries and some sticks of raw carrot (don't ask me why they put raw carrots on the plate if it's not meant to be eaten...we're not rabbits)!  This chicken does not come with any sauce and, knowing that children would probably want sauce, I requested for some mushroom sauce on the side.  There's nothing much to complain about a simple grilled chicken except for the price which I felt was (again) too high (RM20 would have been more reasonable but, then again, this is Starhill).

My friend had the Black Angus Ribeye (200g) @ RM111 cooked to medium rare.  The meat was cooked perfectly and the meat was flavourful and tender.

Another had the Black Angus Sirloin (200g) @ RM99...again perfectly cooked to medium rare as requested.  The sirloin had a bit more fat (at the sides) than the ribeye, it was still tender but the meat was not as flavourful as the ribeye.

My friend and I decided to share the Australian Aged Tenderloin (200g) @ RM82 and asked for it to be cooked to medium rare doneness as well.  This was a thick cut of meat but it was tender.  My only complaint was the meat was not well rested as evidenced by the outflow of juices from the meat when I cut into it (sorry, no snapshot of the leaked juices).

All the steaks can be served with a choice of black pepper, garlic or mushroom sauce (upon request) but we like to eat our meat 'naked' in all its glory ;)  [#Note: For those on a budget, they do have cheaper cuts like the grain fed sirloin (@ RM63) or ribeye (@ RM73) or if you have money to splurge, go for the wagyu steaks (from RM208 to RM288).  If you're a big meat eater, there's the bone-in porterhouse steaks (min 400g, from RM106 - RM145) and T-Bone steaks (min 400g, from RM125 to RM172).]

We also shared the Angus Grain Fed Bone-In Beef Spare-Rib @ RM159 which is their house speciality.  These ribs have been marinated for over 24 hours with garlic and pepper and Jake's own BBQ sauce.  As this is a rib, the recommended doneness is medium well to well done (I asked for well done to ensure that it's well charred).  The meat is served filleted from the ribs, so eating it is made easier but don't forget to attack the bits left on the bone as well (that's the well charred and yummy part)!  The meat turned out a bit drier and chewier than I expected.  It was not as good (or as tender) as I had remembered...either the standard has dropped or my taste buds have been 'elevated' (from eating more steaks)! :D

All the main courses were served with corn on the cob, baked potato and boiled vegetables.  I only noticed the server (standing by the side) waiting to garnish our baked potatoes with beef bits and sour cream (after we've finished taking the pics).

My Personal Opinion

Overall, the steaks were decent....after all, Jake's is still on the list of many food websites' Top 10 Best Steakhouses.  The prices are a bit on the high side and, at these prices, I can certainly find similarly priced steakhouses like Maria's SteakCafe or Angus House that are more to my liking.

If I do come to Jake's again, I'll stick with the black angus ribeye or order the black angus tenderloin rather than the similarly priced spare rib...no siree, I won't be ordering that again, that's for sure!! :'( 

Jake's Charbroil Steaks
LG11 LG Floor Starhill Gallery
181 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2148 1398

Enak KL @ Starhill Gallery

This multiple award winning restaurant, serving upscale traditional Malay food in an elegant ambience, is none other than Enak KL @ Starhill Gallery.  They are probably one of its kind to offer authentic Malay cuisine, prepared using age-old recipes that have been passed down for generations, and delivering it in a fine dining setting.

And so, with the word 'fine dining', you can equate that the food is not cheap...and I got to sample it (of course) with the help of some form of discount from a group buying site.
  

On their menu are a number of tasting menus which allows you to sample 3 different varieties of food in one dish and that's the 'route' I shall take going forward.

Before our food arrived, we were served with a snack known as "Emping Melinjo" (usually accompanied with a fresh "sambal").  [#Tip: Emping is a type of Indonesian chip made from melinjo seeds (or nut).  They are beaten to a crispy thinness, sun-dried and fried to golden brown.  The emping crackers have a slightly bitter taste but I love it!]

We started off with the Enak KL Appetiser Tasting Menu @ RM32 which is a delicious trio of well-matched concoction of minced beef and potato patties, deep fried squid and grilled prawns.  [#Note: In fact, this dish, featured on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate...Malaysia" segment, was what made me decide to try this restaurant in the first place.]

The "Pergedel" was made up of 2 mashed potato patties with minced meat (beef in this case), seasoned with nutmeg (as stated on their menu), dipped in egg and deep fried.  I've eaten my fair share of pergedel and this one definitely scored high marks in my book.  It was soft and smooth on the inside with nice crisp frizzy egg strands on the outside...one of the best potato patties I've ever eaten.

The next item of this trio was the "Cumi-Cumi Garing" which was deep fried squid rings that have been marinated in turmeric and served with a sweet chilli sauce.  Unfortunately, the "cumi-cumi" (squid rings) were not "garing" (crispy) enough for my liking.

The final item in the appetiser trio was the "Udang Bakar" which was 2 grilled prawns (de-shelled except for the head and tail) and served with a fruit salsa.  The prawns were well charred (for a nice grill flavour) and turned out to be the best tasting of the 3 and our favourite dish of the evening.

Next, came our orders of main courses which can be eaten with "Nasi Putih" (White Rice) @ RM5 or "Nasi Enak" @ RM8.  My choice of "Nasi Enak" is a savoury rice cooked with herbs and spices (something like nasi briyani).

Our first main dish was the Enak KL Beef Tasting Menu @ RM38 which was made up of a trio of Daging Kurma, Daging Hitam and Rendang Padang.

This was the "Daging Kurma" which was made with NZ topside beef, in a signature blend of spices, and braised in "santan" (coconut milk).  Personally, I'm not a fan of kurma but the tender beef was not too bad.

The "Daging Hitam" were chunks of NZ topside beef, simmered in a thick black gravy with ground spices, until really tender....it was a decent dish.

Rounding up the trio of beef was the "Rendang Padang" (which is basically similar to beef rendang) where chunks of NZ topside are slowly cooked (with santan and spices) till super tender and topped with finely sliced kaffir lime leaves.  This slow cooking gives the rendang a depth of colour and a wonderfully rich flavour.  This was my favourite among the 3.

Our next order was the "Sotong Berisi" @ RM28 which was 2 pan fried whole squids, stuffed with a filling of shiitake mushrooms and minced fresh prawns, served with a sauce that had a strong infused lemongrass flavour.  I did like the sauce that came with the squid but found the squid a bit rubbery.

Next up was the "Tauhu Telur" @ RM15 which tasted a lot better than it looked!  This was because Enak KL's service was so good that the waiter cut up the tofu for us before I managed to take a snapshot.  This Egg Tofu was a slab of silky smooth tofu, coated in egg and fried till the sides are all frizzy, and served with a drizzle of sweet sauce.  This is very similar to the Tauhu Telur you get from any Indonesian restaurants and this version was equally good.

We rounded up our meal with an order of the Enak KL Vegetable Tasting Menu @ RM24 which consisted of Bayam Goreng Kampung, Terong Balado and Kerabu Asparagus.

The first of the trio was the "Bayam Goreng Kampung" which turned out very much to our liking.  This was just simple Chinese stir-fry spinach with bits of chopped mushrooms, garlic and young corn...and the best of the 3!

The "Terong Balado" is made up of sliced eggplant sautéed in a spicy chilli sauce.  Taste wise, it was ok, for a simple vege dish.

Although the menu listed the 3rd item as "Kerabu Asparagus", what we were served wasn't.  I think it was "Kerabu Jantung Pisang" (banana blossom salad) which turned out to be my least favourite.  The flavours were too bold and funky for my taste buds and I don't particularly like kerabu to start with anyway.

As I had not utilised the entire value of my voucher, I went with an order of dessert, the Sago Gula Melaka @ RM15, even though I was very full at that point.  The dessert was beautifully plated and I was surprised to see that the sago served was green in colour (instead of the usual transparent ones I'm accustomed to)...maybe it was infused with pandan extract (though I didn't detect any pandan flavour) or maybe it's lime.  It was served with the usual combo of santan and melted "gula Melaka" (palm sugar).  Although, I welcomed the fact that it was not overly sweet, I also detected a very slight hint of sourness (which was unusual for this type of dessert).  I'm "sitting on the fence" with this one, I don't know if I like it or not....weird is all I can say!

Our drinks for the evening were Watermelon Juice @ RM16 and Mango Juice @ RM16.  Again, the waiters did not fail to ask if we wanted any water (as they serve the expensive Evian water).  Of course we didn't fall for the 'trap' ;) from our numerous 'experiences' of eating in Starhill (what's with restaurants there always trying to 'push' their Evian water)!!

[#Note: I did notice that the diners tend to want to take a photo with the chef...I guess he became quite a 'celebrity' after appearing on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate"!] :)

My Personal Opinion

To enjoy this dining experience, I feel you have to truly care for authentic Malay cuisine to begin with.  Having said that, the food was not bad, it's just that I don't love traditional Malay food as much.  For me, the best dish of the night was the Enak KL Appetiser Tasting Menu (the same dish that was showcased on Food Network recently). 

Despite its bold flavours and elegant execution, I'm not sure its higher end prices will resonate with the average Malaysian who would probably say that they can find cheaper versions of this kind of food from many Malay "gerai makanan" (food stalls).

Although a meal here can easily set you back more than RM100 per person, we won't even 'bat an eye' if we had to pay such prices for a western meal.  I guess we just don't associate local cuisine with expensive food.  But, to be fair to them, the food was exquisitely prepared (not your usual Malay warung fare) and you just have to pay a premium price for it in this kind of setting.

If you have to entertain friends or expatriates from overseas, who are looking for authentic Malay cuisine, this will probably be the place to impress them with fine (food) presentation, classy ambience and attentive service. 

Enak KL

LG2 Feast Floor Starhill Gallery

181 Jalan Bukit Bintang

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2141 8973

Revisit: Fisherman's Cove @ Starhill

After an impressive visit to Fisherman's Cove @ Starhill some months back, I was presented with another opportunity to dine there again through discount vouchers offered by a group buying site.  Obviously, I was not going to let the opportunity slip by since I was eager to savour their food again after my (previous) very enjoyable and satisfying dining experience (read my earlier post here).

Since this is a revisit, let's not waste time and get straight to the food.  Once we've placed our orders, we were served with some really good complimentary bread.  

The piping hot white bread (this time) was even better (very crispy to the bite) while the wholemeal bread was equally good and fragrant (from the sesame seeds).  The complimentary breads, which came with a good quality olive oil + balsamic vinegar dip (not the usual butter), were top-notch!  The breads must be good because the diners at the next table requested for more refills of the bread!

We're off to another good start!

 

Our first starter was the Deep Fried Calamari with Sweet Turnips & Mint Salad @ RM28.  This was battered and deep fried calamari (or more commonly known as squid) served with the clean crisp freshness of the sweet turnips (in some kind of tangy mayo sauce).  I had asked for the wait staff to omit the mint salad (coz you know how much I hate mint) and it came with some super thin slices of radish and carrot instead.

Though the calamari batter was a bit thick, it was still a decent starter.  For sure, it can't beat the standard of the fried calamari we had at Angus House (a standard I now use to judge all other calamari).

I chose the Crispy Confit of Duck Leg with Pickled Kyuri & Plum @ RM28 as our next starter.  What is confit of duck?  It's just a fancy French technique to cook the duck in its own fat.  Traditionally, the meat is salt-cured (or you can also skip the salt-curing stage) for a period of time and then slowly poached in its rendered fat at a low temperature until cooked.  The confit of duck leg is usually then pan-fried or grilled for a well-browned and crisp texture.

For this version, the meat pieces were later fried (as it had a crisp texture) and was served with some pickled kyuri (Japanese cucumbers).  The julienned strips of cucumber were crunchy and the accompanying sauce was good (don't know what it's made from...plum, maybe?) when paired with the slightly crisp duck leg slices.

However, I must admit that both these starter choices were not as good as the ones we had on our previous visit....probably because I came with a much higher expectation (this time) as a result of our last meal here.  But, they were still more than decent starters.

For our main courses, we started off with the Honey Glazed Fillet of Cod with Mushroom & Blue Lobster Sauce @ RM96.  This was a good-sized portion of cod fillet, glazed with honey, and served with button and fresh shitake mushrooms in a heavenly lobster sauce.  [#Note: This strained broth has probably been through hours of painstaking boiling and reducing with lobster (and other crustaceans) heads and shells.]  You can definitely taste the robust lobster flavour in the sauce (which was not too thick or too thin), just perfect.....it was simply divine!

Just look at the beautiful caramelisation of the honey on top of the cod fillet...that's a little piece of heaven right there!  The beautiful sear (and colour), the sweetness of the (super fresh) cod fish flesh and depth of flavour from the blue lobster sauce worked in unison to bring out the absolutely amazing taste of the dish.  [#Tip: For me, the best cut of fish (or any fish for that matter) to eat is to have a 'just-the-right-thickness' fillet coz a 'too-thin' cut gets overcooked very easily.]  This was, by far, the best piece of cod I've had the pleasure of eating.  This cod fillet was super fresh and cooked right (unlike the ones I had in Ming Court and a far cry from the ones in Jaya Grocer/Fresco).  I just can't stop gushing about this cod...it was pure perfection!

The main course came with a side of Seasonal Vegetables made up of broccoli, squash, Japanese cucumber, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, carrot and sautéed button mushrooms.  I especially enjoyed the sugar snap peas and the tiny tomatoes (don't know what kind they were but they were sweet-tasting and juicy as opposed to the normal kind which is usually sourish).  It was fresh, it was a colourful medley of vegetables.....it was summer in a bowl!

Our next main dish was the Crispy Fillet of Threadfin with Coriander-Chilli-Lime Sauce @ RM86 served with a potato mash, which came out smooth, creamy and buttery...and utterly delicious.  The coriander-chilli-lime mix was another 'thumbs-up' sauce (much like a sweet-sour sauce, only better).  The sauce was beautifully balanced with the tartness from the blitzed-up tomatoes, the acidity from the lime, the (slight) heat from the (softened) chilli bell peppers and the lovely fragrance from the coriander.
 

The 2 fairly good-sized pieces of threadfin fillets were lightly pan-fried with the edges just slightly crisp.  The threadfin (or otherwise known locally as "ikan kurau" or "ma yau yu") was so fresh that the delicate flavour of the flesh really comes true when you bite into it.  It was again another '#ewew-approved' dish.
 

This also came with a side of Seasonal Vegetables (only minus the Japanese cucumber and lovely tomatoes).

Our choice of freshly squeezed juices for the evening were Fresh Mango Juice @ RM18 and Fresh Orange Juice also @ RM18.  Though I liked the intense mango flavour, I didn't appreciate that it was thick, so I asked for some ice (this time) to dilute it to more of a juice (which I liked).

Although RM18 may seem pricey for a glass of fruit juice, it was a good glass of juice full of fresh mango (and orange) flavours.  It was well worth the price and better than paying RM16 for a glass of Evian water (we were 'smarter' this time round and politely refused the waiter when he asked if we'd like some distilled or sparkling water again...hehe)!

My Personal Opinion

Deliciousness is when preparation and ingredients meet---fresh quality ingredients.... respectably executed! 

The food was again outstanding and the tantalising menu with captivating flavours excited my senses.

To eat here, the average 'damage' is about RM100 per person (with discounts) but may have to fork out between RM150 - RM200 per person if you pay full prices (which I feel it's still worth it if it's within your budget).  But do be forewarned that the portion sizes are rather small and (therefore) more suited for small (to medium-sized) eaters or those who prefer quality over quantity (like me).  Knowing that I only paid half price for the (truly fantastic) cod, I'm absolutely thrilled....even if I had to pay full prices, I would still be ecstatic!

Will I return?....In a heartbeat!!...You'll exit with a full (and satisfying) belly but an empty wallet!

What I absolutely loved:  Their super fresh seafood (especially fish) was excellent stuff, top of its game!  The mains were outstanding (yet again)...absolutely loved the fillet of cod and threadfin. 

What I enjoyed:  The starters were good.....just not as good as the ones on my the previous visit.

What I noticed and didn't like:  Their menu has changed slightly and the prices have gone up a little (since my last visit about 5 months ago).  I'm not thrilled that the prices are now even more beyond my budget......T_T

Fisherman's Cove (Revisit)
LG10 Feast Floor Starhill Gallery
181 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2782 3848
 

Jogoya @ Starhill Gallery

Touted as the largest buffet in Malaysia, Jogoya's flagship Japanese buffet restaurant, Jogoya @ Starhill Gallery, opened its doors in January 2006 and remains (till today) a favourite of many who are looking for a "wide-variety-good-value" buffet.  With a large space of nearly 30,000 sq ft, manouevring around the restaurant can be a bit challenging and time consuming.

The prices for their buffets are between RM82 - RM92++ (during weekdays) and RM88 - RM98++ (during weekends/public holidays).  Prices for children are based on their height measurements.  However, they do have year-round promotions for members and non-members (bringing prices to around RM55 - RM75), so do watch out for it!  The only drawback on promotional prices is that you're limited to 2 hours dining time as opposed to 4 - 5 hours if you pay full prices.

In Jogoya, there are different sections or food preparation counters dishing up all types of food for your eating pleasure like Japanese, Teppanyaki, Deep Fried, Barbeque, Chinese, Dim Sum, Steamboat/Claypot, Western/Pasta, Baked Goods, Pastries & Cakes, Drinks Bar and Ice Creams (including everyone's favourite premium brand Haagen-Dazs).

Once seated, you'll be given some metallic clips (you can ask for more at anytime) with your table no. on it (for ordering dishes that are not pre-prepared food on the buffet line).  You only need to drop these clips into the bowls found in front of the dish samples you wish to try.  They will prepare and bring the dishes to you.

First things first, I like to get my fresh Thai coconut drink from the cooler which is free-flow (they used to be free flow and then limited to one per pax and now it's free flow again).

Fresh Thai Coconut Drink....refreshing

Anyway, there are lots more other drink choices like Chinese tea, fruit juices, colourful cocktails, soft drinks, smoothies, coffee etc.

Pink Guava Juice/Soursop Juice/Grape Juice

With drinks in hand, let's attack the food...and there's a lot to attack!  Warning: Pics Overload!!  Due to the sheer variety, there are more pics of the food (from the counters) than the food I can actually eat.

I always start off with a hot steaming soup and there are a few types you can choose from the Chinese section.

I chose the Abalone Slices Chicken Soup which was piping hot.  There's a pc of chicken meat, red dates, "kei chi" (dried wolfberries) and abalone slices (not good quality ones, of course, but more like vegetarian chewy ones).  It was ok.

Next to the steaming soups, you'd find the Dim Sum selection.

Look at all those fried little morsels of delight!

We picked the Fried Prawn Roll which came with sizeable prawns and deep fried till crispy.  It was good.

Here are some starters to get me going.

Sauna Egg (it's simply a soft-boiled egg with a few tiny shreds of seaweed in Japanese soy...who doesn't like a gooey, runny egg, yes?

Shark's Fin Crunchy Salad Thingy (dressing a tad salty)

Ebi with Apple Sauce (which had chopped prawns and mango cubes)

The sashimi (and other raw food) counter (with some not looking very fresh).

My plate of Sashimi (Savori, Ika & Tako Sashimi), cooked prawns, Salmon Tataki & Spicy Snails.  The sashimi items were not as fresh as I would have liked and buffets are never the best places to have sashimi (as freshness and integrity of the raw food can be compromised if left out for too long).

My favourite was the Salmon Tataki which was lightly seared while the salmon flesh remained raw.

Went for a second helping of the Salmon Tataki and Spicy Snails and one Raw Oyster (which was not very fresh).

Grilled Shishamo

Grilled Saba Fish

Our plate of Grilled Shishamo, Saba Fish, Squid & Eel, my 'must-have' Quail Eggs and Takoyaki Balls (had way better ones than these) and something on a stick.  I liked the grilled shishamo the best.

The freshly fried Crispy Chicken Skin, Tempura Prawns & Fish, Crispy Seafood Tofu & Fried Chicken Dumpling at the Deep Fried Section.

My plate of Panko Shishamo, Fried Chicken Skin, Crispy Seafood Tofu & Tempura Fish...all were good.

Selection of various types of sushi.....

....from the Sushi Bar

This is the Steamboat Section that we did not try.

Two 'cook to order' dishes...one was the Fried Eel Omelette which tasted a bit like unagi on a piece of omelette.  It was quite good though the sauce was a bit salty.

The other was the Grilled Alaskan Cod Fish (which certainly didn't taste like the cod fish I'm used to eating). It was a very small fish (and probably cheap) coz I saw them cooking some and it's cut into the head, body and tail.  I was unlucky enough to get the head.....T_T!

And if you happen to be a Jogoya VIP member, you have certain membership privileges and one of them is that you can enjoy certain VIP premium dishes that the non-members don't get to try.

These were some of the VIP premium dishes that I had the privilege of trying (in an earlier visit with my friends) - Grilled Whole Squid, Alaskan King Crab Legs, King Crabs, Tom Yam Prawns & Deep Fried Mantis Prawns.

Finally, we arrived at the desserts (are you ready?)......cakes, cookies, pastries, mochi, jellies, muffins, cream puffs, puddings and many more!

Cookies & Muffins

Various types of (Fruit) Puddings & Jellies

More Jellies & Tiramisu

Cakes...

.....and more cakes!

My desserts of Strawberry Jelly (with cubes of nata de coco), Mango Pudding & Tiramisu.

This is the Coconut Milk Pudding....such a cute wobbly ball of yumminess!

Other desserts you can choose from....the DIY Ice Kacang counter, Chocolate Fountain and a selection of Fresh Fruits.

No dessert bar is complete without ice cream and here you have Haagen-Dazs & New Zealand natural ice cream.

Of course, you can't leave without having some Haagen-Dazs ice cream and my choice was the Mango Raspberry flavour (reason...it was a fresh tub).

To round off my meal or any other meal, for that matter, you need a cup of coffee and this is my cup of Cappuccino (not great though).

My Personal Opinion

I would say that Jogoya's buffet is indeed "wide-variety-good-value" if you're looking for variety and value-for-money but taste wise, just don't get your hopes up too high.  Having said that, it's still one of the better Japanese buffets around (still better than Shogun & Saisaki).  If it's your first visit, you'll probably go 'wow' but this 'wow' factor diminishes as you make more visits (much like the saying...familiarity breeds contempt).

Although I found the quality and freshness of their raw food and some seafood rather suspect, it's acceptable for the promotional prices we pay.  But, if I had to pay full prices, I'll have to think twice (coz then I'll expect fresher produce)!  In all my previous outings to Jogoya, I didn't take any sashimi or fresh oysters but decided to this time.  It was a mistake as I came off with a stomach upset.

Would I recommend this place?  Yes, I would, especially to big eaters who appreciate and value variety over taste but (with a word of caution)....just stay away from the raw stuff if you've a sensitive stomach (like me).  [#Note: Another Japanese buffet you should stay away from is Daidomon...downright horrible!]

Will I be back?  I'll have to think about it, especially after the last 'upset' visit.  And because they offer so much variety, there are no standout dishes that really make you want to come back for.....it's like they are a "Jack of all trades but the master of none"!  Anyway, buffets are not so much 'my thing' anymore purely for the reasons that we tend to eat less (or can't consume as much) as we grow older (and if I do go, it's more for the camaraderie and chit-chatting than anything else).  It's not easy (these days) to find a buffet that offers variety, quality, fresh food and, at the same time, tastes good.  I  much prefer quality over quantity these days.

Jogoya (Japanese Buffet Restaurant)
T3 Relish Floor Starhill Gallery
181 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2142 1268