Tuesday, May 22, 2007

RakuZen @ Hartamas Shopping Centre

Attention Japanese food lover. This is your must-visit place.

This classy Japanese Restaurant never failed to disappoint floggers. See boo_licious and meiyen's great reviews on Rakuzen.

RakuZen is definitely doing good business. There are quite a number of branches in KL itself, like the original Subang Jaya outlet, the new Hartamas Shopping Centre branch and another considered new Chulan Square branch. Pick your most convenient outlet and do take note that reservation is a must if you wish to dine there. Here are the numbers for the Hartamas branch: 03-62012060, the Subang Jaya outlet: 03 - 5880 4717 and for the Chulan Square branch: 03-2145 6200.

Few weeks ago I finally made my way there to savour their authentic Japanese cuisine. Browse thru the menu and the pricing is more or less expected. Above average I would say for some food like sashimi and their specialty--baked scallops.
Start off with fresh sashimi first. We chose to have a plate of Hama (RM45) which came with my fave white tuna despite its high mecury content, salmon, octopus and yellow-fin tuna. We didn't have enough of the cold and fresh sashimi, they were thinly sliced and the portion served was pretty small.
Next up is this Hotate Isoyaki (RM25) ordered by Char siew bao. The two scallops were baked in mayonnaise and roe. At first, I thought they were overpriced and was not keen in ordering. However one bite into it and I gave a thumbs up for the great combination.

Am a radish lover so I ordered Daikon Dengaku (RM10) which is braised radish with sweet miso topping. That slab looks like sh*t huh...haha...Arhem, back to serious food talk. We agree that this dish tasted rather plain without braised fish.

Taadaa...here comes the star of the nite! Curryjyu (RM18) which was served piping hot with very tasty curry chicken, potatoes and carrots. Oopsss...Am drooling over the pic when doing this review. The curry sauce was fantastic, the best we have tasted so far.

The bill came up to RM112, pricey but definitely worth it. Do drop by this place for exotic japanese food if you have a lil' extra to spend.

21 comments:

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

if u really love the white tuna..drop by the jap restaurant that i reviewed centuries ago called edo jo at hartamas..behind true fitness..5 thick slices for RM25..quite a deal..

Kok said...

xiu long bao,
I show you pizza but you show me a better, sumptuous Japanese meal? Alamak! Have to save more money so that I can eat more liao. :P

MeiyeN said...

oh yes, Rakuzen is my favourite jap rest! :D visited all da branches and must say that i most fancy da one at hartamas :D oooo we love da scallop too and da sashimi... so good, so fresh! :D

Anonymous said...

LOL.. joe, we were planning to go to edo... but so far nvr had d time yet! Restaurant looks nice from the outside, like meiji era castle!

Anyways, with regards to Sashimi i'd still think that Benkai @ Nikko Hotel serves the most mouth watering tastiest sashimi that i hav ever tasted so far...

mmm typing this down makes me salivate lah...

wmw said...

Rakuzen is at Plaza Damas or Hartamas Shopping Centre actually? I thought it's at Plaza Damas. Like the ambiance there.

Xiu Long Bao said...

joe: Ooo...We past by edo a few times, the restaurant looks nice, like a castle so was wondering if the food will cost us a bomb! Will definitely try it since u rekomen it :)

kok: haha...pizza also not cheap over here leh. Aussie not many japanese restaurants hor?

jackson: waa...so geng chou? okok...u can name urself as tao sar pao lagi cute...ekeke...then we can eat out as the 'dimsum makan club'.

meiyen: Gotta admit dat u posts are so powerful. Yar...am still dreaming for their sashimi...really gud!!!

CSB: I think we must set up a 'rakuzen fund' so dat we can pig out n order all the exotic items nxt time...slurrrppp!!!

wmw:hmm...actually plaza damas & hartamas shopping centre are the same to me. Based on the address, it is in the shopping centre. Yar...very cosy ambiance for this hartamas branch!

Anonymous said...

Oh white tuna! haha i start to luv white tuna just recently after I found out about its existance! lolz They give u good cuts for the sashimi leh....

Xiu Long Bao said...

jian: i reckon dat white tuna tastes so much yummier than the usual yellor-fin tuna. The sashimi were all thinly sliced...not enoh lar.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha sooo agree...eh? those pinkish tuna served in local restaurants are yellow fins? Din know that. Always tot they are blue fins : P Haha paiseh....

I had white tuna at Yataimura (Pg branch) before and its RM6 for 2 piece if not mistaken. Wasted cuz the chef put too much shoyu ady...

Since you'd mentioned white tuna...makes me wanna go back and have some...yum...

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

You've just been tagged. See my latest post. :-)

Kok said...

xiu long bao,
Pizza in Malaysia still affordable lah. Compare the price of a pizza to those Japanese meal, of course, pizza is cheaper. :P

Ermm..actually Aust has lots of Japanese restaurants. The only problem is, international student like me in Aust doesn't have more $ to spend on Japanese meal. :P

Anonymous said...

I also wanna join! Em.. maybe should call myself "lin yong bao" :P

Tummythoz said...

With jackson & jason's comments, a 'bao' colony begins. Hahaha.
This restaurant is quite the default place for us if we dun feel like trying out new places. Good food, good service.

Tummythoz said...

Oops. V go to the Chulan Sq branch.

Xiu Long Bao said...

jian: Ermm...i tot blue fin tuna are nearing extinction. Rm6 for 2 pcs so expensive?

lyrical lemongrass: aiks...will do my homework soon :)

kok: haha...agree. Last time i only had sushi rolls (maki) from those japanese food stalls, quite cheap, around $2 to $3 per roll.

jason:welcome to the dimsum gang...hehe...lin yong bao oso not bad ;)

tummythoz: Yarr...but this place is so packed that i hav prob taking food pics in private. Maybe i shud reserve a cubicle nxt time.

Big Boys Oven said...

Looks great, a must try. Bog Boys Oven

Anonymous said...

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Your very own advertising portal.

Xiu Long Bao said...

big boys oven: thx for dropping by. Happy blogging!

klbillboard: ok. thx for the info.

Anonymous said...

Yah...I checked back on my photo library....2 piece oni....so not enough...I think the best is to go for Japanese buffet or buffet that offers sashimi...where you can have mouthful of them! hohoho

Xiu Long Bao said...

jian: usually japanese buffets dont offer white tuna one? Very dangerous too if they offer cus i will pig on the sashimi, not so good for health reasons i heard :)

Anonymous said...

oh haha got offer but its hm...how to say ar...expensive buffet lar, cost 100 sumthing per person at E&O o.O but i ate 1 plate oni lolz...pig too much can die of immediate mercury intoxication? lolz...penang very susah cari good and cheap jap restaurant. Fine dining also a handful nia...i think...kampachi dun serve white tuna? I remember pg wan got tho...