KL's P. Ramlee Road might not often entice this city's gastrophiles, but Senya is well worth a stop for folks seeking an evocative setting for Japanese fare.
Climb the stairs up from Menya Musashi to enter Senya; it's clear that these two outlets have more in common than their rhyming names, combining to create a one-two culinary punch with an ambiance that might recall Tokyo backstreet holes-in-walls.
Take a table in the air-conditioned interior, beside the bustling open kitchen, or snatch a seat on the terrace outside, overlooking eternally busy traffic below.
The menu is straightforward, featuring fast-assembled plates of salmon avocado rolls (RM16) ...
... traditional skewers of smoky chicken liver and heart (about RM3 each) ...
... and more obscure but equally order-worthy pleasures like sticky-stinky fried rice mixed with a wealth of natto fermented soybeans (RM16).
For the fear factor fan: marinated firefly squid (RM10.80), squishy and salty.
Lightly torched mackerel, one of Senya's most expensive items at RM22. Prices here are better than reasonable for a Japanese joint in the heart of the city.
Stewed fish cake in a light soy broth (RM4), perfect for a wet evening.
Succulent duck with spinach (RM17), simple but (no need to wait for it!) satisfying.
Sure, there's sake and shochu, but beverages like the Rum Buck cocktail (white rum, ginger ale, lemon juice) and Sudachi citron liquor warrant a full investigation.
Service is excellent, and the restaurant's last orders are sometime past 10 pm.
Is this Senya related somehow to the Senya at Isetan KLCC and 1 Utama? Probably, judging from their similar logos, but the menu here is completely different.
Entry on Senya @ Isetan KLCC: Sept. 17, 2011.
Senya Grill Sushi Bar,
Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur.
Senya attack mode ON! :D
ReplyDeletehold your horses my friend...next week we attack ok?
DeleteHahaha...okie =)
DeleteGot sticky rice with stinky natto wor...I leave tat to u...hahaha :P
Ulric: enjoy the attack! Heh, there are also other types of fried rice here, with salmon etc, for folks who avoid natto =)
DeleteThanx for finding tis gem of a place...hehe =)
DeleteUlric: quite a few office workers managed to find their way there on opening night too, heh. guess a lot of people have been waiting for it to open :D
DeleteI spot natto fried rice...oh yumms....
ReplyDeleteprice of food is fair considering its location:D
Missyblurkit: natto and rice do go very nicely together, hopefully you'll like the dish =) ya, here's crossing our fingers that they'll keep prices low for a long time :D
DeleteLooks like a nice place! If the most expensive thing is only 22 bucks, then that's really good pricing. Can't wait to get my hands on them squid! =P
ReplyDeleteDrops of Contentment: oh yeah, prices are pleasing! an unagi roll costs RM17, while a bowl of udon is about RM14, so it's possible to escape with a bill of RM30 ringgit per person here for a light meal. hope you enjoy the squid :D
DeleteAnother restaurant that nearby my office! hehe. :)
ReplyDeleteCK: ya, can walk here for a nice dinner after a stressful day at work! :D
DeleteNot a bad place to visit! price is just the same compared to other sushi bar... ;P
ReplyDeleteCheaper...but different focus lar...hehe =)
DeleteEunice: RM18 for five slices of salmon sashimi here. that one's a bit on the higher-priced side, but i'm guessing the salmon's pretty thick and fresh :D
DeleteUlric: ya, you're right, even though there's sushi here, there's equal emphasis on the grilled, stewed, fried and soupy stuff =)
DeleteWua.. all comments so contradicting. HAHAHAH! i think it's cheap ! But most importantly is the quality that defines the price. ;)
DeleteEunice: heh, true, that's wise! and definitely the quality here is very good, very satisfying :D
DeleteAre Menya and Senya owned by the same ppl? Actually saw an advert in the Chinese papers the other day, they were both advertising 50% off a certain ramen and some sticks.
ReplyDeleteBaby Sumo: they both might be owned by the same folks! i noticed that the chef for menya was eating at senya on that night, heh :D ooh, i haven't seen the advert, but a 50 percent discount sounds like a hot bargain! :D
DeleteAh...they are finally open. I got two coupons for beer when dining at Menya the other day. Time to put them to good use!
ReplyDeleteUnkaLeong: it's almost beer o'clock now! heh, there's a decent range of beer at senya, everything from asahi to hoegaarden =)
DeleteGimme some Sapporo or Suntory! =)
DeleteUlric: oops, i didn't notice those here =)
DeleteSkewers for RM3 each...not expensive. You take natto? Me no likey =p
ReplyDeleteMelissa: yeah, very comfortable pricing :D heheh, i'm not a lover of natto, but i don't hate it either =)
DeleteFor a while, I thought they actually put such a big wooden tubes as decor. It looks like a nice casual place to have Japanese food. =)
ReplyDeleteSmitten By Food: yeah, it's a welcoming place, perfect for relaxing after work before heading home :D
DeleteI don't think I can stomach marinated firefly squid. I'll take the salmon avocado roll please! :D
ReplyDeleteBangsar-Babe: the squid is slimy and super-savory, but very addictive! i felt like fighting my friend for the final piece. but heh, the salmon-avocado roll was good too =)
Deletethe mackerel looks nice..
ReplyDeletenow I would want to try other japs restaurant..
Simple Person: Ya, some folks might not like mackerel cos the taste can be rather strong, but it's worth trying =)
DeleteI like mackerel...quite a meaty fish but I prefer sanma more...haha =)
DeleteUlric: ahh, the fish with the healthy fatty omega-3 oils :D
DeleteIn terms of taste lar...I take d rest as a bonus...hehe :P
DeleteUlric: heh, i almost ordered pacific saury at another place this week, but ended up not ordering it in the end =)
DeleteWhenever u r back to Ichiro...pls order the sanma...it rocks lar!...hehe =)
DeleteUlric: sounds good
Deleteoooh looks like a nice place to hangout. the chairs reminds me of kopitiam set-up though
ReplyDeleteEiling: heheh, a japanese kopitiam. ya, it's very laid-back :D
DeleteThis spot looks very reasonably priced.
ReplyDeleteThe Yum List: true, it's easy to be economically prudent while eating here :D
Deletethanks for sharing..
ReplyDeleteCity: u're welcome =)
DeleteAll Senya branches are under the same management. So does Menya and Ten fine dining :)
ReplyDeletebut they are all owned by different chefs. Thus you are eating the food of different chefs' works.
DeleteCan i know is there any parking space?
ReplyDeleteSu Yin: oh yes, there's parking space nearby in an open-air parking lot =)
Delete