Touan Japanese Restaurant: Lot 10's prime place for kushiyaki, robatayaki, sukiyaki, sushi & more

Enduring for six years and counting in Lot 10, Touan Japanese Restaurant is one of the city centre's prime places for a fulfilling Japanese feast.

Gleaming in golden hues to complement its wood-toned furnishing, Touan lives up to its name, which refers to intimate rooms that warmly welcome guests.

This Japanese-managed eatery seeks to serve something for everyone - from kushiyaki and robatayaki to sukiyaki, sashimi to sushi, plus hearty rice bowls with plenty of soul, Touan is a cosy corner in Bukit Bintang where fans of Japanese fare can indulge to their spirit's content.

Fun fact: Touan is part of a Tokyo-born family of restaurants, which has run about two dozen establishments of different concepts in Japan since 2001. Touan's sauces, salts and spices come from Japan, ensuring authenticity in each bite.

Secure a seat at the counter to catch all the action at the open kitchen - from the slicing of raw fish to the grilling of premium meat over charcoal flames, it's fun to watch the time-honoured artistry of Japanese gastronomy.

Alternatively, take a table for a comfortable meal to leisurely relish Touan's temptations, soothed by walls lined with Japanese illustrations.

Touan takes pride in its grilled skewers, smoky and succulent with a gentle char, fuelled by the powerful heat of binchotan charcoal.

The Assorted Yakitori 5 Types (RM28.80 nett) is the ideal introduction, showcasing the chef's choice of the day's top cuts of poultry and more, such as chicken thigh with teriyaki sauce, chicken tail and gizzard seasoned with Japanese salt, chicken wing and shiitake mushrooms.

Each piece is perfectly cooked, easy to enjoy for merry munching with family and friends. The selection also includes other parts such as chicken liver, skin, heart and more, as well as pork belly, pork sausage with bacon, and even mozzarella cheese with bacon for a playful twist.

Robatayaki-style barbecued seafood is also glorious, evoking an izakaya's variety. Don't miss the sashimi-grade, Japanese-sourced Oyster, plump with a mild brininess (RM28 nett), and Grilled Scallop Butter with Soy Sauce, luscious with a sweet-savoury chew (RM26.80 nett). You'll also find limited-quantity cuts such as grilled kampachi fish shoulder.

For an exquisite nabe, Touan's shimmering highlight is the Japanese A5 Wagyu Sukiyaki (RM198.80 nett) - this traditional Japanese hot pot is spectacular for sharing, brimming with various vegetables and mushrooms in a beautiful broth with a light umami depth. 

The sukiyaki's star is marbled strips of Japanese A5 wagyu sirloin, sourced from Tokushima, Miyazaki and Kobe, delicately sliced for precise proportions of smooth, tender richness. Dunk the beef slices in the bubbling-hot broth and dip them in raw egg yolk for divine decadence. 

If you crave rice, Touan recommends the Unajyu Hitsumabushi (RM78.80 nett) -  the centrepiece is a grilled eel fillet over warm rice that can be portioned into four servings.

Consume the first serving plain to enjoy the captivating combination of eel and rice; then mix the second serving with spring onions, wasabi and sansho pepper for extra uplift. The third serving is poured with  clear soup, ochazuke-style. The fourth serving? Eat it how you like!

We also love Touan's Tendon, a triumphant tempura rice bowl that's blanketed with battered seafood, vegetables and mushrooms. The tempura is terrific, with a crisp, airily fluffy bite and a full-bodied chew, served hot and fresh, not overwhelmingly oily at all.



Sashimi is also well-represented. The Assorted Sashimi 5 Types (RM109 nett) for our visit showcased the pristine pleasure of the sea, spanning salmon, salmon belly, kampachi, tuna and scallops, all smooth with a clean, pure flavour.

Customers can also share maki-style marvels like the Avocado and Shrimp Roll Sushi (RM38.80 nett), which brings together the catch of the sea with the harvest of the land in fine fashion, creamy with bursts of ikura.

Touan Japanese Restaurant
Level 4, Isetan The Japan Store, Lot 10 Shopping Centre, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur. 

Daily, 12pm-2:30pm, 6pm-10pm. Tel: 03-2119-2627