Kiraku Japanese Restaurant @ Shaftsbury Square, Cyberjaya

A fresh face that's become an instant contender for Cyberjaya's best Japanese restaurant.

The kitchen here's headed by Chef James Wong, formerly of Ozeki Tokyo Cuisine, which explains the experimental streak in recipes like this mix of Japanese pickled shallots, sweet tomatoes & mango in wasabi sauce (RM22++).

Jellyfish with Thai-style mango salad? It works; a complimentary starter, much appreciated.

Italian influences surface for the 'tako carpaccio' (RM19++), thinly sliced boiled octopus garnished with garlic, capers, olives & extra virgin olive oil.

Excellent ensemble: Shrimp, avocado, Japanese yam & pommery mustard (RM32++).

Don't often see beef tripe at Malaysia's Japanese restaurants. Kiraku's pan-fried preparation (RM25++) is enjoyable enough to leave us wanting more. 

Foie gras teriyaki (RM68++), less uncommon but no less worthwhile.

Skip the sashimi platter. Not wholly worth the RM68++.

Can't usually resist salted cuttlefish entrails (RM12++), but Kiraku's is too stinky even for us.

Redemption emerges in the three-way radish platter, topped individually with sauces of foie gras, citrus fruit & spring onion.

Hurray for kushiyaki: Juicy skewer-grilled beef tongue & chicken skin, gizzard & bishop's nose.

Chicken soft bone & tiny-crispy shrimp, for mindless munching, mainly.

Kiraku's house special maki (RM25++) is interesting: that's bright-red chili coating each slice, stuffed with prawns plus green apples & mango to subdue the spiciness.

A row of mini soft-shell crab hand rolls, impeccably prepared. Very nice.

Unagi kabayaki (RM65++). Also excellent, though eel has become ridiculously pricey.

Complimentary dessert: sweet potato & yam cakes, wasabi pudding & coconut creme brulee.

Two distinctly different Mojitos, one with shochu & cilantro, the other with rum & watermelon.

Sake is available, as is wine (only by the not-too-expensive bottle for the latter).

Kiraku also has private teppanyaki rooms, where the kitchen team reputedly puts on a fun show. Service here lives up to the standards set by the cuisine.

Kiraku Japanese Restaurant,

25, Level P3, Shaftsbury Square, Cyberjaya.

Tel: 03-8318-6003

Seems to be open daily for lunch & dinner

Bangoya @ Jaya One

With a tantalizing tagline that promises "Grilling Under The Stars," Bangoya opened this month in Jaya One, revealing itself to be an alfresco izakaya on an atmospheric rooftop meant to evoke a sake-garden setting.

Kushiyaki skewer-grilled & Yakiniku barbecued meat represent the terrific temptations of Bangoya, which supposedly translates into "night hut," run by the masterminds behind Kissaten.

Snatch a seat at a recycled pallet table & let the evening heat up, though heaven knows what'll happen if it rains.

Plenty to order (but be patient while waiting): RM4++ sticks of chicken liver, bishop's nose, gizzard, wings, skin & meatballs, salted or teriyaki-style ...

... plus pork belly & prawns, all irreproachably prepared.

For folks prepared to sweat it out, the DIY charcoal-stove selection is value for money.

We over-ordered in our enthusiasm: Pork belly, ribs & miso-marinated meat (RM10++ each) ...

... plus lamb (RM15++), beef brisket (RM20++), tongue (RM18++) & Aussie sirloin (RM18++), as well as squid (RM20++), shishamo (RM3++) & corn (RM5++).

The fun wanes after five minutes of intensive labor, though the meat's beautifully flavorsome.

Love the Motsu Nikomi (RM10++), a big bowl of intestines, tripe & other glorious inner goodness.

Also delicious: Halibut teriyaki (RM10++), tasting closer to cod fish than usual.

With great protein comes great responsibility to consume veggies: Heaps of fiber in the cucumber, bitter gourd, onion & cabbage salads, plus helpings of Hiyayakko tofu & edamame.

Bangoya's cocktails are cute, but more pretty than potent for RM15-RM18++.

Minty lime shochu, kiwi shochu, orange juice ume & lemongrass lime sake.

All in all, a good set-up for folks who enjoy outdoor eating. Could become one of Jaya One's biggest attractions in ages.

Bangoya serves no desserts, but no worries: Take the elevator down to The Bee, which might still have stocks of recent limited-edition ice cream flavors by The Last Polka, including the Kuah Jenhan peanut butter & jelly flavor with brownie chunks & Wonderland caramel base with walnuts & black pepper brittles.

Bangoya by Kissaten,

L12A-1-1, Palm Square, Jaya One, Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya.

Open daily 6pm-midnight. Entrance through Kissaten.

Tel: 03-7954-1990 (Kissaten's number, actually)

Retro Club @ Heritage Row & Telawi Street Bar @ Bangsar

Retro Club's name, ambiance & food all seem at odds with each other, but this Heritage Row newbie serves fair-enough Tex-Mex fare & well-executed cocktails.

Deep-fried chimichanga, stuffed with lamb & served with Mexican rice & refried beans.

Big eaters, rejoice: A platter of cheesy beef nachos that four can share costs scarcely RM20.

Taco "salad," featuring chicken, cheese, salsa, green onions, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, jalapenos & sour cream in a flour tortilla shell.

Might be madness, but Retro Club's Margarita is one of the best we've had this year.

The house wine's not as good, but shots of Patron XO return the smile to our faces.

Jose Cuevo tequila & Bacardi Carta Blanca rum.

Retro Club's business hours seem erratic. But they're often open weeknights.

Bonus booze stop: Telawi Street Bar, a recent addition to Bangsar. No relation whatsoever to the late, lamented Telawi Street Bistro.

TSB provides a pleasant balcony perch overlooking the street, but though its cocktails are cheap, they're far (very, very far) from fabulous.

Retro Club,
Asian Heritage Row, Kuala Lumpur.

Telawi Street Bar,
33A, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur.

Kinme Sashimi & Grill Bar @ Bukit Damansara

This sparkling specialist in raw seafood & grilled meat recently debuted at a relatively inconspicuous section of Plaza Damansara, but strong word-of-mouth should swiftly seduce swarms of sashimi-worshipers.

Our top tip here: Chef Voon's Nigiri Special, an ever-evolving selection of showstopping sushi.

Patrons might receive the luscious likes of tuna belly anointed with fermented mushroom puree, or perhaps a king's ransom of scallops crowned with sea urchin.

Or maybe Kinme's signature golden-eye snapper complemented by citrus onion jam, or shrimp coated with mentaiko or red snapper with seaweed paste. The list is inventive & illustriously long.

Each piece clocks in north of RM10, with what seems like a minimum order of six. Chef Voon (formerly of Hilton's Iketeru) creates a tour de force of sushi; the fish & rice would be fulfilling on their own, but the toppings prove masterful matches. Greater than the sum of its parts.

But what prevents Kinme from soaring to the heights of, say, Sushi Hinata (our top 2013 Japanese discovery so far) might be a couple of mediocrities on the menu. The mini bara chirashi is nicely priced at RM23 nett, but its nuances teeter toward blandness.

Thankfully though, the grilled fare here is great; we'll save the skewered chicken parts for a future blog entry, but the juicy-hot whole quail (RM6) deserves an immediate showcase.

Quail eggs? Count us in. Kinme focuses on its specialties, so the menu's kept suitably small, with no trace of tempura, teppanyaki & other distractions.

Skewered grilled garlic (RM3.50). Kinme's a no-pork restaurant; the hog's not needed here. 

Plum wine for a satisfying meal. Service is OK, but try to get the attention of the more experienced-looking members of the service team.

Kinme opens for lunch & dinner, except Sundays.

Kinme Sashimi & Grill Bar @ Plaza Damansara,

67, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. Beside Canton Fare.

Tel: 03-2093-8153