Iketeru, Hilton Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Malaysia

Iketeru, Japanese restaurant, is such an icon in the city that it withstood the recent renovations at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur Hotel, which just saw a top to bottom facelift of most of its food and beverage outlets, and came out completely unmarred.

Iketeru boasts a magnificently serene ambience, especially when visited at night. It is accessed via the 8th floor of the hotel through a natural stone path lined with bamboo and lanterns. Manmade cascades drop into ponds, which spill over and wind around the edge of the restaurant. If weather permits a table outside is rather romantic in the evening. During the heat of the day, a table window with a cool view of the lagoon-like scene is most enticing.

Dedicated teppan grills provide live eatertainment while a separate dining area offers a more intimate setting for a la carte orders. For those wanting even more seclusion, private rooms are tastefully designed and offer traditional floor seating.

Teppanyaki, sushi and sashimi have all earned the restaurant a reputation for some of the best Japanese cuisine in Kuala Lumpur. With the help of our very knowledgeable waiter, we ordered a sampling of all three, plus a special of the day (the chef sometimes takes advantage of uncommon produce available on the market to create a dish of the day).

The Raku (RM170) allowed us to try an assortment of deluxe nigiri sushi. Featuring giant clam, surf clam, mantis prawn, yellow tail, salmon roe, marinated mackerel, tuna, white fish, tuna belly, amber jack, salmon and sea bream, we couldn’t imagine a fresher way to begin. Japanese Omelette and, Tuna Belly and Spring Onion Rolls, completed the plate providing a full range of flavours from savoury to subtly sweet.

Isaki (Grunt Fish) had been sourced from the market that morning. Utilizing the freshness on the product, the chef kept the preparation to a simple grilling with salt and a slice of lemon for seasoning. Hubby, who’s not generally particularly fond of eating fish with bones, sucked the flesh off every one.

From the teppanyaki grill we ordered the Fubuki (snow storm) “premium course”  (RM480). Chefs whipped up a gob smacking selection of delicacies including sashimi, salad, Boston lobster, foie gras, wagyu sirloin beef, sautéed vegetables, garlic fried rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables and dessert, putting together a feast to be shared.

The Fubuki appetizer arrived on a red and black tray. The solid colours served to highlight the detail and care taken in creating each piece: quartered tomatoes leaning to the side with a sprinkling of salt; a tiny round of Japanese yam (koimo) sliced like a barrel with the skin on; gingko nuts (ginan); green chili (shishitou), stuffed with fermented beans and barley with a miso paste; fried tuna chilled with fish stock and; chilled veges in a fishy dressing topped with bonito flakes. Served as tapas, I could have made an entire meal of these delicious bites.

Garlic Fried Rice, Miso Soup, Salad with a citrus ponzu dressing and, a sashimi plate of salmon, tuna belly and yellow tail, all proved delicious in their own right, but made satisfyingly delightful sides to the main dishes.

Boston Lobster, Foie Gras and Wagyu Sirloin Beef gave new meaning to the words, “premium course” – what decadence all on one plate! Each was cooked perfectly with its own dedicated sauce and presentation. Portions appeared humble, but each was so rich, that even with two of us sharing, westruggled (happily) to make it  through to the end. A tray of sauces – lemon mayonnaise, homemade chili, garlic and vinegar – shadowed the teppanyaki, but were on all accounts, unnecessary.

Dessert could not have been a more fitting closure. A tray of fresh fruit and tangy yoghurt ice cream cleansed the palate of the previous course’s gluttony, and left mouths with a refreshing sweetness.

Reason to visit: romantic night setting, teppanyaki, sushi, sashimi

8th Floor

3 Jalan Stesen Sentral

Kuala Lumpur

50470 Malaysia

+6 03 2264 2264

Lunch: 12 noon to 2:30pm

Dinner: 6:30pm to 10:30pm