12 Japanese restaurants for omakase meals in KL and Selangor

Go off the menu and leave your meal entirely in the hands of these maestros of Japanese cuisine, who prepare set lunches and dinners according to what’s fresh and seasonal, with twists that illustrate innovative surprises.

1. Sou Omakase Dining at The Gardens Mall

This new restaurant specialises exclusively in the art of omakase – there’s no a la carte menu, so Yokohama-born executive chef Fukuchi and his team have full power to create dishes that might comprise the likes of juicy lamb, grilled abalone, tuna collar and foie gras chawanmushi.

Read review: Sou Omakase Dining at the Gardens Mall

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2. Oribe Sushi at Vipod Residence

KL’s best bet for a cornucopia of seafood sourced from Japan, with Chef Hideaki Oritsuki delivering masterworks out of luscious servings of Hiroshima oysters, buttery shirako and flaky flounder.

Read review: Oribe Sushi at Vipod Residences

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3. Hanare at The Intermark

Hanare’s omakase bounty features an ever-changing selection of delights for Japanese food lovers, with carefully sourced fresh ingredients prepared in revelatory ways that let their natural nuances shine, making us feel almost like we’re tasting them for the first time, from boiled broad beans (sora-mame) to ‘jelly ear’ fungus (kikurage), surf clams with miso vinaigrette (aoyagi) to monkfish liver (ankimo).

Read review: 2015 Omakase and Suhi Bar at Hanare at The Intermark

Find: Contact details and map for Hanare Japanese Restaurant

4. Manmaru at Atria Shopping Gallery

Manmaru gives its chef free rein to unleash his imagination through specials such as a platter that evokes a kaleidoscopic garden flowing with fresh produce from both underwater and on land – a centrepiece of sea urchin over silken soft fresh ‘yuba’ bean curd sheets, surrounded by eel and octopus tentacles mingling with edible flowers and edamame.

Read review: Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar at Atria Shopping Gallery

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5. Chiyo Sushi at Bandar Sunway

Chiyo Sushi thrives on the art of omakase – leave the meal completely in the hands of a small team of Malaysian chefs who have more than a decade of experience at various Japanese restaurants. It’s likely to be nearly two hours well spent, kicking off with starters that showcase a respectable collection of delicate Japanese flavours to whet the appetite for more.

Read review: Chiyo Sushi at Bandar Sunway

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6. Kame Sushi at Desa Sri Hartamas

The spirit of omakase burns brightly at Kame Sushi, where customers can feast on a chef’s selection that’s certifiably fine and fresh. With no menu, the man behind the counter decides what to serve – hope for Hokkaido crabs, filled with savoury, ecstasy-inducing roe and sweet, easy-to-eat flesh.

Find: Contact details and map for Kame Sushi

7. Uroko at Section 17, Petaling Jaya

Omakase sets from RM150++ onwards at Section 17’s new Japanese hangout, complementing an a la carte menu that already showcases signs of ambition with offerings like salmon-wrapped foie gras.

Read review: Uroko Japanese Cuisine at Section 17

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8. Ginza Sushimasa at Le Meridien

Expect course after course of sushi and other mainly seafood delicacies tackled with the ultimate expertise by chefs Murakami and Tanaka – perhaps seared Kobe beef adorned with sea urchin, cod milt tempura, fugu fish terrine and gorgeously juicy-briny Japanese abalone.

Read review: Ginza Sushimasa at Le Meridien

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9. Nobu KL

Nobu is sure to spring several surprises for its chef’s omakase selection, befitting its reputation as one of the world’s leading Japanese restaurant brands.

Read review: Going vegetarian at Nobu KL

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10. Haru at Bukit Damansara

Haru’s Chef Oreo has refined his skills at restaurants in Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido, with an eye toward channelling that experience in creative ways at this KL restaurant.

Read review: Haru Japanese Restaurant

Find: Contact details and map for Haru Japanese Restaurant