Saisaki at Wisma UOA II: Restaurant review

The old face of Japanese buffets: We had many enjoyable meals at Saisaki more than a decade ago, back when we were still working in the city centre. This all-buffet-everyday restaurant is still humming along like a well-oiled machine, packing in the crowds, particularly families (heavy discounts for the very young and slightly old are probably key). Buffet prices vary, dipping to as low as RM57 for adults for weekday lunches and as high as RM74 for weekend dinners.

A myriad of temptations

The counters still heave with temptations galore, encompassing essentials like sashimi, sushi, tempura & beyond. Shellfish is a highlight, both raw and cooked. Once upon a time, Saisaki served terrific unagi – heaps of it, warm, tender and nicely flavoursome – you’ll still find eel here, but it now tastes closer to dried-out teriyaki chicken.

Favourites

Still, most other items are sufficiently well-prepared for a buffet (our favourites for one recent evening included juicy grilled salmon belly, crispy fried salmon skin, breaded shishamo, salted egg yolk crabs and tempura soft-shell crabs – we should have taken more of the last one), with some Chinese favourites thrown in for good measure (versions of Buddha Jumps Over The Wall, braised sea cucumber, and scrambled eggs with imitation shark fins).