Review: Kyomo

We recently paid a long-overdue return visit to Kyomo, a standout Japanese yakiniku restaurant in Desa Sri Hartamas that was once known as Shin Nihon. Under both that name and its newer Kyomo rebranding, in just a few short years, this dining hotspot has truly cemented its reputation as one of the finest Japanese charcoal grill establishments in Malaysia. The concept, service, and ambiance all hit the mark perfectly (and consistently), making it a must-visit for those who appreciate top-quality grilled meats. Given that the restaurant’s Japanese parent company operates numerous successful outlets in Tokyo – along with several more here in KL – it’s no surprise that Kyomo excels in delivering an authentic and memorable dining experience.

In Desa Sri Hartamas, Kyomo is hard to miss

Arriving on a weeknight, we found the restaurant already abuzz with activity. To accommodate its growing popularity, Kyomo has expanded its dining areas rather substantially, including a selection of private rooms designed with minimalist Japanese elegance. These rooms are now in even greater demand than before, particularly on weekends, so reservations are highly recommended. The restaurant also upholds impeccable hygiene and service standards, ensuring a comfortable dining experience for all guests.

As a yakiniku restaurant – which literally means “grilled meat” – Kyomo specializes in premium Wagyu beef, offering both Japanese Wagyu and the slightly more affordable but still excellent Australian Wagyu. The restaurant purchases entire cows from its suppliers, allowing the head chef to curate a selection of cuts daily. Depending on the number of diners in your party, there are various options, ranging from 100g portions to an indulgent 1,000g sampler (RM950), featuring 10 different exquisite cuts of premium funa mori Wagyu, all beautifully arranged on a striking wooden boat platter.

An array of appealing presentation methods makes the experience even better

For our meal, we opted for the 400g Nihonbashi ‘Modern Cut of Japan’ Wagyu selection (RM380), with eight different cuts presented on an elegant wooden spiral staircase-like display. To complement the rich, marbled beef, which we grilled at our table, we ordered the signature Kale Salad (RM30), a fresh and crisp offering with a house-made dressing, and a few other treats from the menu, like the Avocado & Wagyu Sushi (RM45).

We selected a 400g option comprising eight different cuts of Wagyu

Adding to our spread, we sampled the new ‘Gift-Wrapped Tongue’ (RM10/pc), a perhaps less-than-alluring name for a little parcel of minced spring onion wrapped in a wee parcel of thin-sliced Wagyu tongue. We didn’t know quite what to expect when we ordered, but after a quick sear on the grill, this was an absolute delicacy. It’s an ongoing trend in Tokyo now, so it’s a true delight to see it offered here in KL.

After grilling, these ‘Gift-Wrapped Tongue’ parcels were decadently delicious

Speaking of the grill, Kyomo’s grilling setup is most impressive, with custom-made Japanese charcoal grills placed at each table. Shiny extraction tubes hover overhead, efficiently whisking away smoke while ensuring the perfect grilling environment. The high-temperature charcoal allows the beef to sear beautifully in seconds, locking in juices and intensifying the flavour. Diners can choose to handle the grilling themselves or let the attentive staff assist.

While condiments rarely merit or a receive a mention, those offered at Kyomo need to be recognized. Each diner is presented with condiments that include a very special salt, seasoned wasabi, a signature house sauce comprising 17 different ingredients, and a green onion soy sauce. These are all for enlivening the meat and enhancing the flavours, and every one does the job masterfully. Salt is an essential ingredient for enriching the flavour of premium grades and cuts of beef and yet, it is a commodity that appears to be disappearing from Malaysian dining tables. Here, the restaurant has sourced white rock salt from the salt fields of coastal Brittany in France. We assume these delicate flakes of sea salt are from Guérande. Brittany’s ‘white gold’ has been a highly sought-after luxury product since the Roman era. Initially a preserving agent, it is now enhances fine cuts of meat especially prime Japanese cuts of beef. The Kyomo chefs have taken this high-grade salt and refined it into what looks like snow powder as it is so fine. A few tiny pinches of this and the meat turns from fabulous to fantastic.

Each diner gets an assortment of excellent condiments to enhance the beef’s flavour

Kyomo offers an extensive beverage selection, from teas and soft drinks to an impressive array of sake and Japanese whisky highballs (as well as highballs made with Jim Beam), and to lesser extent, a selection of wines. For the highballs, a fun promotion lets diners try their luck with a dice game – rolling two dice with the same numbers gets you a free regular-size Suntory or Jim Beam whisky highball, while an even-number total gets you one at half-price. (Menu price is RM18/RM22; Jim Beam/Suntory). Rolling the dice with a total that’s an odd number mandates that you opt for a whopping 700mL “Mega” highball for RM35 or RM43 (Jim Beam/Suntory; the regular price). We worked out the odds with the help of ChatGPT, or so we thought, and tried our luck but quickly lost track of the math after a couple of refreshing drinks!

For a restaurant that features premium beef, the selection of wines is surprisingly limited. Sake appears to be the beverage of choice here, which makes sense of course, with an entire page of the beverage menu devoted to sake while there are just a handful of red wines and one unnamed white wine. While there isn’t a house white by the glass, the unnamed house red is available at a reasonable RM25 per glass or just RM110 per bottle.

Four other red wines are available by the bottle including one from Spain, along with Australian, French, and Chilean choices. While they are not premium wines, they serve the purpose and are well priced. Diners may bring along their own bottle with a modest corkage charge applied.

Though red wines capably complement the grilled meats, there are many more sake selections on Kyomo’s menu

Viña Pomal Crianza is a flavoursome red wine made from Tempranillo grapes in Spain’s Rioja region. It is from the cellars of Bodegas Bilbaínas in Haro near the historic heart of Rioja Alta. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of traditional Rioja winemaking and high-altitude vineyard influence, ensuring freshness and complexity. Viña Pomal maintains a rigorous grape selection process, resulting in a wine with depth, consistency and a clear expression of the high altitude.

Being a crianza, it is aged for 12 months in American oak followed by at least six months in the bottle before being released to the market. It delivers a structured yet balanced profile, with deep cherry and ruby hues. Aromas of blackberries, liquorice, and violets, alongside subtle vanilla and toasted oak notes are evident on the nose. On the palate, it delivers firm tannins, moderate acidity, and a lingering finish with hints of spice and cocoa. It pairs well with the rich barbecued meats at Kyomo.

Diners can also enjoy their meal with a bottle of Penfolds Koonunga Hill (Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, RM150), PengWine Rockhopper (Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère, RM180), or Château La Gamaye (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, RM170).

Though Wagyu is the undeniable star at Kyomo, the menu includes a variety of other dishes, from rice and noodles to vegetable and fried selections. While dining here isn’t cheap – a proper yakiniku experience will likely set you back RM120-150 per person at a minimum, excluding drinks – the quality absolutely justifies the price. The restaurant’s mastery in selecting, preparing, and presenting Wagyu beef makes it an essential destination for yakiniku lovers.

To end the meal on a sweet note, we chose the Japanese Special Mango Cake (RM16) and the Yuzu Shaved Ice with Mango (RM20). Though the mango sponge cake is apparently wildly popular in Japan – and certainly a tasty treat – we found ourselves preferring the cool, enjoyable shaved ice dessert. The yuzu and mango worked really well together, and the addition of warabi mochi and some fresh whipped cream on the side just made the whole thing that much better!

We loved our dining experience at Kyomo, as has always been the case, and can enthusiastically recommend it for anyone who is keen to enjoy savouring some premium-quality Japanese (and Australian) Wagyu, grilled over a searing-hot charcoal grill. The yakiniku experience here really is second to none. Kyomo is open for dinner daily and also serves lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. If you’re craving authentic Japanese yakiniku, this is as close as you’ll get without booking a flight to Tokyo.