Take the floor
A word of warning: don’t bring an indecisive dining companion with you to the fourth floor of Isetan The Japan Store Kuala Lumpur at Lot 10. With five restaurants at The Table to choose from, each showcasing a different style of washoku or Japanese traditional cuisine, selecting a place to eat can potentially explode into a full-fledged debate.
All five restaurants are an extension of renowned Japanese culinary establishments, making their Malaysian debuts – and for some, their first appearances in Southeast Asia. Sushi Azabu – The Table’s most high-profile eatery – brings its beautifully executed sushi all the way from its Michelin-starred subterranean den in New York City. The Chef’s Specialty Choice course (RM420) is a finely honed demonstration of what can be achieved with the freshest Japanese produce and omotenashi, the art of selfless hospitality.
For those who enjoy a more hands-on meal, Yakiniku Toraji (RM 280 for a Premium Course menu) provides the thrill of the grill with its thick-cut meat and moreish barbecue sauce. Toriden’s mizutaki chicken hot pot offers a steamier alternative (RM 180 for a generously proportioned Matsu Course), bolstered by lashings of yuzu and ponzu sauces, and crispy Kyushu-bred chicken tempura.
At Tonkatsu Anzu, you won’t find plumper, tenderer tonkatsu in the city than the Limited Katsu Sets (RM 48-55), which consist of specially reared and aged, chef-selected Gin-Jo- Pork cuts. Whichever savoury delights you opt for, you certainly won’t want to skip The Tokyo Restaurant afterwards, which boasts its famously creamy, unctuous 6th Avenue cheesecake with a lightly caramelised exterior.
A sixth restaurant is due to join the coterie at a later date, so there’s plenty more to look forward to at The Table – bearing that in mind, you might want to get a head-start now.
