SS15's Best: Japanese Restaurants

Situated above a laundromat along Jalan SS15/4, this yakitori bar is famed for its charcoal grilled delicacies. If you're up for a little smoke in your eyes, take the bar seat for a first class view of your skewers. Yakitori choices (from RM3 per stick) include more adventurous cuts like chicken gizzards, but we suggest you go easy on the exotic picks and go for classics like the Gyuniku (RM12), grilled beef ribs, and Kawa (RM3), smooth, salted chicken skin. Get your intake of vegetables with the complimentary sides of potato and cabbage salads, and end your meal with the Sumi-Ka Pudding (RM6), which features a bittersweet caramelised top. Reservations are necessary.
Avg Price: RM60

Leading the stretch of Japanese joints along Jalan SS15/5A, Tomoe is perfect for groups and families who want to park and eat in peace. The restaurant greets you with lots of valet parking spaces (tip them any amount) and the easeful experience continues inside with seats galore (no tip required!). An omakase menu and a variety of air-flown sashimi are available but for something more filling that would still satiate your fresh fish cravings, try the Kaisen Don (RM45) — vinegared rice with fresh seafood including salmon, tuna, amber jack and salmon roe. You might also want to have a go at the varied selection of sushi, ranging from the humble tastiness of Inari (RM4) to premium Nama Uni (RM35).
Avg Price: RM50

Expect some seriously tasty beef at this restaurant. Meat lovers will have a field day choosing from the lavish Wagyu Specials (from RM88) — the beef is cooked using different techniques to best showcase the meat. If you're not into that, there's plenty more to pick from the extensive menu. Try the Avocado To Unagi Harumaki (RM30), a heavenly match of avocado and eel wrapped in a rice paper roll, or keep to the classics with a California Roll (RM18) or the super fresh Bara Chirashi Don (RM40).
Avg Price: RM80

With its classy ambience and private booth seats, Hyotan is an ideal spot for your next Japanese dinner date. Start the night by sharing a Hyotan Bento (RM45) that comes in four variations — choose from combinations of salmon sashimi, tempura, grilled unagi, fried chicken, croquette and deep fried tofu. The set menu also gets you your penny’s worth of chawanmushi, white rice, pickles and a side salad. For something different, go for the Ochazuke (From RM10). The dish of green tea poured over rice is likened to a Japanese version of Hakka lei cha.
Avg Price: RM45

Rakuzen's new outlet at SS15 Courtyard promises to deliver the same consistently good food they're known for. Crank up the heat with the Cranky Salmon Roll (RM20), which pleases with spicy mayonnaise, salmon and crispy chips, or go for the Surumeika Sugatayaki (RM20), a delicious whole grilled squid. Finish with the Sakura Ebi Chahan (RM15) — the Sakura shrimps add an addictive crunch to the fried rice. Pro tip: Make reservations for groups of three or more.
Avg Price: RM35

Touted as one of SS15’s oldest Japanese restaurants, Kin Ryu Tei has been around for over 20 years. Get a seat at the bar to watch the chef expertly prepare sushi and sashimi orders. There are shareable plates of classic uramaki rolls and Chinese-influenced chuka ryori dishes, but the reasonably priced lunch sets are the true draw. The Gyoza Ramen Set (RM22) comes with a bowl of shoyu ramen and delicate gyoza, while the Tempura Sashimi Set (RM38) includes batter-fried vegetables and prawn, served with sashimi. Each set comes with chawanmushi, salad and fruit of the day.
Avg Price: RM30