GEN JAPANESE RESTAURANT,
Sunway Putra Hotel Kuala Lumpur,
Level 10,
100, Jalan Putra,
50350,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Tel: +60 3 4040 9888
Business hours: 11am-3pm
and 6pm-10.30pm, closed on Sundays.
IF you are looking to grab lunch in a Japanese setting with a scenic view of the KL skyline, head over to the Gen Japanese restaurant.
The restaurant, located in Sunway Putra Hotel, recently launched a lunch buffet promotion from Mondays to Fridays led by Chef Lau Yeou Sin.
The lunch buffet has a selection of 50 dishes that are rotated on a daily basis. There are six signature dishes that are consistent staples on the menu.
The signature dishes are the the California Maki (California Roll) (top pic), Saba Shio-yaki (Grilled Fillet of Blue Mackerel with Salt), Ebi tempura (Prawn Tempura), Tori Teriyaki (Baked Boneless Chicken Leg with Teriyaki Sauce), Lamb of Rack with Rosemary Mustard and the Braised Mixed Mushroom with Green Vegetables.
While the restaurant has a regular seating area, diners can opt for a private dining experience in the tatami rooms.
Gen has a total of five tatami rooms; the largest can accommodate 12 diners, while the others can hold six diners each.
Diners can enjoy the view of the KL skyline while dining on the dishes from the buffet.
The rooms come with traditional Japanese low tables. Diners can choose to sit as they usually would, but they can opt to sit seiza-style.
There was a sliding door in the room that led out to the Japanese garden where diners can take in the beautiful view of the KL skyline.
The Japanese garden is pretty spacious and is often reserved for private functions.
After marvelling at the view of the KL skyline, we had the opportunity to feast on some of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
We started with the Tori Teriyaki (Baked Boneless Chicken Leg with Teriyaki Sauce). The chicken was perfectly seasoned, and there was a good amount of teriyaki sauce.
Diners should try the tempura.
The Saba Shio-yaki, a classic Japanese Mackerel dish, was seasoned nicely, with hints of lemon coming through. The peppers in the dish gave it a slight kick.
My favourite was the salmon sashimi. The sashimi served was fresh and came in thick slices.
There’s also the California Maki (top pic), a typical dish found at most Japanese restaurants. The California Maki was freshly prepared by Chef Kevin Chin, and was served with a garnish that added a hint of freshness.
I was delighted by the crispy and crunchy texture of the Ebi Tempura. The tempura at Gen was fresh and lacked that oily aftertaste.
In addition to the sushi and sashimi section, the lunch buffet also has a salad, fruit, soup, other mains and a dessert section.
The salmon sashimi was fresh and came in thick slices.
For dessert, there were cakes, tarts, jellies, puddings and ice-cream. Wanting to stay true to Japanese flavours, I tried the green tea ice-cream topped with adzuki beans (red beans).
The ice-cream was nice, but I found myself quite taken to the green tea pudding. The pudding was smooth and the flavour of the green tea was just right, making for a perfect end to the meal.
The lunch promotion is a solution for those looking for a quick, tasty yet reasonably-priced Japanese lunch. Service at Gen was quick and easy, as diners can simply pop in for a quick lunch.
Diners can opt for the traditional green tea pudding or the sweet strawberry alternative.
The lunch buffet is priced at RM48 for adults and RM24 for kids age 12 and below. Children ages 3 and below eat for free.
Gen is also famous for its weekend buffet dinners and its bento business lunch promotion.
