GENJI JAPANESE RESTAURANT,
Hilton Petaling Jaya,
2, Jalan Barat,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel : 03-7955 9122
Business hours: Noon to 10.30pm, daily
THE newly renovated Genji Japanese Restaurant has plenty going for it – its modern Japanese country ambience, spacious dining area, teppanyaki counters, private dining rooms and one tatami-style dining room.
To make it even more interesting, a Top 10 Favourites list of the best food voted by regulars was recently introduced.
These are also the top picks of Genji’s executive Japanese chef Richard Teoh, who focuses on “traditional-modern” cuisine, capturing distinct Japanese ingredients crafted with the latest techniques.
He insists that while tastes may change, certain basics of Japanese cooking should be maintained in the dishes.
We started with the California Salad (RM41). This was the deconstructed version of the famed California Roll, comprising garden greens with salmon, tuna, avocado, deep-fried crabsticks as garnish and flying fish roe with a tangy, spiced wasabi mayo dressing.
California Salad – garden greens with salmon, tuna, avocado, crab stick and flying fish roe with wasabi mayo dressing.
If you love sushi and sashimi, order the Sashimi Moriawase Hana (top pic) (RM233) – a fish-only set with fillets of raw salmon, tuna, kampachi and sea bream.
Everyone’s favourite was the Kaki Chilli Mayo (RM17 per piece), which was baked fresh oyster with spicy mayo.
The localised kick in the dish was Teoh’s green cili padi in the mayo sauce. A squeeze of some lemon juice and you get a burst of flavour in your mouth as you bite into it.
Kaki Chilli Mayo – baked fresh oyster with spicy mayo
If you are not a fan of oysters, the Ebi Chilli Mayo (RM70), which is baked tiger prawn with spicy mayo sauce appeals to many.
The favourite main course of many is the Gindara (RM82) – grilled black cod with salt or teriyaki sauce, suitable for lunch and dinner.
Providing a respite from the heavy flavours was a warm, soothing bowl of Buri Miso (RM33), a yellow tail fish head soup that was both comforting and wholesome.
If you have room for a hearty main dish, order the Trio Combo (RM140), a combination of rolled salmon, tuna and seabass sashimi avocado; grilled cod with salt on potato salad and baked tiger prawn with spicy mayo on garlic fried rice.
Gindara – Grilled black cod with salt or teriyaki sauce
Teppanyaki are dishes consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables cooked on a hot griddle. Genji’s bestseller – Teppanyaki Tenderloin (RM84) is cooked with garlic butter sauce and its smokey flavour hits all the right notes.
For dessert, it was hot and cold in one plate, comprising Teoh’s creation – the Banana Spring Roll (RM33) served with creamy, rich green tea ice cream.
Genji – the name is derived from a legendary nobleman of feudal Japan— has been serving Japanese cuisine at Hilton since 1988.
After its recent renovation, the restaurant on the first floor of the hotel’s East Wing, can accommodate 148 diners.
Deep fried banana with spring roll skin served with green tea ice cream
Genji has a weekend Japanese buffet on Saturday, from 8pm to 10pm, at RM139 nett per adult.
Guests who dine between 6pm and 7.45pm can enjoy the early bird price of RM127 nett per adult.
Buffet lunch is also available on Sundays from 11.30am to 2.30pm at RM139 nett per adult. Children from five to 11 years old dine at half price.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.