MUST-TRY: AUTHENTIC JAPANESE DINING IN IKETERU

If you haven't already known, I'm a big fan of Japanese food! Sashimi, sushi, maki, soba, matcha...Japanese food tastes like heaven to me.

I was invited to Iketeru at Hilton KL for an authentic Japanese dining with my friend, Joanne. Iketeru has many years of history and has maintained its reputation as one of the best Japanese restaurants in town. It was a Thursday night, and the restaurant was filled with patrons, enjoying their fine Japanese dishes with some really authentic-flavoured ocha over hearty conversations.

And after having it tried myself, I finally know why people love Iketeru.

Starting off with the ambiance, Iketeru has some authentic Japanese set-ups (both indoor and outdoor) and they are occupied most of the time. Their outdoor area features a serene Japanese garden with a small waterfall - really calm and beautiful. (But unfortunately, I couldn't take pictures of it because it was already dark during my visit)

Let's talk about the menu.

Iketeru offers an extensive selection of Japanese delicacies, from their signature Omakase Courses to Ala carte such as sashimi, sushi rolls, steamed pots, grilled dishes, udons and sobas, etc. Impressive.

Click HERE for the full menu.

Now, let me share with you what we had.

A tableful of mouthwatering Japanese delicacies. This is what defines happiness. 

Okay, so I ordered an SUZU KAISEKI Omakase course (premium sushi course) which consists of an appetizer, sashimi platter, simmered dish, grilled dish, assorted sushi and dessert. 

This is the sashimi platter that came with my course. Every piece was so delicate in texture and fresh in taste. There was no "fishy" smell or taste at all.

This was the grilled fish with smoked duck and gingered-seaweed. I have no idea what fish is this, but it tasted really fresh and smoky at the same time!

And then, we have the assorted sushi platter - everything was chef selection, which makes it really special and surprising because you will never know what you're gonna get. But, every piece was art. Fresh. Firm. Fantastic.

Uni (a.k.a. sea urchin) is an exotic food in a Japanese restaurant. While it was loved by some people. it was also hated by some people. For me, I had a bad experience having it in a random sushi restaurant in which it tasted freaking gross and bitter. So I was pretty skeptical when I had to try this in Iketeru. I stuffed it into my mouth without second thoughts, and was immediately relieved. WHY? Because not only did it not leave any gross aftertaste in my mouth, it actually tasted really creamy and rich but not in the negative way!

Ending the course with a sweet treat - matcha ice-cream with fruits and red bean. This is honestly so good that I feel like having a second cup! The matcha ice-cream was rich in taste, and the sweetened red beans were a perfect match.

Apart from the omakase course, we also ordered a Spider Roll for sharing. The soft-shell crab was crispy and fried to perfection. As a fan of soft-shell crab maki, I have to say, this is really the best one that I've had.

Also, we ordered Unagi Roll. It was sliced and grilled to perfection. And every bite was flavourful and soft. 

My dining experience in Iketeru was nothing short of amazing!!

If you are looking for an authentic Japanese restaurant, I would highly recommend Iketeru. You get what you pay for. And I promise you will not regret.

Disclaimer: I was a guest in Iketeru, but I'm not paid or asked to blog about this. All opinions are my own!