NICHI IZAKAYA & DEN KAISEKI — Restaurant in Bandung City

My significant other and I had dinner at this place during what one of the waiters claimed to be "the busiest night".

From the minute we were seated, we weren't greeted properly and had to ask for the menu twice before being given the chance to order. The waitress also left our table in the middle of taking the orders. She was also mostly confused about the sake menu, but fortunately we are familiar with sake pairings so it didn't become such a problem.

The first thing that got to our table was 'nami karubii' (short ribs). It wasn't served hot (surprising isn't it? seeing it's supposed to be grilled), but we tolerated it because we were starved. The condiments apparently weren't prepared for our table and we didn't know until the waiter came with another one of our order 'togarashi' (chuck tender) and told us we were supposed to be given condiments along with the meat. Still, we tolerated it. Then the tempura came in. In terms of quality, the food was mediocre at best, but truthfully it was probably the best thing on the menu that evening because at least it was served hot and in a proper manner compared to all the other fiasco that night.

At that point we continuously and consistently asked for white rice, which arguably is supposed to be a main dish in Japanese restaurant but it took them 45 minutes just to serve us two bowls of white rice. Each time the waiter was asked about it, we were asked to wait for "15 minutes" and by the time the third waiter came to give the same reply it was already 45 minutes into dinner. That was our first complain to the staff, and at the same time another person from another table complained of the same situation where she had ordered 'salmon aburi' and had to wait for more than 40 minutes for it. Several waiters came to our table trying to mitigate the situation but every time they came in with the classic excuse of "it's a busy night". NOT ONCE was an apology issued to us, and in the business of customer service the least a restaurant can do due to bad service is apologize to the customer. We weren't even reserved that courtesy.

While we waited for our rice, our order of 'salmon aburi' came in. What is supposed to be one of the most basic sushi dish in a Japanese restaurant was served at best "okay". Its serving only came in four pieces, and the sushi easily fell apart because the vegetables in it were soaking wet. Then, finally, after 50 minutes or so the rice came. Still, there was no apology issued but after the way we were treated terribly that night we didn't expect anything anymore. Interestingly, our arguably easiest order to prepare which was 'nichi sashimi moriawase' which was detailed as "assorted of 5 types selection fresh sliced raw fish and seafood" came in with a rancid tako or octopus slices and passable appearance at best. We asked the chef to take a look, and he amicably agreed to replace the meat with tuna. The question is, why serve it bad in the first place? That was the unforgivable line.

Ultimately, we asked for our bill and the bill came in with the wrong order. When we tried to correct the staff, they claimed we had no idea what we ordered.

So after an absolutely TERRIBLE night of dining there, we contacted the owner via social media to which he replied to all of our feedbacks and criticism with anger even stating that we as customers need to go to Tokyo ourselves to truly understand their way of serving. Had it been a fair chance, the least the restaurant and owner can do was apologize but to this day we never received a single apology. It truly reflects on the quality of the restaurant, and even this is not a personal attack. It's simply the truth of an awful quality of restaurant shamefully hiding behind newly designed interiors.

Never would we ever recommend anyone to walk into this restaurant unless further changes have been made, and an acknowledgement to their failures might be the first step they can take if only they were big enough to ground themselves...

How do I say this. The food here was very mediocre with high prices (bled my wallet coming here). Maybe it's because I'm not used to authentic Japanese food---but I really can't say that because I've been to Japan and the food was really good. The most dissapointing meal for me was the mushroom porridge. It smelled really nice but when I took a bite of it, the porridge was really salty---like super salty. It felt like the chef accidently poured in a can of seasoning powder. In addition to that, It was also REALLY sweet. I could barely taste the mushroom and the texture was very similar to/like baby food. We told the waiter and the waiter apologized and replaced the mushroom porridge but when the replacement came...turns out, the chef just poured and mixed in extra plain porridge to balance the taste out (face palm). The porridge just became sweet, absolutely flavorless other than the sugar in it. Though, there are good aspects to this restaurant as well. The design of the restaurant was very nice. You can choose to dine indoor and dine outdoor. The staff was also friendly, they guide you to your table and were very polite. Good aspects for the food were the tempura and the yakitori set. That, I may say was very worth it. The price for the tempura and yakitori selection was very reasonable as the portion given was also very large. However, the sushi items such as the salmon mentai, salmon bomb and tobiko gunkan was very underwhelming. The price was sky high while the salmon was as thin as paper. From my expectation upon seeing the price, anyone would have expected to receive a large slab of salmon on the sushi rice, but when the dish came...it truly was dissapointing. Thin salmon with a large portion of rice...my goodness. The bone marrow ramen had a very salty soup base too. Not really special or a show stopper. The yakitori and tempura, I very well recommend though. I think this place can be recommended as a drinking place since all the food that compliments alcohol seems very tasty. Overall, the restaurant had a very great and luxurious design but the food (especially the porridge and sushi section), I would not recommend. Yakitori and tempura was very good, maybe when I come back I'll...

Mixed Feelings at Authentic Japanese Eatery

Nestled in the heart of Bandung, this Japanese gem promises an authentic culinary journey with a mix of hits and misses. While some aspects shine, others fall short, earning it a modest rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

Let’s start with the highlights: the teriyaki boasts a delightful flavor profile, striking the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Each bite is a testament to the chef’s skill, leaving you craving for more. The ramen and Japanese coffee also hold their own, offering satisfactory options for those craving a taste of Japan.

However, not all dishes hit the mark. While the salad is decent, the portion leaves much to be desired, leaving diners wanting more. Moreover, the wait for food can be excruciatingly long, with some dishes taking up to an hour to arrive. To make matters worse, reminders are often necessary to ensure that all orders are fulfilled—a glaring flaw in the dining experience.

Despite the culinary hiccups, the restaurant’s ambiance manages to salvage the experience. The cozy atmosphere sets the stage for an enjoyable meal, transporting diners to the bustling streets of Japan. However, the charm is marred by lackluster service, with waitstaff appearing disinterested and eager to rush through the dining experience.

In summary, while this Japanese eatery offers glimpses of culinary excellence and a charming atmosphere, it falls short in terms of service and consistency. For those willing to overlook the shortcomings, it can still be a worthwhile dining destination. However, improvements in service and consistency are necessary to elevate it to true...