Kuriya Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

TL;DR - this is now our new-found go-to Japanese restaurant. Perhaps it's almost sacrilegious to compare Kuriya to Hanare or Iketeru, but frankly - I had better tuna, more flavourful salmon and gobsmackingly good soba here than anywhere else. Having come back from Japan, we naturally were eager to compare the quality of the food with the fare we had in Kyoto and Tokyo. Hands-down, this is the closest meal we've eaten in KL that reminded us of the food in Japan - clean, flavourful, robust and subtle. The blended flavours yielded a unique experience indeed. We had, among others, the Unagi Tamago soba and the Mushroom infused soba. The Unagi was just amazing: delicate, rich and so fresh. The buckwheat noodles in both dishes was a delight, more so from being handmade, and the broth in which both were served was delicate without being overpowering. The grilled squid was another delight - more so because we had grilled squid in another establishment the night before and that one had the texture and flavour of vulcanized rubber (yes, tasted and felt like old tires...). What we both truly were blown away by was the Salman Zanmai - all tasting platter with all parts of the salmon presented, giving us the opportunity to both savour the freshness and flavour of the salmon and enjoy the pure artistry of the chef. It was truly mindblowingly good.

If I could, I'd give the food rating a 4.8 - purely because the dessert was such a let down. It was far too sweet, instant diabetes, I'd describe it - so much so that the flavours of the various concoctions underlying the powdered flavours was lost.

But overall, the ambience was perfect, and I must truly say - the wait staff were excellent: unobsrusive, observant, attentive and always helpful.

As an observation, let me say: we went there on a Sunday night. And it was packed. Ben's and Grand Imperial, by comparison, looked forlorn and positively lonely. That should tell you everything you need to know about Kuriya.

And hell, yes: we'll...

Kuriya has been my all-time favorite Japanese restaurant — and every visit only deepens my love for it. They take pride in using the freshest ingredients, and the quality shines through in every dish. From the beautifully arranged sashimi platter with its buttery salmon and fresh scallops, to the perfectly grilled whole squid that’s tender and smoky with just the right amount of char — every bite is pure satisfaction.

Their sushi rolls are another highlight: rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced with generous cuts of fish and just the right amount of seasoned rice. The yakitori skewers are grilled to juicy perfection, making them an irresistible treat every time. Their crispy hand rolls are also a must-try, packed with fresh ingredients and wrapped tightly in crunchy seaweed.

On top of that, Kuriya has an excellent selection of sake, and I love the fun touch of choosing our own sake cups — it always makes the experience even more special. The staff are incredibly attentive, always ready to recommend dishes and sake pairings that suit the mood of the evening.

And of course, no meal is complete without their delightful mochi dessert — soft, chewy, and the perfect sweet ending to a fantastic meal.

If you’re looking for authentic, consistent, and truly satisfying Japanese cuisine, Kuriya is the place to be. Highly...

We supposed to go somewhere for ramen, but walked pass this restaurant and the good vibes here caught my eyes so we decided to change to have our lunch here. It’s an authentic Japanese restaurant, I guess it’s running by the Japanese chef.

Tempura Seiro - The soba was really really tasty with the sauce!! I have tried soba from somewhere else, but this is the best so far! Tempura was crispy, the prawn was so fresh.

Nabeyaki Udon - The udon tastes so good and chicken thigh was tender, the soup was so flavorful.

Agedashi Tofu - The tofu was silk and tasty with the sauce.

Age Gobou - It’s tastes special, a good snack before main course.

Kuriya special roll - The roll wasn’t really that ‘special’ but taste nice.

Matcha parfait - I’m a matcha lover. The intensity of the matcha ice cream is really high. The matcha flavor and bitterness is abit strong, but if you eat it together with the red bean ball and jelly would taste perfect!

Price is above average but I would say that it’s better than those chain restaurants with high pricing food but taste just alright. Worth the value, just...