Manten Omakase Kuala Lumpur (KL) — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

Short version: Among the priciest omakase in KL, but my god is it worth it! Ingredients of the highest quality treated with respect by highly-skilled chefs, impeccable service and attention to detail from the entire staff, in an amazing setting on an 88th-floor rooftop in central KL with a view to die for. What more could you want?

Special thanks to Chef Daniel who curated an amazing omakase experience for us, as well as Chefs Yuen and Peka who took the time to chat and add their lovely personal touches and stories to our evening.

PS. I recommend saving it for really special occasions; had to save to afford this, which made the evening all the more worth it. (ignore if your income allows you to consume at this price point at higher frequency)

Long version:

To me, spending on omakase (at least in KL) means that you're looking for that something 'special'. Getting that 'special' with omakase requires 3 components imo:

🐟 Ingredients of the highest quality, freshness, and in-season-ness. 🧑‍🍳 A highly-skilled chef who respects the ingredients and elevates their natural qualities, and who will curate (and narrate) an experience specially for you. ❤️ A certain joie de vivre among the staff which shows that they love and take pride in hosting diners at their establishment - this really shows in their attention to detail and willingness to engage with diners at a personal level. 🏢 Bonus: An amazing setting which gives you a sense that the entire experience is out of this world - it doesn't necessarily have to be a skyscraper (could be a cozy basement); what you're looking for is that sense of being transported away from the outside world.

Manten Omakase is 💯 on every single point.

Ingredients:

My girlfriend and I came here for her birthday; I got the entry-level Tatsumaki omakase for myself, and the Inabikari omakase for her as her birthday treat. Even for the entry-level omakase, the ingredients were absolutely superb, with the menu containing high-quality fish (otoro, engawa, etc) as well as premium stuff like uni, monkfish liver, foie gras, caviar, crab, etc. The higher-level omakase was out of this world - carabinero prawns, abalone, octopus, rare uni so creamy you go to heaven with every bite, highest-quality Japanese fruit, etc.

In short, Manten has pulled off the rare feat of sending you to heaven even with their entry-level, while still elevating the more expensive sets such that you really feel that you've got your money's worth.

Chef:

We were lucky to have Chef Daniel with us for the evening; having been to a few omakase restaurants at this point, it was clear that he was impeccable - from his knife skills, rice skills, and knowledge of the ingredients. He kept up a great conversation with us the entire evening, patiently answering our many questions about the courses, and really took care to tailor the food to our specific tastes where possible. Chefs Yuen and Peka also took a lot of time to share the history and philosophy of Manten with us - really made our evening!

Worth mentioning: Manten allocates one chef per dining group, meaning that you have a chef all to yourself. To me, this is a really important part of a top omakase experience.

Service:

Faultless hospitality from start to finish. Plates were cleared promptly, green tea was refilled without needing to ask even once, and staff were attentive to many small details throughout the evening. For instance, they contacted me before I arrived to make sure that they were waiting at the lobby to bring us up to the 88th floor, they offered a scarf to my girlfriend as an alternative to wearing her jacket indoors, and they happily spent time taking some photos of us (very important, as it meant having proper photos rather than selfies only).

Setting:

Beautiful interior + 88th-floor unbeatable rooftop view of the entire KL skyline (see pic: Twin Towers, KL Tower, 118 all visible).

All-in-all, a truly unforgettable and special experience. I will definitely be back. Manten is the best omakase I've had...

🌆The restaurant is located on the 88th-floor rooftop, and I think the view of the Twin Towers from up close is amazing! I feel like evening time would be even better. You can enjoy both the daytime and nighttime scenery at once!

As for the food, I personally love these dishes:

🌟Mukouzuke (Seasonal Sashimi) – This refers to seasonal raw fish. Today’s was Scallop & Tuna Sashimi! Freshly sliced seafood paired with freshly ground wasabi, bringing out the most natural flavors of the food. 😋

🌟Seasonal Nigiri – 6 selected types of hand-pressed sushi that I absolutely adore! It’s carefully curated to start with lighter fish and gradually move to richer, fattier ones, building layers of flavors.

1️⃣ Madai (Snapper) – A lighter flavor, so it’s served first. 2️⃣ Ema Ebi (Sweet Shrimp) – Paired with salt and lime 🍋 3️⃣ Kampachi (Amberjack) – Paired with yuzu pepper, rich in fat. 4️⃣ Otoro (Bluefin Tuna belly) – Has a texture like wagyu beef. A slight sear brings out the aroma of the fish oil. 5️⃣ Mackerel – A traditional Japanese sushi ingredient. Since the fresh fish flavor is quite strong, it’s marinated with vinegar and salt. 6️⃣ Engawa (Flounder fin) – A fattier part, paired with foie gras, melting in your mouth.

🌟Last but not least, the Nagitori Don! It has tuna, uni (sea urchin), and ikura (salmon roe) – the ingredients are all fresh and sweet!...

I recently visited for an omakase experience and while I appreciate the effort of the chefs and the food quality, there are a couple of areas that I believe could be improved to enhance the overall dining experience.

Firstly, during the service, the server repeatedly mentioned (probably 4 to 5 times) that the menu we were having was the lower-priced option. While I understand this might be part of the introduction, the repeated reminders felt unnecessary and a little uncomfortable. A single, polite explanation at the start would have been sufficient.

Secondly, due to a special event, we were seated in a separate room. While I understand space adjustments are sometimes necessary, the atmosphere was affected as I noticed staff uniforms placed on top of a side chair within the dining area. This gave the space a less refined and more casual feel, which took away from the otherwise special omakase ambiance.

I believe with small adjustments in communication and attention to the dining environment, manten management can provide a more polished and consistent omakase experience...