It’s not every day that we venture out to Subang Jaya. You see, living around the Bangsar area can sometimes make you live in a bubble. And sometimes you just need to pop out of that bubble and explore what the rest of Kuala Lumpur has on offer… and thank goodness for that. Otherwise we would not have discovered Uroko, a quality Japanese restaurant with a lovely designed space, located in the heart of Subang Jaya.
A collaboration between food lovers and designers, Uroko is an amalgamation of a beautifully designed space and great food, that will make you want to stay a little bit longer and kampai to the next sake.
From the moment we walked into Uroko, to the moment we finished our meal and left, Hubby and I were satisfied by the quality of the food. It’s Japanese comfort food with all the usual favorites and a dash of unique creations by the creative team of Uroko.
The word ‘Uroko’ means fish scales, which has served as the main inspiration behind the beautiful design of the restaurant. We visited their Nova Saujana branch in Subang Jaya, which is Uroko’s second outlet.
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Uroko Japanese Restaurant, A Beautifully Designed Restaurant
The restaurant is filled with custom designed furniture created specifically for Uroko to fit the design of the space…so not only does the furniture fit beautifully, but it’s comfortable to sit. And when you’re comfortable, it makes the food experience all the more brilliant.
The lighting of the space is nicely dim, creating a cosy atmosphere so you don’t feel isolated yet you don’t feel like you’re surrounded by crowds of people. There’s a lot of options for seating – from private rooms to the sushi bar to the main dining area.
The fish scale theme plays a prominent role in the design – lovely matte gold coloured wall fixtures using fish scale patterns fills the space.
But a beautiful interior is not the only thing that Uroko has going for it. The food is delicious and the quality is on-point. All the makings for a good Japanese restaurant worthy of visiting over and over again.
Delicious Japanese Comfort Food Meets Creative Twists
The menu is filled with a range of all your Japanese favorites including sashimi, sushi, tempura, noodles… you name it. However the menu doesn’t just stop there. The Uroko team have developed a range of dishes that have added creative twists to make things even more interesting. From using foie gras to creating a carpaccio inspired dish – there’s a lot of variety to tickle everyone’s fancy.
So here’s several dishes to look forward to at Uroko:
Kyuri Miso
Our meal journey began here with the Kyuri Miso (RM13 | A$4.5 | U$3) – a Japanese dip per say which was actually quite excellent. The dip was made with barley marinated with miso and an ever so slight hint of wasabi in the background.
You dip fresh sticks of cucumber into the dip – and voila – a refreshing way to begin. This was definitely surprising, and one that’s left a pleasant memory that has me craving more.
Uroko Salad
The next phase of our journey went onto a salad. I’m not rabbit and do prefer meat myself, however I did enjoy the Uroko Salad (RM29 | A$10| U$7). It is a Chef’s signature here at Uroko, and combines soft shell crab and crispy salmon skin on a bed of greens tossed in sesame dressing. The sesame dressing made it.
Jyo Sashimi Platter
No trip to a Japanese restaurant would be complete without some sort of sashimi.
Enter in the Jyo Sashimi (RM127 | A$44 | U$31), a delicious array of 6 types of sashimi based on seasonal availability – perfect for 2 people to share. The sashimi was nicely cut – a good size perfect for dipping into the soy sauce and melting in your mouth.
And surprisingly to me – the prawn was actually one of my favorites. It was beautifully sweet and paired nicely with the saltiness of the soya sauce.
Kampachi Carpaccio
Kampachi, also known as amberjack fish is thinly sliced and marinated in a lovely seasoned sauce using truffle oil and wasabi. The Kampachi Carpaccio (RM63 | A$22 | U$15) is topped with salmon roe for a wonderful finish.
This was one of our favorite picks for the day – the fish just melted in your mouth and had a lovely balance of flavors without the truffle completely overpowering. This one’s another Chef’s Signature, and for good reason.
Foie Daikon
It’s a bit unusual to see foie gras on a Japanese menu, and Uroko has pushed the boundaries here and they have done it well. This Foie Daikon (RM55 | A$19 | U$13) dish used foie gras that had an ever so slight crisp on the outside, but was nice and creamy on the inside. It sat on top of a daikon soaked in a warm broth. Was delicious!
Shabu Shabu
Shabu shabu is a Japanese style steamboat in a flavorful kombu dashi broth.
Uroko’s shabu shabu is perfect for 2 pax sharing and comes with beef, assorted vegetables, and a sesame dipping sauce. You can even take it next level and have it with a thinly sliced Japanese wagyu beef (100gm), which is some serious melt in your mouth delicious…especially when it’s dipped in Uroko’s sesame sauce.
This is great as your main dish `and perfect for sharing. And I recommend to add a side of the inaniwa udon, which pairs well with the shabu shabu broth.
The Verdict
As an expat living in Kuala Lumpur, I absolutely appreciated taking the time to visit Uroko. With a beautifully designed restaurant that’s modern and clean, has good music and delicious Japanese comfort food, it’s definitely worth the visit.
The pricing point is decent considering the quality of the food and overall space, so it doesn’t break the wallet. To make a reservation, click here.