Revisiting Japanese Food @ Ju.Ne Japanese Restaurant, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur

chirashi sushi


Strange.


It is going to come up to one year since I first posted on Ju.Ne Japanese Restaurant at Solaris Dutamas.


I had ended last year's post to say I'll be back.


Well, we did return but not in a Terminator fashion with guns blazing.


Instead visits to this place have been peppered with a chorus of approvals from my friends.


This included a particular friend who missed her regular hangout place, Kampachi at Equatorial Hotel since the hotel closed down.



Love the hamachi here, so fresh!


Everyone is of the consensus that the sashimi served here is super fresh. A favourite order is the hamachi sashimi (RM38 for 6 pieces), each thick piece that we slowly relish.


On another occasion, we sampled the assorted sashimi (RM48) that was a good mix of fresh fish on a bed of seaweed.


I'm always partial to rice and sashimi hence I had the kaisen chirashi don (RM35) that comes in a zen-like white bowl. It is a nice assortment of raw fish such as ikura, prawns, salmon and cuttlefish. 



negitoro yukke garlic toast


I do like their balanced menu, a mix of innovative appetizers served side by side with traditional Japanese favourites.


The garden salad dip with anchovy sauce (RM19) is a nifty way to get you crunching down on your greens. The fresh vegetables are kept cool on a bed of ice and served with a creamy anchovy sauce kept warm over a burner. The sauce is so addictive that you find yourself unconsciously finishing all the vegetables on the platter just to scoop up that moreish tasting item. 


Another interesting salad is the tataki kyuuri momotaro (RM10), a mix of smashed up Japanese cucumber and the sweet Momotaro tomato with a red miso dip and mayonnaise.



minced prawn with lotus root 


Multiple visits have also let us zoned in on some favourites such as the negitoro yukke garlic toast (RM23). Think minced tuna tartar that is used to top crunchy thin garlic toast. Yummy indeed.


Then there is the minced prawn with lotus root (RM19), an interesting stuffed fritter with lotus root that is served with green tea powder, salt and Japanese pepper. 



torino shioyaki


We also enjoy crispy fried chicken or torino shioyaki (RM18) served with salt, red miso and deep-fried garlic pips. On another occasion, the toro toro, a kind of soupy beef stew (RM16) with tendons and potatoes was a big comfort to the tummy.


Some of the stalwart favourites such as saba shioyaki (RM17) is also done well here, juicy piece of fish that you eat with grated daikon.



tataki kyuuri momotaro


Not everything hits the spot for us. Some of us felt the chanko nabe (RM64), the pot of vegetables cooked in either a salt, soy or miso based broth was a bit strange. We had sampled the soy version and instead of the sweet broth we are used to for sukiyaki, this one has a slight bitter aftertaste. 


Nevertheless, that pot makes an excellent one meal for 2-3 people as after you have almost finished, they add either udon or rice to make it in a porridge or zousui, as it is called in Japanese.



cold al dente cooked soba noodles


End the meal with a cool one - dipping soba noodles (RM13) in the soy sauce. The texture of the noodles is perfectly al dente, that reminds me of Kampachi's exacting standards long ago. Even the soy sauce dip is a nice balance of salty flavours with the heat from the wasabi and the sliced shallots.


And yes, we will definitely be back many more times. Not to only sample new items but to revisit all those old favourites. Give it a try the next time you pop into the maze of the complex. 


This place definitely qualifies as one of the better Japanese restaurants in town. And yes, there is a slew of Japanese men outfitted in their suits eating away here so it has the expatriate crowd's stamp of approval too. 


Ju.ne Japanese Restaurant
Block A4, Level G2
Unit 4A-G2-3A
Solaris Dutamas
No. 1 Jalan Dutamas 1
Kuala Lumpur


Tel: 03 - 6207 9923


(Pork Free. Closed on Tuesdays. Open from 12-3pm, 6-11pm. Last order is 10.30pm. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.)


*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.