Takehana @ Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur

Tucked away in one hidden corner in Plaza Mont Kiara is this Japanese Restaurant called Takehana. I do not think that many of the 'new' people in Mont Kiara know of this place as it is hidden from the common walk ways of Plaza Mont Kiara and there is no proper sign directing one to its premise or even a sign board showing of its presence here. Despite being in a lonely corner, it has managed to survive all these years and I  heard that this is the oldest Japanese restaurant in Plaza Mont Kiara area. An interesting fact to know about this place is that the owners are Chinese and you can find a number of Chinese dishes on their menu which has been modified slightly to suit the Japanese taste buds. 

The Entrance

Interior of the Restaurant

The Kitchen Visible

The layout of this restaurant is very simple and not fancy. I would say that the decor is quite old too bearing in mind the age of this restaurant and no effort has been made to do any renovations. Nevertheless, that is not something that I am complaining about. What matters most is the quality of food and dining comfort and I think in the latter, this restaurant is not bad. An interesting observation that I had while being here today is  the background music. This is the first time I am hearing a Chinese song being played in a Japanese restaurant and this further enforces the fact that the owners are Chinese. We were here today in a group of three and once we had taken our seat, we were given the menu to go through. I must say that they have a good variety but they do not have any Sushi or Sashimi on their menu. While browsing the menu, I observed the prices too and I think they are just about the market price. I would not deem it to be cheap or expensive.

Cold Green Tea

Sauces

My friend wanted to order another drink but we were told that they only serve Green Tea, either in hot or cold version and of course, they have beers too. So we decided to have some cold Green Tea and then she brought a pitcher of Green Tea to our table. I was also informed that the Green Tea is on the house and it is free flowing. Thats a plus point for them as most places charge for the Green Tea. The Tea was also up to the mark. 

Char Shiu @ RM 8.00

This is another dish that is originally Chinese and has been altered to suite the Japanese taste buds. It is typically Roast Pork and here it is consumed by dipping it into the sauce of your preference. I preferred to go for the same soy dip sauce as the Sushis. I must say that this was a good dish. The meat was tender and carefully sliced to avoid it being too thick. It definitely tasted good. I would rate this at 9/10 .

Endamame @ RM 7.30

The Endamame here was also pretty good and was served with just the right amount of salt. This has recently become one of my favourite bites and I can sit hours just having this. I would rate this dish at 8.8/10 .

Gyoza @ RM 18.00

Their Gyoza's were quite good but not the best that I had tried. I don't see any areas that I should comment about this dish but I feel that there is still room for improvement which would make this a great dish. I would rate their Gyoza's at 9.1/10 .

Saba Shio @ RM 17.80

Their Saba Shio was perfectly done and I must commend them on delivering this dish up to it's mark. I found this to be well marinated with the right amount of salt and juicy and I think this deserves a rating of 9.5/10 .

Mabo Tofu @ RM 11.30

Mabo Tofu, this is another Chinese dish from the Sichuan province. I must say that this was only average here and I was disappointed by it. The sauces were not balanced giving it a very bland and flat taste. I would only rate this at 5/10 .

Nira Itame @ RM 9.30

This dish had a mixed reaction even from around our table. Two of us liked it and another found it to be too salty. In my opinion, I would stand in the middle and say that this was just slightly above average. My rating for this dish would be 5.5 /10 . Would I order this again here, I guess not.

Kakuni Bento Set @ RM 25.00

I ordered the Kakuni Bento Set which came with White Rice, Kakuni which is Braised Pork Belly, some Pickles, Fried Chicken, Mashed Potato & Meat Cutlet and some sliced Oranges. Overall it was nice and worth the money spent and I particularly like the Kakuni and the Chicken.  I would rate this set at 8/10 in general. This set also comes with some Miso Soup.

Close Up of the Chicken

The above photo shows the Chicken a little more clearly. I must say that it was nicely done and for this chicken alone, I would give a rating of 9.8/10 .

Close Up of the Kakuni

As mentioned above, the Kakuni was another thing that I liked in this Bento set. The Kakuni was really delicious and I would rate it at 9.8/10 . The vegetable that you see beside it however was a little dull, old and therefore was too thick and hard. 

Miso Soup

The Miso Soup that came with the set is also worth mentioning as I found it to be good. I was not the best but surely one of the best that I have tried. The flavours were really great. I would rate this soup at 9.5/10 .

Opening Hours

Overall, we definitely had a good dining experience here. Though there may be some flaws and possible areas of improvement, generally the food was good. Their staff were very attentive to our needs, they were quick in responding and I think the price is just about right. Would I come back here, surely I would. Just a note to remember that this restaurant does not accept Credit Cards and deals strictly on Cash terms only. 

Address: D-OG-03A, Courtyard Level, Plaza Mont Kiara, 

                50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Telephone: +603 6201 9813

Opening Hours: 1200 - 1500 & 1800 - 2200 Daily