Quick, name one person you know named Yoko. Ono, however, doesn’t count. So, you must be wondering, “Yoko who then?” The person I’m referring to is a friendly Japanese woman named Yoko Niwa, who owns a charming little restaurant in KL city, which will have you saying the words, “Hey, let’s go to Yoko’s!” the second time round.

Yoko’s is a homely restaurant, located in Changkat Bukit Bintang, the perfect place to enjoy some wholesome Japanese delicacies.

They say that Japanese food is an acquired taste. Allow me to be more specific. Sushi is definitely not everyone’s favourite. I know people who insist on having chilli sauce to go with their sushi and sashimi, much to the chagrin of Japanese expats and connoisseurs at the next table. As for me, I love the cuisine and honestly, my craving for some good Japanese grub comes quite often.

The concept at Yoko’s is to blend traditional and fusion food of Japanese and European origin and serve it in a simple and cosy environment. The well-stocked bar, which has a stash of 21 types of Sake, is an added bonus. If Sake is not your poison, expect to be spoilt for choice from the various collections of beer and wine. Upstairs is a VIP and karaoke room for anyone to hone their singing skills after a good meal. Overall, the simple architectural details such as the granite bar top, teak stools, wicker lampshades and a piano at one corner make Yoko’s the perfect place to enjoy good food and interesting conversation. The menu, which goes through a change twice a year, is indeed extensive. “This is because I have a lot of loyal customers and it is important for them try different dishes so they won’t get bored,” says Yoko.

Our meal started with the Avocado Cream Yaki, consisting of an oven-baked mixture of prawns, avocado and vegetables in an avocado case covered with cream sauce and cheese. Next was the Grilled Hotate (Scallops) with Yellow Sauce. Lau’s homemade secret sauce cooked in butter and black pepper gave it a nice tangy blend of savoury and sweetness. The Maguro Tataki Salad (Tuna Sashimi with fresh vegetables) was crisp and pleasant on the palate. The special dressing was fruity with a hint of mango. We really enjoyed the Dragon Roll comprising prawn tempura, avocado, caviar and cucumber wrapped with baked eel. The burst of flavour of the ingredients made this dish a winner.

I won’t say we were too bursting at the seams from the meal to continue with dessert. In fact, the arrangement of the four dishes was perfectly designed to leave us room for Yoko’s Homemade Chocolate Cake with Green Tea Ice Cream and Tempura Fried Ice Cream. In many restaurants, you’d expect the cake to be presented with all the fixings – cream decorated with a raspberry coulis pattern, a wafer of chocolate in the top – essentially style to hide the substance. This one was endearingly simple. The fried ice cream was also a big hit.

Good food served in an unpretentious ambience, Yoko’s has the charisma of elegance and simplicity.

Source: The Expat Magazine

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This article has been edited for ExpatGoMalaysia.com