Umai-ya Japanese Buffet @ Damansara Uptown

How to satisfy my constant craving for Japanese food?

Eric would say "Go for buffet la... you can eat as much as you want!"

And so he recommended his favourite Japanese buffet outlet - Umai-ya.

He said they serve the best buffet and wanted me to try it out.

There are currently THREE outlets : IOI Boulevard, Damansara Uptown & KLCC.

We went to the nearest - at Damansara Uptown (which I like for the envinronment too).

They charge RM58++ per pax for buffet lunch from 11.30am till 2.30pm.

First in line, Tempura Mori comprises of fried prawns and vegetables.

I wish I could only order Ebi Tempura coz I'm a fan of prawns but not fried vegetables.

Simplicity is the best. A simple lady's finger can be grilled for the aroma

and yet still preserve the natural sweetness and softness of the vegetable.

Okura is one new dish to be explored here!

One of the must-try dish is the soft shell crab and egg omelette sushi

called Kani Tama Maki (the word Kani always amuses me). 

I love the big chunk of soft shell crab and thick egg omelette wrapped

with moderate amount of rice and seaweed. Yuhmzzzz... 

Sashimi! It comes in pairs... and we get to order as many as we want!
There are salmon, butter fish, tuna, octopus, cuttlefish and seabass.
I always wondered why is the tuna here is brownish compared to
ones I used to have which is reddish in color?
Nevertheless, the sashimi served here are fresh... 

My favourite... Sukiyaki Beef!
As Eric do not take beef, the big pot of sukiyaki is entirely mine to finish.
The beef slices are purrr-fect and is one of the best I had!
The raw egg is not to be poured into the hotpot (this ain't a steamboat),
but is for the beef slices to be dipped for extra softness and aroma. 

Under the grilled section in the menu, you may find this small tiny fish

called Sishamo, which is a copelin fish. It is filled with tiny eggs in it 

with not much flesh to be found. So you could eat the whole fish, yes, the head,

tail, and whatnot. 

Next in line is the Saba Shioyaki which is a grilled mackerel fish.
This isn't one of the best dish we had that day, probably it is way too dry.

We too had some tofu - Agedashi Tofu.
These fried beancurd in some light soysauce topped with minced meat
and spring onions is a simple dish, but it is truly satisfying. 

Before I was convinced to try out Umai-ya, I did some research about this place.

And was told that the Unagi Tempura is one of the popular dish.

Sadly, this dish couldn't be found in the buffet menu.

So we ordered this from the ala-carte menu.

It was a well-worthy order as we were served thick slices of deep fried unagi!

One comment to improve this dish is probably the dressing. 

It somehow tasted like dark soy sauce. It would be perfect if the dressing is improved!

A fan of Umai-ya....

Ze World Best Instructor.. Baba Liow! :P

Although my preference for buffet would eventually makes me
end up in Tao @ Sunway Giza because they serve far more varieties,
still, I would come back to Umai-ya again for their innovations.

From the conventional twist of Agedashi tofu, to Okura, and something like Unagi Tempura,
I'm ready for Umai-ya to blow me away with their new creations soon!


Details for interested foodies.... 

UMAI-YA (IOI Puchong)

Block A, IOI Boulevard, 

Jalan Kenari 5, 

Bandar Puchong Jaya, Puchong.

Tel: 03 8075 1113

UMAI-YA (Damansara Uptown)

49A, Jalan SS21/37, 

Damansara Utama, PJ. 

Tel: 03 7726 4410

UMAI-YA (Suria KLCC)

Lot No. 428, Level 4, Suria KLCC

Jalan Ampang,Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03 2161 3939

yummylicious!!!