Hajime Japanese Restaurant @ Jalan Damai, Kuala Lumpur

For you Japanese food lovers out there, if you haven’t been to Hajime yet, you need to include this into your list of to try Japanese restaurants (I do keep one in case you’re wondering) Set in an actual bungalow turned restaurant, it is currently one of my favorites.

Their pricing is slightly higher than the rest but I have no qualms forking for it. But don’t worry, Hajime is not that expensive to the extent of burning a hole in your pocket for a normal meal. And if there’s anything I learnt so far in enjoying Japanese food, quality and freshness always come first, quantity and pricing are secondary.

When I dine at Japanese restaurants I usually use their sashimi’s quality to gauge their overall standard because I believe it is the best indication of things to come. Hajime’s selection of sashimi is quite extensive alright, should be able to satisfy any sashimi lover’s cravings.

Sadly, my budget only allowed me to order one only, which is also my favorite – Shake Sashimi @ RM32. I don’t know about you but I felt the price was kinda standard.

These six thick, juicy slices of salmon sashimi had such a rich umami taste, they are definitely the freshest I have ever tasted so far. I am pretty sure if you want any fresher sashimi than this you would need to fly to Japan already.

The not-so private tatami seating for couples.

Ladies dining at Hajime would be pleased to know that there is a set meal designed specially for them, called Hajime Lady’s Set @ RM55. The Lady’s Set is served on a Japanese basket and comprises of nine different dishes in small amount, great for you ladies out there who want to try a little of everything. A typical Lady’s Set includes sashimi, deep fried dish, steamed dish, sushi roll, grill dish, soba, relish and chawan mushi.

Salmon, Mackerel and Tuna sashimi in the Lady’s set.

The chawan mushi is pretty loaded with ingredients like ginkgo seed and seafood bits.

Potato wrapped with salmon.

Maki mono.

Japanese-style tapas.

Salad and Cha Soba.

Fried chicken croquette.

Salmon sushi @ RM12 – pricey but very delicious.

A recommended Maki Mono at Hajime is the Golden Dragon @ RM28, shrimp tempura roll with unagi and avocado. Again, if you compare the price for a house-special Maki Mono at any Japanese restaurant, the price is almost the same but you certainly get a better bang for your buck here.

Why? Because the Golden Dragon does not carry the word ‘golden’ for nothing. On top of the already premium unagi and large sea fresh king prawns, real and edible (albeit tasteless) gold flakes are used to garnish the sushi roll, giving it a “bling-bling” look.

A closer look at the golden flakes.

Miami Ink (mixed raw fish with crispy soft shell crab) @ RM32 grabbed my attention with its funky name. The interesting combination of ingredients was something new for me too, as each piece of sushi is guaranteed of a filling of soft shell crab with sashimi slices as toppings.

A the center is a sweet and tangy dipping sauce for the sushi. I think citrus fruits were used to prepare the sauce, which is full of fresh and zesty flavor.

The homemade sesame ice cream had to be one of the tastiest Japanese ice cream we had so far, as good or maybe even better than the Sakura flavored one we had at Sango last year.

Overall our dining experience was great, the food here is fresh and delectable. Service is top notch and I really have to praise the ever-attentive waiting staff, as our cup was constantly refilled with nice, hot green tea. For me, Hajime has set a new standard for Japanese cuisine, this fabulous restaurant is hard to beat!
By the way we got a RM10 voucher for spending more than RM100 in a single receipt, so you are sure we would be using it for our next visit real soon lol.

Hajime Japanese Restaurant
No 64, Jalan Damai Off Jalan Tun Razak,
55000, Kuala Lumpur
GPS Coordinates: N3 09.863 E101 43.208
Opening hours: 11.45am – 2.30pm, 6.15pm – 10.30pm
Tel: 03 2143 0073