Gyukingu Japanese BBQ Restaurant @ Sri Hartamas

For some reasons, Desa Sri Hartamas has a big concentration of Yakiniku (Japanse BBQ) restaurants. Gyukingu, headquartered at Kota Damansara is the latest to join the ranks of best Yakiniku restaurants in the neighbourhood.
If quality comes before quantity for you, then Gyukingu is one place you just cannot miss. The man behind the kitchen is Chef Lim, who served Japanese celebrities (even Takeshi Kaneshiro!) during his long stint at one of the most prestigious Yakiniku restaurant in Shinjuku.

Gyukingu offers a variety of premium meats such as authentic Saga beef from Kyushu island, Australian Wagyu, Angus, Iberico pork, Sakura pork, Australian beef.. and the list goes on.
Besides grilling, Saga Wagyu can also be enjoyed as sashimi. This way, you can savour the marbled fatty goodness entirely without wasting any of it during the cooking process. It feels like eating beef-flavored-butter, I kid you not.

Beef tongue is a popular item for Yakiniku, usually seasoned with only salt and pepper. The front part of the tongue is chewier so it’s recommended to top up a bit and get the back part, which is labeled in the menu as Special Beef Tongue @ RM45.40. The beef tongue slices only takes 1 min max to cook on each side for the perfect texture, so try not to overcook them.

What sets the Iberian pork different from the normal ones you could get from the market is that, the meat from an Iberico pig has high fat content in the muscles which gives it a similar texture and taste to top grade beef. That alone is reason enough to order it.
The meat is noticably sweeter and more succulent without any ‘pork odour’ too, since this special breed of pig is fed a diet made up of largely acorn.

Here’s the star of the dinner – A5 Saga Zabuton @ RM153.70/100g. While Saga beef is not as famous as Kobe or Matsusaka, it is the only viable brand to be made available in terms of cost. Not to mention, the marbling is still amazing and you can’t deny that this is a beautiful piece of meat.

Being a thick cut from the wagyu short ribs, the Zabuton is remarkably delicious and juicy with a luxurious, satisfying bite that leaves you wanting more. If your budget allows and you wish to try the other available cuts as well, the Saga Wagyu Moriawase @ RM265 would be a better choice.

And of course not all the items on the menu are so bloody expensive. There are dozens of other much more affordable and equally tasty options like Sakura Pork Belly @ RM18.90 and Australian beef sirloin @ RM33.90.
But to get the most out of these not-so-premium meats, they are marinated and eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves with miso dipping sauce – similar to Korean BBQ.

While you’re here, you MUST try their garlic fried rice @ RM9.30. This undoubtedly is one of the best fried rice (flavourful and full of ‘wok hei’) I have ever had and I was so surprised to find it here. In fact, Gyukingu is a worth a visit just for the garlic fried rice alone because IT IS that good!

Some other dishes we had include the Gyoza @ RM12.70 – shockingly affordable considering the restaurant’s setting, location and Chef Lim’s caliber too.

Japanese Fried Chicken @ RM15.90 – also a worthy choice, as it is delightfully crispy and not oily at all.

Spicy Fried Octopus @ RM17 that really packs the heat, recommended for those looking for something more exciting.

Lastly, for dessert you simply can’t go wrong with the Macha Ice Cream Shiratama Anmitsu @ RM14.60, served with red bean paste and brown sugar syrup. The green tea ice cream is excellently dense, rich yet smooth and ultra-creamy. I think it’s as good, if not better than Nana’s Green Tea’s.

For those who are not planning to splurge, you’d be pleased to know that Gyukingu has a few set meals priced between RM86 and RM223 for 2 pax. Each set comes with at least 3 different meats, sanchu (lettuce), soup, Japanese white rice and fruits. Not bad at all if you ask me.
And thanks to Cleansui and the management of Gyukingu, you will also receive 10% discount off your bill and a free dessert if you mention my blog’s name “VKEONG.COM” while ordering – valid at both outlets until 31st January 2016.

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