KL has no shortage of Japanese restaurants, but Hanare, at The Intermark Mall on Jalan Tun Razak, has quietly built a following around one simple idea: fly the good stuff in from Tokyo and let the season decide the menu.
The dining room splits into three experiences. There's a sushi counter where you can watch the chefs work up close, a teppan counter and bar for a more casual evening, and private dining rooms that suit business meals or birthday dinners. The menu leans on sushi, sashimi and cooked classics, with kaiseki-style courses and set meals for anyone after something more structured.
The thing to book, though, is the omakase. There's no fixed menu — the chefs build a succession of courses around whatever arrived freshest that week. Depending on the season, that can mean Hokkaido uni, oysters, botan ebi (spot prawns) or nodoguro, the prized seaperch whose fatty belly is worth the trip on its own. Sitting at the sushi counter for this is the best way to see each course come together.
If omakase feels like too much of a commitment, the à la carte menu covers sushi, sashimi and other Japanese staples, so you can pick your own highlights. Lunch is the gentler entry point: kaiseki-style courses and set menus at midday, handy if you're sightseeing around KLCC and want a proper meal without a two-hour evening sitting.
Practically speaking, the location does a lot of the work. The Intermark sits within easy reach of the KLCC area and Ampang Park MRT station, so it slots neatly into a day of Petronas Towers, KLCC Park and Suria mall — or a pre-dinner stop coming back from the city centre. Hours run daily from 12pm to 2.30pm and 6pm to 10.30pm, covering both a working lunch and a leisurely dinner.
This one's for travellers who plan a holiday around eating well but don't want a trek for it: a serious omakase option that's a few minutes' walk from the heart of KL's business and shopping district.
Story via SilverKris.
