Lunch nearby our work site is quite limited and we find ourselves heading off to Bukit Jambul again and again. And after having to bear with the relentless heat and sun at the site, we longed for the cooling effect of an air-con ambience hence it was a relief spotting this japanese restaurant.
upon entering the premises, was greeted by interior deco that’s not predominantly japanese, but heavily influenced by tropical balinese elements. bamboo use was liberal, and buddha faced decos were abundant too, but it was the gorgeous glass lamps that caught my eye. i love most of the pendant lamps hanging over each tatami seat booth.
sushi choice wasn’t impressive but they did have one of my regulars, the Spider Roll (RM16) with soft shell crab. even then, this was kind of disappointing as i could barely taste the crab and the sushi rice tasted a bit off. also thought portion a little small for the price charged.
the redemption came in the form of the “Yaki Soba” (RM13), or stir fried soba noodles. made with beef slices and different vegetables, it had a slight tangy taste to it which whetted our appetites. my colleague and i both agreed that this was the best dish out of everything we ordered.
We ordered the Bento B (RM48) to share and it came with the usual miso soup, chawanmushi, salad, fruit along with 3 tempura prawns, tamago egg, sashimi and a slice of unagi. everything tasted quite standard and the sashimi (selection of salmon, tuna and squid) were fresh enough to warrant no complains.
the dessert that came with the bento set was matcha ice cream with red bean paste. the ice cream tasted a bit artificial and coarse but we managed to finish it between the two of us. it was also a day after my colleague’s birthday so I told her that this was her “birthday cake”. Lol. I think she was just happy to have something cold after all the heat we had to endure.
overall, ambience was quite relaxing, esp. with the soothing sounds from the water feature. food was fairly decent and service okay. i find parking to be a bit of a challenge as a neighboring JPJ branch saw a steady stream of public waiting to get their documents done. but we managed to get a spot after a round or two.
Tsuruya Japanese Restaurant 鹤屋日本料理
1-1-38/39, I Avenue Medan KPG Relau 1,
Relau,
11900 Bayan Lepas,
Penang.
Tel: 04-641 0828
other reviews;
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- cariso delicacies’ corner
- penang tua pui
Guyz said
service so bad, at the waiter
epicuriousgirl says:oh? mine was ok.
fen said
i had my lunch there before…erm…i feel tthat so far so good.
as long as the dishes is delicious, i think i’ll visit again!
just have a 1 more try….couldn’t miss out any delicious foods there.
jason said
err..
food expensive..
service bad..
mag said
nowaday tsuruya service & food became poor n worst n sux~
i’m saying the truth, the food now really sux!!!!
the boss expecially the short woman who name gexxx onli gv good services to those japanese & angmo…
who r us?? sertice tax we also need to paid ok!~
stephanie said
although i never been thher b4.thats rue wat ma said.the greeted the japanese n give them a really good service.like we din have money 2 pay bthem.onli japanese paid
teoh kah loong said
well… i been try d food at this japanese restaurant for lots times, althought d price is not really expensive n d food is ok (i dont know y now I-avenue food become tasteless than last time, E-gate is better than I-avanue now, izit diffrent reciept????)~
but i think most troublesome is unfair services as wat mag said, foreigners n malaysian’s chinese got such big diffrent??? or they paid more service tax to get a good service from the boss????~ this is wat i saw with my own eyes~
the waitress that i think the name coco and another cute girl with brown curl hair not sure about d name is more polite than the boss~ i love their service…
i think the boss think that SHE IS D BOSS, and act ego????
mayb this is HER’s BOSS PATTERN~ lolx
i’m also a boss, mayb she can learn how to be fair n polite from her staff..?
so i just advices n hope that the boss can read this and have a change …
Anjali Sivaprkash said
Been there many times, and I have only have the best to say about Tsuruya. Being a vegetarian, the waitresses are very friendly and always recommend the best dishes. Among my favourite, the potato salad, cheese fried mushroom, vegetarian yaki soba, yasai tempura and mix vegetables. Prices are affordable, around RM50 for 2 persons. Ambience is peaceful and quiet, with spacious and comfortable seating. It’s untrue that they favour Japanese or foreign customers, the service is fast and equal for all. My advice, give it a try. I would sure return over and over again.