she, the epicuriousgirl.

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;
- it’s a durian life
- cariso delicacies’ corner
- penang tua pui