Nippon Yatai Mura Japanese Restaurant: City Square Mall Dining at Johor Bahru

My wife and I decided to crossover Malaysia to get ourselves pampered. We went through three long hours of soothing and relaxing Thai massage at the City Square mall in Johor Bahru. I know you are getting envious right now. Nothing beats a good whole-body massage to soften those stiff muscles after a long week.

It was past noon when we finished and felt starving. Yes, a good massage can make you hungry (chuckles). We scouted the area for a quick lunch so we can proceed with our other itinerary, shopping! While walking I heard an ‘80s new wave music sung by The Vapors. If you know them you will reckon that they got a one-hit-wonder single dubbed as “Turning Japanese.” And I was so into that song at that moment. I do not know why but after few more steps we spotted a Japanese restaurant. Well, I guess you know what happened next. We turned Japanese!

First Impressions

I was personally impressed with the restaurant’s theme. I mean, of course, it supposed to be set up with Japanese influence but if you are outside looking in, you will notice that it’s like a mini Japanese village. 

What fascinated me more was the interior design and fixtures. When you finally step inside you are like being time-warped to Japan in an instant. They have a wide array of sake (rice wine) collection that is very visible to visitors. The communal tables were specially adorned with banners and lanterns with dimmed lightings. It's a nice atmosphere for couples having dinner dates. For our case, it was a lunch date since its afternoon.

The Staff

The staff who attended us was friendly and courteous. The moment she saw us browsing through their menu, located at their frontage, she gently approached with a warm Japanese greeting Konnichiwa meaning “good afternoon.” She ushered us to a couples table which is a classic wooden table with two cushion wooden chairs. But we prefer to settle at a communal table to get a feel of what it is like eating under a Japanese-hut-like interior. She responded with a smile and led us there. Success!

The Service

After we ordered, it only took a few minutes and before we know it the foods were being served one-by-one on our table. The service in this branch is amazingly fast. The foods were served in an orderly manner starting with the drinks, the appetizers, then the main course. Bill settlement is also swift which I truly appreciate as we have other things to do after lunch.

The Food

For starters, we ordered their version of fried potatoes. Yes, it’s actually French fries but that is how it's written on the menu. It was served hot and remained warm even after taking quick snapshots of all the food we ordered. The surprising thing about these fries, aside from the huge serving, was that it was not oily at all. And it seems to be coated with something as it appears to look more golden than regular fast food fries. One thing is for sure, we loved their version as it was more crispy and tasty.

Golden Fried Potatoes

I go crazy over sushis, makis, and sashimis but that time I was craving for some makis. So we ordered for a combination of Tamago (egg omelet) and Tekka (fish eggs) Makis. They came in slices of six which is equivalent to one maki roll. So in total, we got 12 pieces of yummy makis. 

These makis were carefully crafted without any rice extending out. They arranged it in such a way that the topping colors were alternating. Hence, I give plus points for the presentation.

The nori (green seaweed sheet) wrapping used was not moist, which is good, and maintained its light crispiness. When you try to put a whole piece in your mouth, which is actually the “proper way” of eating makis, you can savor the blending taste of the rice, the toppings, and the nori altogether. That is another good point as there are some Japanese restaurants that actually serve tasteless makis and sushis. 

Prepare a mixture of wasabi (horseradish paste) and soy sauce to form a dipping sauce called wasabi-joyu. Dip a piece of maki and put it into your mouth and sense the extreme fusion of flavors. Dip another piece deeper and it can produce a burning sensation into your nasal passage. Whew! 

Tamago and Tekka Makis

My wife ordered Katsudon which is a large bowl of rice topped with omelet and breaded deep-fried pork cutlet. They garnished it with nori shreds that made it visually pleasing. You can immediately smell the sweet aroma of this dish. The meat was soft and the rice was perfectly steamed. However, their version was too sweet that you tend to get tired of the taste easily. True enough, my wife just ate half of it. Ehem and I finished the rest.

Katsudon

I had for myself a Saba Shioyaki which is a broiled mackerel fillet. It was served on a hot plate topped with lots of onions, grated radish, and onion leeks. If you squeeze a wedge of lemon over it, the citrus aroma together with the smoky flavor will tickle your senses. The meat was soft and delectably tasty. 

Saba Shioyaki

Our Take

The whole experience has been great from start to finish. The food was fairly priced and you get value for your money. If you love Japanese food and you happen to be visiting City Square mall soon, I suggest you try this place.

Operations

They are open daily from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. They accept all major credit cards and cash payments.

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