A long-time favourite among Jakartans with a weakness for Japanese cuisine, Keyaki at Sari Pan Pacific recently launched a new menu crafted by the restaurant’s chef Masami Okamaoto and his team.
New restaurants are mushrooming all over the city, but the real challenge is to persevere and evolve in a highly competitive environment. Keyaki Japanese Restaurant, which recently won in the “Best Single Japanese Restaurant” category at NOW! Jakarta’s BRBCA, first opened its doors in 1976. It has shown remarkable longevity throughout the years by being flexible and yet staying true to its initial concept of serving classic Japanese delights. Keyaki upped its game again by unveiling new dishes in October, ranging from appetizers to main course and dessert.
To kick off the meal in style, the selection of appetizers now includes three new items, namely Salmon Taru-Taru Shooter – appropriately served in a shot glass – and the refreshing Hiyashi Tomato & Beef Tataki. The real star of the appetizer trio, however, is Foie Gras Masu Sushi, not only for its artful presentation in a small wooden box, but also for its exquisite taste: the buttery grilled duck liver is placed on top of Japanese sushi rice and comes with Teriyaki sauce on the side, emphasizing its delicate and rich flavour.
Chef Masami also created a couple of new main dishes. A Japanese restaurant wouldn’t be truly authentic without serving sushi and sashimi. The Sakura Sashimi Moriawase is a real feast for sashimi fans, as it includes mouthwatering lobster, toro and botan shrimp. However, raw fish is not everyone’s cup of tea. Fret not, as there are many other options that will surely tantalize the taste buds: Robata Moriawase, for example, is a combination of grilled king crab, scallop and cod fish, all together thrown into an impressive bowl of steaming Miso soup, mushrooms and ginko nuts. This bowl of goodness is accompanied by Robata spicy sauce for a little extra flavour.
Perhaps slightly more familiar to our eyes and ears is the Cold Fish & Chip Keyaki Style that has a good chance to become everyone’s ultimate comfort food, whereas Yasai Tonpei Yaki resembles the popular Okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake containing a variety of ingredients like pork, cabbage or noodles – in this case, it is exclusively filled with vegetables.
Patrons come to Keyaki not only for its high-quality food but also for the impeccable service and the staff’s attention to details in a typically Japanese manner. It is therefore no wonder that the restaurant has stood the test of time.
Keyaki Restaurant
Sari Pan Pacific Jakarta
Jalan M.H. Thamrin No.6
Central Jakarta
T: +62-21 2993 2888
panpacific.com
