No More Hajime, So Hanare It is

For reasons that were not made known, Hajime seems to have stopped their operations, either for renovation or change of owners or ....??? because it certainly isn't for a lack of clientele. Anyways, heard some good stuff about a place that has been opened for just a few weeks a couple of hundred meters away called Hanare.

Its not cheap, but they get their supplies freshly flown from Tsukiji, I think 2 or 3 times a week, so cannot go wrong.

Its pricey, but not excessively so. Since its fresh, get all the raw stuff man. The oysters were good 8/10. Their Japanese chilli dipping sauce was surprisingly good, even thought of discarding my Tabasco sauce.



You would see this usual moriwase platter in any Japanese restaurant but I tell you, they are very fresh and delectable. Sushi 9/10, the rice had the right mix of sake and tinge of salt, even the cucumber ones tasted lovely.


The clams soup was very good, had a lovely smokiness to it, but @ RM28 a bowl, its waaay too expensive 9/10 though.


Pity their sake list is limited but at least they have one Daiginjyo, very aromatic. Served in this wonderfully designed mini glass flask, with a shrewd opening for you to put in ice, so that it keeps the sake cold and does not dilute the sake at the same time.



Cold soba imported, better than decent, I have had better though, 7/10. Btw, there is something about their nori, be it the ones they use for soba dip or for sushi, there is that special crunchiness and textured taste of soy, its different.


Well, sushi was good, so sashimi cannot be far off, 9/10.


My one annoyance, if its going to cost about RM250pp, I think they should at least use better quality disposable chopsticks or real ones.

Ground Floor, The Intermark
182 Jalan Tun Razak, KL

Tel: 03-2164 2133/2164 2633

For a more intimate review and better photos, check out the link below by A Whiff of Lemongrass:


http://www.awhiffoflemongrass.com/?p=1604