The smooth, calculated movements of the knife under the skillful command of Chef Hamada’s hands create agile incisions so intricate you would wish your vision had a slo-mo option in 1440p.

 

Located on Level 8 of Hilton Kuala Lumpur, Iketeru is cozily tucked away behind greenery close to the pool, giving customers a sense of serenity in the bustling heart of the concrete jungle. 

 

As the chef places the kaleidoscopic array of sushi before us, the beautiful cuts practically shimmer in colors of bright orange, deep red and pearl white among others. 

 

 

While the sushi entices and invites us to pick up our pairs of chopsticks, we pinch into the luxuriously smooth wasabi, glaze it with shoyu and finally sink our teeth into its perfect form.

 

“Consuming sushi is a heavily sensory experience; the sight of it, the slight warmth of the rice contrasted with the chill of the seafood on your lips, down to the wasabi that creeps up and results in bursts of flavor with each bite,” chimes Chef Hamada, the renowned Executive Chef of Iketeru.

 

Indeed, our bites were met with a slight but delightful resistance to the seafood and, paired with shoyu and wasabi, immediately transported us to the heart of Japan.

 

 

What caught our attention was the Amaebi Ayu-Uruka Ishi-Yaki, where sweet shrimp is mixed with fermented milt of sweetfish and delicately placed on a scorching hot piece of stone. The steam that developed carried with it its flavors that triggered our salivation even more. 

 

For Chef Hamada, it’s the heart and passion that goes into sushi-making which makes the experience of creating and consuming sushi even more meaningful.

 

“Our bodies are mainly made up of water — the same goes with sushi.”

 

Alluding to the energy that moves through our bodies much like our ‘qi’, Chef Hamada remarks that “the vibrations of energy from our bodies reverberate throughout the intentions in our craft, and customers feel the warmth that comes with the passion in making sushi that’s placed before them.”

 

 

This is precisely how Iketeru’s personality shines through the Sushi Tenshin menu, where teamwork and camaraderie is of utmost importance in ensuring consistency of balance, texture and flavors with each dish that makes its way out of the kitchen and onto the table.

 

As we watch each member of the kitchen work with so much intricacy and eye to detail, it’s no wonder that Iketeru has maintained its position as one of the most renowned Japanese restaurants in the city.

 

The simple morsels transformed into luxurious gastronomic delights linger on your palate, and each bite leaves you with a profound appreciation for the culinary wonders of sushi. 

 

 

An amalgamation of tradition and modernity, Sushi Tenshin brings out the best of both worlds as it holds strong ties to the roots of Japanese cuisine while making use of modern techniques to enhance its flavors.

 

Make your way over to Iketeru and experience this wonder for yourself with their new 11-course degustation sushi menu — Sushi Tenshin — available until the end of July.