Sunday Buffet Lunch at Kampachi, Plaza 33 Petaling Jaya

It’s only available ONCE a week and if we are lucky there’s a public holiday, then there’ll be an extra session.  I’m talking about the lunch buffet in Kampachi Petaling Jaya.  It’s only available on Sundays and public holidays, so please check your calendars.

Kampachi needs no introduction.  Having built its strong reputation for dozens of years since its establishment and association with the Equatorial Hotel, the very name itself is synonymous with “quality Japanese fares”.

With 3 standalone restaurants in the Klang Valley, Kampachi @ Plaza 33 is the only one that serves a buffet lunch on Sundays and public holidays.  Boasting a seating capacity of 198 persons, this Kampachi features a stylish bar with several unique seating “pods” that can be rotated for privacy – you gotta try it, it’s just so cool (read my earlier review and view photos here).

The food counters are located at strategic corners in the restaurant, to avoid congestion when diners help themselves to the dishes.  Right at the front, upon entry to the restaurant, on the left are shiny stainless steel dishes serving the grilled items.  I couldn’t quite keep still with excitement when I saw the mountains of grilled unagi, codfish, salmon belly, yakitori, saba, shishamo and fat squids packed tightly in the large round chafing dishes!

Right next to these are more tempting items: fried chicken wings, saute’ed mushrooms, agedashi tofu, fried soba and a host of other fried breaded crispy delights.  A noodles station is also set up at the bar area.

Walk further in and you can see the teppanyaki stall helmed by a couple of young chefs.  Just place your orders for beef, chicken or seafood and they’ll prepare your teppanyaki for you.  Remember to tell them the level of done-ness preferred if you are ordering beef.  Our plate of scrumptious “medium” beef teppanyaki came in perfectly pink tender insides, dripping with sweet juices.  Oh, you can also pick up a grilled salmon head or two from this counter!

Adjacent to the teppanyaki counter, a smiling serving crew stands ready to dish out sukiyaki from the huge cauldron of softly simmering broth.  I like how the sukiyaki broth here is not cloyingly sweet and the thin slivers of beef are cooked just right.

The most popular buffet corner must surely be the one at the far end of the restaurant.  Here there’s always a queue of diners going for the sashimi, sushi, chawan mushi, smoked meats, hand rolls made a la minute, freshly fried tempura and a variety of salads and appetizers.  Kampachi serves the freshest seasonal seafood – on the day I was there, there’s yellowtail sashimi on the buffet – I absolutely adored the sweet firm pieces of hamachi expertly sliced in the familiar angular shape.  While the salmon and tuna were good, the yellowtail was excellent.  Everything looks darn inviting, so please pace yourself and go for as many rounds as you like!

The gorgeous yellowtail sashimi

Finally… desserts.  I love how the offerings of dessert here is totally focused on authentic Japanese ones and not “polluted” with every kind of sweets!  The selection may not be huge (which is just fine) but the quality and authenticity are top notch.  There are matcha mousse in shot glasses, redbean custard, freshly made dorayaki and the popular matcha and goma ice cream.  But my top favourite is the mochi, made on-the-spot.  These were so ridiculously good that I went for 3 rounds, with each plateful getting bigger and bigger.  The still-hot soft and chewy mochi rolled in fragrant crushed peanuts were just simply addictive.

My favourite mochi!

Reservations are highly recommended so please call ahead to book, at least 2 weeks in advance, preferably.

Price:RM118++ for adults
RM68++ for children (5-10 years old)

Available every Sunday & public holidays from 12.00pm – 2.30pm.

Kampachi
P1-02, Level 1 Podium, Plaza 33,
No. 1 Jalan Kemajuan,
Seksyen 13,
46200 Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia.
Tel: +60 3 7931 6938
Fax: +60 3 7931 8294

Monday- Saturday Lunch: 12.00pm-3.00pm
Monday-Sunday Dinner:  6.00pm-11.00pm
Sunday Lunch Buffet:  12.00pm-2.30pm