Umai-Ya @ IOI Boulevard

Today, we brought my mum to Umai-Ya to celebrate Mother's Day as she had a little craving for some Japanese food. This restaurant is one of the front-facing shops at IOI Boulevard and le hubs and I have passed it a few times but never tried it out.

They have ala carte buffets available on Saturdays and Sundays for RM48++ per pax but we decided to order individual sets and dishes instead.

When we first reached the restaurant, most of the tables were taken up and we had to sit at the sushi bar for a short while before they had a proper table available for us. By the time I took the above photo, most of the patrons had left. The interior is fairly spacious and comfortable. It's a nice setting for a family meal or to gather with friends.

Mum had the Salmon Lover's Set, which consists of slivers of raw salmon and a piece of grilled salmon with the usual rice, miso soup, side salad and chawanmushi that comes with Japanese sets. Although the sashimi was fresh, the grilled salmon was a little let down as it was dry and just a little tasteless.

I ordered something called the Ladies' Set, which had a few different rolls, a chilled chicken salad and a mushroom consomme. The salad dressing and leaves were quite tasty but the chicken slices were on the dry side. I suspect it may have been prepared by the same cook who did the grilled salmon for mum's set.

Sis ordered a Kani Unatama Maki (soft-shell crab roll) to share. It's not too bad but nothing to shout about. I've had better rolls at Pasta / Sushi Zanmai actually.

The Mother's Day special was a Mommy Set, a smaller version of the full Gindara Set offered in the menu. This was free if your bill came up to RM80 and above in a single receipt. This dish was probably the highlight of our meal and we shared it across the table. The cod fish was very tasty. The meat was firm yet soft and silky.

The service was generally acceptable but they didn't smile or greet us when we entered. The waitress who attended to us was rather 'blur' and a tad bit annoying. The quality of food was all right and the prices were not unreasonable. But there are better Japanese restaurants in Subang SS15, which is not that far away, so I'd probably not return to Umai-Ya anytime soon.

Rating : 5/10

Prices :

Salmon Lover's Set = RM36

Ladies' Set = RM22

Kani Unatama Maki (4 pieces) = RM16

Unagi & Sashimi with Udon Set = RM45 (not photographed)

Curry Katsu Don = RM26 (not photographed)

Ocha (green tea) = RM1.50 (each cup)

Mommy Set = FOC

Location :

Umai-Ya Japanese Restaurant

A-GF-40, IOI Boulevard, Jalan Kenari 5, Bandar Puchong Jaya.

Contact : 03 8075 1113