If you’re going to open a Japanese restaurant of any kind within a five-kilometre radius of Mont Kiara and Sri Hartamas, it’s best to aim high. The neighbourhoods are known for being home to several Japanese culinary gems; thanks, in large part, to the high population of Japanese residents in the area.  

So it’s a good thing that ENSO Izakaya & Bar has arrived with its knives sharpened.

Located on an upper level of the new Hyatt Regency in KL Midtown, it’s a fitting choice for the hotel. Hyatt Regency was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who has created a contemporary, serene setting with traditional design elements and features in wood, stone and paper.

ENSO itself is beautifully designed too. The restaurant unfolds in a series of spaces that make it feel both spacious and intimate. There are secluded corners and shared spaces, with tall wooden panels lending a sense of privacy and sophistication. Glass doors open out onto a terrace for alfresco dining, presided over by a majestic, 30-year-old bonsai tree.

Inside, the bar is the heart of the space, and it’s led by head mixologist Ivon Soon. Previously at Frank’s Bar, Soon is a seasoned mixologist who won Malaysia’s Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship in 2025.

We start our dinner with drinks from Soon’s Chu Hai menu of shochu highballs. The Suppai (Wapirits Tumugi with green apple, yuzu bitters and cacao bitters) is a subtle, refreshing and balanced tipple that pairs well with sashimi and appetisers. This is a winner all round.  

More intense on the palate is the Tsukemono, with barley shochu, umeboshi shiso cordial, citric acid and umami bitters. It’s a complex, spiced and slightly sour concoction. Imagine an alcoholic cousin of our local kedondong asam boi; and I mean that in the best sense.

Beyond the highballs, the signature cocktails lean toward heavier accents. One of the standouts here is the Kaori Sour, anchored in tequila and cucumber-infused sake, topped with a creamy foam.  

No matter your drink of choice, connoisseurs will find much to explore at ENSO. At the back of the restaurant, there’s a “library” of spirits, which includes ENSO’s own exclusive sake, Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo. Brewed over three years, and stored below zero degrees, it’s an ultra-premium sake with a mellow harmony of fruity, floral and umami notes.

But we’re not just here for the drinks. ENSO’s kitchen is led by Executive Chef Masami Okamoto, who brings decades of experience (including a Michelin star) from top restaurants around the world. 

In the open kitchen, Chef Masami deftly slices fresh fish and seafood flown directly from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market. It’s little wonder that the sushi and sashimi are highlights here. Don’t sleep on the scallops.

The most memorable morsel of the night, for me, goes to one of the appetisers: crispy sushi rice topped with salmon tartare, a moreish bite where the crispy yet tender rice cake is perfectly complemented by the tartare.

For those seeking classic izakaya comfort food, there are also grilled skewers—kushiyaki—on the menu, along with udon, soba and rice dishes. 

In the spectrum of izakaya, ENSO sits definitively at the higher end. The service is warm and the atmosphere is relaxed. But it’s a far cry from the image you may have of an izakaya: the casual bars where salarymen grow red-faced over whisky highballs and beers, where chatter gets louder as the night goes on.  

The setting is intentionally much more calm and collected here, drawing on inspirations from Zen Buddhism. In Japanese, the word enso translates as an imperfect, hand-painted circle. It symbolises a Zen acceptance of imperfection, along with strength and enlightenment. (See also: the bonsai tree outside).

So, think of this as a spot for business associates to court clients, for couples to court each other, and for friends to come together for a celebration (or any excuse to drink good spirits). Indeed, several of these scenarios were underway when we dined there.

For now, KL Midtown exists as a work in progress, because most of it is still being built. The mixed development promises a future mall, offices and residences, with links to the upcoming MRT3 line. But currently, only Hyatt Regency is open, and it’s flanked by ongoing construction.

Despite this, ENSO is already drawing a steady crowd. This suggests that it’s becoming a destination in its own right: not just for travellers staying at the hotel, but many locals too. That’s a very good sign indeed.