Senjyu. Never. Ever. Again

Last Sunday evening, I wanted to try Koikeshoten at Bangsar Telawi, but it was closed. As a result, my friend and I had to look for a ‘substitute‘ Japanese restaurant at the Bangsar Telawi vicinity. We decided upon Senjyu, a choice on the spur of the moment that both of us deeply regretted. The restaurant has been around for few years; never in our wildest dreams did we think this would happen. Oh, boy.

Senjyu, oh Senjyu. A self-proclaimed upscale “Premium Japanese Restaurant At Its Best“, failed to deliver in all possible ways. Walking in to the restaurant, my friend commented on “bad smell”, and their menu has that “old” musty smell too. The place was quiet, but staff were none to be seen around. We should have left .. we really should …

We ordered five dishes, and three are their signature dishes*, and my, oh my.

Gyu Tataki* (RM 17.99): Seared beef served with citrus sauce. It’s a decent dish; ain’t much complaint.

Foie Gras and Kaki Mentai Maki* (RM 27.99): described as “Luxurious combination of succulent pan-fried oyster and seared goose liver with codfish roe on sushi roll.”

The dish arrived so visually unappetizing, that we were rendered speechless. We kept on double checking the menu versus what we ordered, but none of the staff seemed to care. The foie gras also lacks the smooth mousse-buttery texture.

Tobikko Moriawase* (RM 15.99): Quartet roll of flying fish roe with wasabi, squid ink and yuzu (citrus fruit) variants.

Did they served us the sushis with dollop of food colorings on top, instead of pieces of cucumber, cherry tomato , parsley , lemon, or something like that as shown in their menu? This is so not cool, Senjyu.

Shake Ikura Hana Maki (RM 17.99): Luscious swirls of salmon roll topped with salmon roe and mayonnaise. The one and only dish that we didn’t regret ordering. But, come on, they can’t possibly screw up on something so basic, right?

Kimchee Ika Itame (RM 14.99): Squid tentacles with assorted mushrooms in spicy kimchee sauce.

I admit that I didn’t read the description properly. I was expecting grilled squid tentacles, marinated with kimchee, or in some sort of kimchee sauce. What we got was like a Korean squid kimchi dish, and it was drowning in sauce; nothing close to what was shown in their menu.

Sigh. We ordered from a “visually-beautiful” menu, and judge from your own eyes on what they serve us. When foods are advertised, restaurants are obligated to inform customers when something has been substitued. Especially when it’s a cheaper product. That Tobikko Moriawase, for example, they cannot just put splotches of things on top of the sushi. It’s just not the right way of running a business.

Total bill: RM 99.35 after 10% Citibank credit card discount

How can a Japanese restaurant with such calibre fail so horribly, is beyond my comprehension. Over-promising and under-delivering is one of my biggest pet peeves. No. More. Next Time.

I am tempted to create a BIG humongous fuss, given that the meal was meant to be a birthday treat. But complaint should be raised at the restaurant itself, which we didn’t.

Says says here that we often forget that as consumers, we have our rights. There are consumer protection laws that protect us against the bad boys, and consumer can lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism.

You need to know about:

– The Malaysia’s Consumer Protection Act 1999 (CPA): an act which came into effect on 1st October 1999.

– The Tribunal for Consumer Claims (TTPM): an independent body established under Section 85, Part XII of the CPA. The tribunal operates under the Ministry Of Domestic Trade, Co-Operatives And Consumerism. The primary objective of establishing the tribunal is to provide an alternative forum for consumers to file claims. 

– Part II of the CPA refers to Misleading And Deceptive Conduct, False Representation and Unfair Practice by sellers or business owners.  Business owners who mislead consumers can be fined up to RM250,000. When faced with such situations, consumers should speak to the restaurant and ask for a replacement, but if they refuse, then lodge a complaint with TTPM.

Do read more about our consumer rights here.
Senjyu – Bangsar Village II
2F-27 & 28, 2nd Floor, Bangsar Village II, 2 Jalan Telawi Satu, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2287 1535
Website: http://www.senjyu.com.my/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/senjyu/