Tamaruya Honten @ Isetan, Bangkok

Cuisine: Japanese (Yakiniku)

Map: Tamaruya Honten @ Isetan, Bangkok

Price: THB650 per person without alcohol (what I paid for)

Visited: 30 December 2010

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: 4/10

Value for money: 5/10

Service: 4/10

Overall: 5/10

Tamaruya Honten, a contemporary Japanese Yakiniku restaurant situated on 6th floor of Isetan Bangkok, serves variety of Japanese style BBQ in high quality. There are also private rooms available. Counter seats can also be interesting as food preparation can be observed. Foods at Tamaruya are grilled on vacuum-attached grill with smokeless charcoals.

Kimchee was not so spicy and strong and not so special (4/10).

Assorment of Namul (Seasoned Vegetables) was also non-extraordinary: lightly salty sprout and green, and sweet radish (4/10).

Choregi Salad (Sesame-oil Salad) was rich in sesame taste (4/10).

Kimchee

Assortment of Namul

Choregi Salad

Freshly grounded wasabi and grilled vegetables can also be delightful.

My favourite at Tamaruya Honten was Beef Tongue with Salt (7/10) and Wasabi Negitan Shio (Beef Tongue with Salt, Wasabi and Garlic) (6/10). Both had texture of tenderness and chewiness combined. They went amazingly well with freshly ground wasabi.

Beef Tongue with Salt

Wasabi Negitan Shio

Tontoro (7/10), best part of pork I must say, was just superbly tender and went really well with Shiso (Perilla). However, I would expect shiso to be more fresh. Samugyopusaru or Pork Belly (5/10) was as tender as Tontoro but too fatty. What great was the Sesame Dip for eating with vegetables, amazingly rich and full flavoured.

Tontoro

Samugyopusaru

Rosu cut in bite size cubes (7/10), one of best part of beef for BBQ, was juicy and melted in the mouth. Weeping Tiger (5/10) was the next dish. It was well marinated, which gave intense flavour and made the meat tender. Nevertheless, my expectation for this dish was higher as I expected freshness of beef to be better.

Rosu cut in bite size cubes

Weeping Tiger

Fried Garlic Rice in Stone Pot (6/10): crisped and strong garlic with some crisped and some soft fried rice, what could you expect more. Chijimi or Korean Pancake (6/10) was pancake with vegetables and shitake stuffing. Flavour of Chijimi at Tamaruya Honten was authentic. I would recommend whoever would like to visit Tamaruya Honten.

Fried Garlic Rice in Stone Pot

Chijimi

Food at Tamaruya Honten was great and the pricing was reasonable, I would definitely revisit for other dishes. However, expectation on better services and consistency in quality of food is what I will look for. Overall, I was satisfied with food here (5/10).

Tamaruya Honten @ Isetan, Bangkok

Isetan, 6th Floor Central World

4/1-2 Ratchadamri Road

Pathumwan, Bangkok

ทามารุยะ ฮอนเทน @ อิเซตัน
ชั้น 6 ห้างอิเซตัน, เซ็นทรัลเวิร์ล
4/1-2 ถนนราชดำริ
ปทุมวัน, กรุงเทพ

Tel: +66 (0) 2255 9713