The Ambient Kenjiro

by Cindy Julia Tobing
12th April 2021
Inspired by the elegance of the Edo era, the scene at Kenjiro resembles one of those traditional backdrops in Japan, one-up with their servings of yakiniku platters and an impressive collection of Japanese sake and whisky to bask in.

Two years after Nara took flight in 2018, another Japanese entry opened with Kenjiro, a yakiniku house and sake bar in Adityawarman. Suffice to say that both establishments under the TAN group take a fancy towards the culture of the island-country (don’t we all?), but if the former spawns a more fusion flair then Kenjiro one-up the bona fide experience with a traditional Japanese scene. 

At Kenjiro, the idea is to reminisce the elegance of the Edo era, an old-world period that signifies the last period of traditional Japan. So think old, wood-dominated Japanese houses with a zen garden alongside the engawa-like veranda, and dining here will feel like teleporting to the country’s traditional backdrops—a feeling that we all can empathise with when travelling is currently out of the question. Making use of its spacious rooms, dining here is a social affair to indulge in: weekdays usually see corporate professionals settle for a late lunch and come weekend, families and friends gather for convivial meat-grilling and sake-sipping.

As a yakiniku house, the main event naturally goes to its selection of premium meat, from Australian wagyu to the finest Omi Hime wagyu from Shiga prefecture, Japan. At the table, patrons can delight in the family-style grilling to pair with dishes like the chef’s selection of sashimi platter served freshly on top of daikon radish and ice, as well as the gently-seared tuna of Kenjiro Maguro Tataki for a mouthwatering feast. Have them with the quintessential ocha or just kick the flavours with the restaurant’s impressive collection of Japanese sake and whisky. 

The city’s epicureans may not be a stranger to Japanese cuisine, but Kenjiro comes prepared to dish up on-the-level dining and drinking experience that might just cure the longing for a genuine Japanese scene, from traditional dishes and tipples down to its overall ambience.