Interview of Suppporter Stores Izakaya NIWA

Izakaya NIWA is located in Petaling Jaya in the midwestern part of the Malay Peninsula. It is a city with a thriving industry that has developed since the 1950s, located about 8 kilometers southwest of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Ara Damansara, where the izakaya is located, is an area with many Japanese workers and expatriates, and there are local Japanese-affiliated companies and Japanese schools in the nearby area. Because it is only 30 to 40 minutes from Kuala Lumpur by train or car and is easily accessible, the izakaya is frequently chosen by customers for a variety of purposes, from enjoying meals with family members to use for business purposes such as entertaining clients or holding business dinners.

When you look at the exterior, the word “Niwa” (garden) displayed on the sign catches your eye. At night, neon lights shine brightly, giving it a different appearance than during the day. The restaurant's interior features a black-based design, reminiscent of a Japanese izakaya. Since it is often used for business purposes, the interior is designed in such a way that private areas can be created by partitioning them off with curtains.

Izakaya NIWA opened in October 2020 under the concept of a “Japanese izakaya.” Popular items on the menu include fried chicken and hokke-yaki (grilled mackerel), both of which are staples in Japan. “Other dishes such as squid teppanyaki with butter, namero (minced fish dish), and rice balls made with Japanese rice are also frequently ordered. We also prepare Japanese style oden from the process of making the broth,” says Chef Goukon. Since Mr. Goukon joined this izakaya in 2023, they have been actively incorporating seafood-based ingredients, and their fish dishes have been well received on the menu.

“Many of the restaurants in this area use frozen or ingredients that are not from Japan, giving the impression that the food is Japanese, but would actually be considered ‘so-called Japanese-ish cuisine’. That is also why I decided to open an izakaya that could offer “genuine Japanese cuisine,” with an emphasis on ingredients sourced from Japan,” says Mr. Ohara, the owner. Japanese alcohol is also carefully selected from Japan, including sake such as Koshi no Kanbai, Koikawa, and Yamadanishiki, shochu such as Tomino Houzan and Iichiko (barley), whiskey such as Suntory's Kaku, and umeshu (plum wine) such as Kiku-Masamune and Choya's Kishu.

Perishable Japanese ingredients are flown in with an emphasis on freshness. “It is nice to be able to serve them on the same day that they arrive. We have been holding monthly events since the middle of 2022, where we promote our recommended ingredients and freshness to our customers. The ingredients that we use at the events are determined based on feedback from staff meetings as well as customer surveys.” Currently, they are also planning events involving ingredients that match the four seasons in Japan.

Regarding their selection of alcohol, Mr. Ohara says, “We attended an event hosted by our suppliers and listened to their explanation of their alcoholic beverages. We even invited those suppliers to conduct a sake tasting and briefing session. There are times when we use the knowledge we have learned to explain to customers the differences in taste and the types of alcohol that go well with their food.”

Since both Mr. Ohara and Mr. Goukon are from the Tohoku region, there may be an increase in sake produced in the Tohoku region at this izakaya, which is known for its rice production, in the future. They are also considering adding a lineup of fruity Aragoshi umeshu (roughly squeezed plum wine) to meet the preferences of women, as well as increasing the variety of umeshu.

Lastly, we asked Mr. Ohara about what he hopes to achieve in the future. “What we want to achieve is to make people more aware of the attractiveness and richness of Japanese foods through the use of seasonal ingredients. There are many attractive vegetables, and we would like to use them while incorporating them with our dishes. The image is that of "obanzai," a traditional style of Japanese cuisine native to Kyoto. We are considering a style of displaying several kinds of vegetables in the izakaya, such as pumpkin in the winter and wild vegetables in the spring, so that customers can pick up and choose the one they like.”

One of the aims is to differentiate this izakaya from other restaurants by increasing the number of limited-time-only menu items and by encouraging customers to pick up and eat the food themselves. As for the advantages of a restaurant certified as a Japanese food supporter, two points were raised: "It provides a point of contact for communication with customers," and "allows customers to enjoy Japanese food with a greater awareness of the appeal of ingredients sourced from Japan.

“We believe that one of the strengths of Izakaya NIWA is that we offer the taste and atmosphere of Japanese cuisine in a casual setting. We always have a Japanese chef on staff, so we can provide a flexible response to Japanese customers. We will continue to strive to create the ideal izakaya so that people will say, ‘Izakaya NIWA is the best Japanese cuisine in Petaling Jaya,’” adds Mr. Ohara.