Explore The Culinary Link: A Dining Haven in KL at Menara Hap Seng 3 and Hyatt Centric Kuala Lumpur

Manfred Weber, Director – Property Management officiating the tour

Sushi, yakiniku, modern European cooking, fire-grilled steak, Italian favourites and a rooftop bar now sit under one name in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The Culinary Link brings together six dining and drinking options at Menara Hap Seng 3 and the Hyatt Centric City Centre Kuala Lumpur beside it, so one connected address can cover lunch, dinner and a late drink.

I recently joined a media tour of The Culinary Link, where we got to try the signature offerings at Sushi Masa, NIKU29, Skillet KL and Asador V which are in Menara Hap Seng 3, while Il Forno and @21 Rooftop Bar are at Hyatt Centric City Centre Kuala Lumpur (Hap Seng also owns the hotel) which is directly connected to the tower via a short bridge.

Menara Hap Seng 3 was designed by the American firm SOM and is the final piece of the three-building Plaza Hap Seng development by Hap Seng Land. Link bridges join it to the neighbouring towers, and three of its levels are given over to alfresco dining and retail. Its restaurants range from Michelin Guide-recognised names to distinctive culinary concepts. The tower sits within easy reach of the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower and Bukit Bintang, and it was a 2023 winner of the FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Awards in the office category.

Sushi Masa

Sushi Masa by Ishibashi is on the tower’s first floor. It is an extension of Michelin-starred chef Masakazu Ishibashi’s Edomae-style sushi restaurant, first set up in Tokyo’s Ginza district. It is part of the Curate Group. Edomae sushi traces back about 200 years to the former Edo, now Tokyo, and the restaurant says its ingredients come from Japan. The setting is calm and intimate, and the kitchen’s philosophy is attention to every detail and every ingredient.

The menu is omakase, which means the chef selects the courses, built around ingredients from the four seasons by a team of artisan chefs. The current omakase course has three appetisers, 11 kinds of sushi, Toro Sukiyaki, a Torotaku Handroll, an Uni and Ikura Rice Bowl, miso soup, tamago and dessert. A second course, Miyabi, has 10 kinds of sushi. Both are served at lunch and dinner. Toro Sukiyaki, Sea Urchin With Dashi Jelly and the Nodoguro Hand Roll are its signature dishes.

NIKU29

NIKU29 is a yakiniku restaurant, also on the first floor. The interior blends oak timber, Japanese-inspired wallpaper and traditional paper lamps, and a playlist of jazz, hip-hop and electronic instrumental music adds energy. Seating includes deep booths for couples and small groups, and four private dining rooms with terrazzo-topped counters. The restaurant describes itself as suited to weekday lunches and special occasions alike.

The beef is imported and Halal-certified, from Japan and Australia. Marbled cuts include ribeye, sirloin and fillet, and the menu has marinated and seasoned options with house-made dipping sauces and condiments. The cuts are grilled fresh at the table. Beef Yukke and Tomo Sankaku are among the signature dishes. A separate lunch menu lists sets that come with rice, soup, two sides and dessert, such as Wagyu Yakiniku Donburi and Japanese-style beef curry rice.

Skillet KL

Skillet brings modern European cooking to Level 1. It first opened in 2015 in a contemporary urban setting in the city centre. Its approach draws on the seasonal ingredients of the European continent, mixing, matching and experimenting with unfamiliar flavour profiles while keeping each dish recognisable. Executive chef Raymond Tham, co-founder of Burnt & Co. and Beta KL, leads the kitchen. Skillet is a concept by the KARLS Group. The restaurant is Michelin Guide-recognised, and its signature offering is a surprise assortment of savoury and sweet canapés.

The menus change with the season, with Autumn 2026 menus for lunch and dinner, a vegetarian discovery menu and a wine and beverage list. The restaurant encourages everyone at a table to order the same course menu. The space has three zones: a Social Room for drinks and bar snacks, a main dining hall with a view of the kitchen and the city, and a private room for groups of eight or more, with a minimum spend.

Asador V

Asador V is on the tower’s fourth floor and is built around fire. Its asado fire grill is used on dry-aged steaks, and the menu extends to seafood and plant-based dishes, so that fire shapes everything from farm to table. It is an extension of Vantador, The Dry-Aged Steak Boutique. Asado Fire-Kissed Beef is the signature dish, and the room has live entertainment.

The V Bar serves wines and craft cocktails, with its own wine list and beverage menu, and the bar stays open on Monday to Saturday afternoons while the kitchen pauses between lunch and dinner. An Elite Power Lunch is served from noon to 3 p.m., Monday to Saturday, except on public holidays, 14 February, 24 December and 25 December, when the à la carte menu is served instead.

Il Forno

At Hyatt Centric, Il Forno is on Level 19. Its name means “the oven” in Italian, and it is an all-day Italian restaurant. The menu reflects the simplicity and freshness of Italian cooking, from classic antipasto and traditional or inventive pastas to rotisserie specialities and pizzas baked in a Neapolitan oven. Tiramisù is the signature dessert.

The alfresco terrace has a skyline view for an aperitif, and the restaurant serves a made-to-order buffet breakfast. It opens daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and lists a business lunch menu alongside wine, non-alcoholic and cocktail menus. The dress code is casual chic.

@21 Rooftop Bar

@21 Rooftop Bar on Level 21 is where a night can begin or end. The hotel describes it as a hybrid lifestyle and event venue, with signature cocktails, collaborations with event promoters, live performances and entertainment throughout the week. Indoor and outdoor areas look out over the Petronas Twin Towers, and the dress code is casual chic. Golden Horizon is the signature drink, and the bar has DJ nights.

The beauty of this little hub is that one address can carry you through the whole day. Start with an afternoon coffee or tea at Il Forno, then move on to dinner at NIKU29, Asador V, Skillet or Sushi Masa, depending on the mood. Finish upstairs with after-dinner drinks at @21 Rooftop Bar, with the Petronas Twin Towers in view, or begin the night there before heading down to dinner.

Lunch is just as easy to build around, with each outlet listing its own midday offering. Sushi Masa serves its omakase and Miyabi courses at both lunch and dinner, Skillet has a three- or four-course lunch menu, NIKU29 serves lunch Monday to Saturday, and Asador V serves its Elite Power Lunch Monday to Saturday. Il Forno has a business lunch menu and opens daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., while @21 Rooftop Bar opens at 11 a.m. from Wednesday to Sunday, and at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The tower’s position near the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower and Bukit Bintang also makes it easy to pair a meal with a walk through the Golden Triangle. Opening days and hours differ by outlet.