玛雅 Maya (Asian Fusion Restaurant)

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highly Recommended)

Address: 60, Jalan Harimau Tarum, Taman Century, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SVraYgN4NFSiZbHq8
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

🍋🥤 Lemony Tea Ade (Special Request Zero Sugar) = 10.90
🍛 Tamago Beef Patty Kare = RM28.90
🫘🥣 Oshiruko with Sago = RM12.90

🍉 Small Fruit Plate (Free of Charge)
Service Charge = RM5.27

Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt 
(Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)

I only got to know of this place when this Restoran joined my Former FB Group as Member. 👍 For some reason the name caught my eye and since its located relatively near to where I was exploring, I thought I'd give it a try. 🤔 Located along a Row of Shophouses near Pelangi Plaza Mall, the Road towards it was relatively quiet, not as much People. 🤔 When I actually entered the Restoran however, I was Pleasantly Surprised. 😄

Interior of the Eatery

As soon as I stepped in, I was greeted Very Warmly by a Very Friendly and Welcoming Lady. 💁♥️ Green Flag! The Whole Place has a Very Modern Japanese Style Atas Level of Concept. ⛩️ Comfortably Air-Conditioned, ❄️ the Music played in the Background were some Groovy Lo-Fi Japanese Inspired Tunes that I immediately took a liking to. 🎵🎶😌 Not a Big Place with about 12 Tables in Total, there were quite Alot of Customers within even at 8.00pm on a Friday Evening.

According to them, the Business started back in 21 Dec 2024. 🤔 Their Specialties are Japanese-Fusion Dishes. 🇯🇵 Not only that, their Chef is even an Award Winner from some Curry Competition in Japan 🏆🇯🇵 which they proudly show together with some Certificates of Authenticity. Impressive. 👍

Other than the Very Welcoming Lady, the Rest of the Staffs were mostly Myanmar Folks who were Polite, Quiet and Kept to Themselves. 🤵‍♀️🤵‍♂️ As I observed them, their Customer Service Level are not as Professionally Trained as that Welcoming Lady, but I can tell at least they are trying their Best. 👍

I love that as soon as I sat down, I was served a Free Glass of Plain Water. 🥤👍 Very Nice. Throughout my JB Travels, I have never been served a Glass of Water like this even at Higher End Restorans, and yet this Sept 2025 trip, I got this Service from both 佳旺甜品 JustWant Dessert and this Restoran. Must be my Lucky Day. 😅

Because this is a More Atas Level of Restoran, I requested if they could serve up ALL my Dishes together. 🤔 They were abit taken aback at this request but I'm glad that they were able to do so. 👍 It took 13 Mins for Everything to be served up while I took in the Beauty of the Place ⛩️ and Relaxed with their Really Nice Groovy Lo-Fi Tunes. 🎵🎶😌

🍋🥤 Lemony Tea Ade (Special Request Zero Sugar) = RM10.90

If you are looking for Zero Sugar Drinks, unfortunately this Restoran does not have them. 🤔 In fact when I requested for Zero Sugar Drinks, the Myanmar Staffs were noticeably stumped and don't know what it is. 😅 I had to get help from that Welcoming Lady. I'm guessing Zero Sugar Drinks is not something that Customers order here. 🤔

This was their Recommendation and what impressed me however, was that the Welcoming Lady informed that they are able to Customize this Drink to remove any Sugar for me. Not Bad. 👍 The Drink itself is basically Pure Lemon Juice without Sugar. 🍋🥤 Noticeably Sourish. I reckon its Original Form with Sugar probably taste like a Regular Honey Lemon sort of Drink. 🤔 Its a Pity that they don't have Specific Zero Sugar Drinks and have to resort to this but it is what it is.




🍛 Tamago Beef Patty Kare = RM28.90

Their Japanese Kare (Curry) is supposed to be Award Winning 🏆 so of course I ordered this to give it a try. Upon my First Taste, I am impressed. 😋

🍛 Quality of the Japanese Kare (Curry)

Obviously this is not your Cheap Supermarket "Golden Curry Pack" sort of Taste and is cooked from Scratch. 😅 Thick and Creamy with a Lingering Mild Spiciness. 🌶️ What I especially noticed first is the Usage of Long Bean in this Curry. 🫛🤔

As I tasted further, this tasted like a Mix of Indian styled Dhall, 🇮🇳🍲 with a Spiciness Profile that Amusingly isn't Too Far off from the Curry Powder Taste that you would taste in a Maggi Curry Noodle Pack. 🌶️😅 And yet, the Whole Thing still has a Familiar Taste Profile of a Japanese-Styled Curry. 🇯🇵🍛

Nicely Complex yet also Strangely Familiar Mix of South-East Asian, 🇲🇾 Indian 🇮🇳 and Japanese Flavour 🇯🇵 all rolled together in one. I can understand why this won over the Japanese Judges. 👍 I reckon this is a Unique Style that isn't commonly tasted in Regular Japanese Curry that they usually eat. Familiar, yet Not so Familiar. 😋 At least this is what I felt from this.

🐮 Quality of the Beef Patty

The Hamburg Patty is the Next Main Component of the Dish. NGL, I wasn't impressed by the Appearance. 🤔 It looks Shrunken Down, Cracked, Ugly and even Dry. 😅 The Patty itself is actually Soft and Tender within though.

Its not the Very Crumbly "Fall Apart" Texture type of Patty that you'd find in a Good Quality American Cheeseburger but its still good. 👍 The Bite Texture has what I would describe as "Stringy" and I could taste the Little Meat Fibers within. 🍖 Overall a Decent Quality Beef Patty.

🥚 Quality of the Eggs

When I looked at the Egg speared on the Top like this, I wondered if this is a Hardboiled Egg or an Onsen Egg? 🥚🤔 Surely they won't be that Crazy to spear an Onsen Egg like this right? And to my Delight they really did use an Onsen Egg! 🥚😅

Extremely Bold Attempt at Presentation to use an Onsen Egg like this because it is so Easy to Mess it Up and risk the Yolk spilling out all over the place. 😅 Most Restorans won't do this and would rather cut the Onsen Egg in Half to showcase the Ooey Gooey Yolk. 🥚🤔

Simply Spearing it like this shows how Bold and Confident the Chef must be. 👨‍🍳👍 He could have just cut it in half and it would still look Nice and Presentable. But because he didn't and did this way instead, I applaud his Culinary Decision. What a Mad Lad! Bravo! 👨‍🍳😅 The Scrambled Egg covering the Rice is also made well. Its a "Tornado Egg" Design making this also an Omurice. Decently Soft and Creamy. 🍛😋

🍚 Quality of the Rice

I'm very Glad that they used Authentic Japanese Pearl Rice 日本珍珠米 🇯🇵🍚 instead of using Normal Jasmine Rice. Very Nice. This Dish was made with a Specific Vision in mind with No Attempts to Scrimp to Cut Cost. 👍

Eating Everything together Works Harmoniously. 🍛👍 Everything in this Dish was Texturally Soft and Nothing tried to Dominate and Takeover. 😋 This was a Well Designed and Plated Tasty Japanese-Styled Curry Rice. 🇯🇵🍛

🫘🥣 Oshiruko with Sago = RM12.90

Ordered this because its considered as a Chef Recommended on their Website's Menu. 📜🤔 This is my First Time tasting Oshiruko actually. Its a Japanese-Styled Red Bean Paste Dessert that is supposedly similar to Chinese-Styled Red Bean Soup 红豆汤. 🫘🥣

According to them, adding Sago is actually their Idea because the Original Dish does not use this. 🥣🤔 I thought this was a good idea because the Addition of this Sago tempered the Beany-ness making this not as Thick. Not bad tasting Dessert, Not Overly Sweet. 👍

🍉 Small Fruit Plate (Free of Charge)

This was a Free Plate of Fruits that was given for Free so it will not be factored into the Review. 🍉🤔 I really love the Presentation of this, especially the Beautiful Knife Carving 刀功 that went into this. 🔪🍉

----------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM10.90 (S$3.40) is not Cheap for this Glass of what is essentially a Sourish Lemon Juice. 🍋🥤 Actually I'm slightly disappointed that there are No Zero Sugar Drinks in their Menu. 🤔

I did appreciate that they took the Effort to Customize their Existing Drink to remove the Sugar Element. 🥤👍 If you are someone who needs to watch your Sugar Intake, you might want to take note of this. 🤔

At the Price of RM28.90 (S$8.90) may not seem that worth for this Award Winning Japanese Kare (Curry) Rice at First Look, especially for that Ugly Looking Beef Patty that even looks Cracked and Dry. 🐮😅 

The Taste of the Curry though has work done to it. 🍛👍 Its not your Typical Supermarket "Golden Curry Pack" type of Simple Food Court type of Taste. What it tasted like for me was a Nice Fusion Blend of 🇲🇾 South-East Asian, 🇮🇳 Indian and 🇯🇵 Japanese all rolled together in one. 

This is a Japanese Curry that taste like a Japanese Curry 🇯🇵🍛 but also has a Familiar Asian Taste to it. I was amused that the Spiciness isn't Too Far off from the Curry Powder that you would taste in a Maggi Curry Noodle Pack. 🌶️😅 Hahaha that doesn't mean this Dish is cheaply made though 😅 because every Component worked together harmoniously. 👍 I was especially impressed at how Bold they were to even dare to just Spear thru an Onsen Egg like this just for Presentation. 很大胆 Very Gutsy Chef. 👨‍🍳😅

At the Price of RM12.90 (S$4.00) also didn't feel cheap for this Oshiruko Dessert. 🤔 My First Time tasting this actually. Think of it as a Lighter, Less Sweet Version of Chinese-Styled 红豆汤 and you're not far off. 🫘🥣 I thought this was alright and worked well enough for a Dessert although not really a Must Order Item. 🤔

As you can see, the Prices for all the Dishes are on the Higher-End 💵🤔 but that's because this is a Higher-End Restaurant, not some Kopitiam Eatery. Culinary Wise, I am impressed with how the Dishes are Designed. 👍 There is alot of Thought that has gone into them, and I was especially Amused especially at how Brave the Chef is to literally just Spear thru an Onsen Egg like this. 👨‍🍳🥚 Hahaha first time see someone do this to present an Onsen Egg. 😅

No Issues with the Customer Service. 👍 The Welcoming Lady went out of her way to make me feel Welcome and she was a Delightfully Welcoming Host. ♥️ This was a Japanese Fusion Restaurant that has a Clear Direction of what they are going for. This is a Higher End Restoran and Not a Place where you would visit regularly due to the Higher Prices obviously, 🤔 I thought this place would work much better for a Lovely Night-Out for a Dating or Married Couple. 👩‍❤️‍👨 Really Lovely Ambience. LOVE that Lo-Fi Chill Tune they play at this place. 🎵🎶😌

For the Culinary Effort, Taste and Design of their Dishes, 😋 the Excellent Very Welcoming Customer Service that I experienced, ♥️ I have no issues giving this place my Highest Top Score. 👍 This Place is Kind of a Hidden Gem, I have not seen any Online Mainstream SG-Based Food Reviewers for this as of this post. 📝🤔 I can recommend this place as long as you are ok with the Prices listed in their Menu. Do not miss out on this Place near Pelangi Plaza Mall! 👍