Ichi Zen Melaka — Restaurant in Malacca

Dropped by with my parents to Ichi Zen Restaurant after church today to get a Japanese food fix. It was quite serene inside the restaurant, and very clean.

We ordered 3 main dishes, with 4 pieces of sushi. Gyokai Yakimeshi - Seafood fried rice, it was really good. It has a sufficient amount of seafood pieces like scallops and prawns to compliment the rice. The serving is just nice for 1 person and costed RM14.

Tori Momo Esunikku yaki Curry Rice - Rice served with a ladle full of curry with chunks of vegetables, slices of roasted marinated chicken, and a bowl of miso soup. It was a large amount, maybe sufficient for 2 people, it tasted as it should, silky smooth curry gravy which wasn't spicy and a little sweet, and the chicken pieces were juicy. It costed RM29, quite pricey in my opinion.

Una Salmon Volcano Don - I think this was one of their speciality, because it was delicious. Sushi rice with cucumber, egg and pickled radish I think in the centre, then topped off with slices of salmon belly and unagi (eel), and a half cooked egg which just binds the whole dish together. It had a few pops that looked like salmon roe, but it had a soy sauce taste in it. Some chemistry action there. Quite pricey this one but worth it - RM35.

Four random sushi pieces - Salmon Yuzu Aburi Sushi (RM4), Hana Ebiko Sushi (RM8), Inari Chuka Idako Sushi (RM5), and California Salmon Belly Sushi (RM6). We enjoyed all of them with a good amount of wasabi.

We had hot green tea which was bottomless, to compliment all the dishes.

Overall, we enjoyed our experience there, and surely will...

Ichi Zen isn’t new to me, yet I’ve never thought of leaving a review—until today. Here’s what I ordered: . 🍲 Sukiyaki Set (RM28) The beef slices were decent, the broth was hot, and dipping the meat in cooked it instantly. But here’s the real question—should the raw egg go into the soup or onto the rice? Honestly, I wasn’t sure, but does it really matter? As long as it tastes good, that’s what counts. . 🍊 Vita C Booster (RM14.80) Refreshing, zesty, and left me wanting more. A great pick-me-up. . ☕ Americano (RM8.80) It was okay—nothing to shout about, but then again, this isn’t a specialty coffee house. . 💧 Drinking Water (RM1) A bit surprising to see this on the bill. I personally feel a complimentary glass would be a nice touch, especially when switching between juice and coffee to reset the palate. . ⭐ Room for Improvement? A few tiny flies were hovering around—not a major issue, but noticeable. Could be due to the lingering seafood aroma in the air. Perhaps better ventilation or pest control measures could help. . Would I return? Yes, whenever I crave a satisfying Japanese meal. . Would I recommend it? Absolutely. The restaurant carries a classic charm, and the ambience makes it a pleasant dining...

Came here for the first time on 10th August (yesterday) after seeing that so many local Melaka favourites were all closed (and also since this is a 3 minute walk away from Swan Garden Hotel). Staff was frendly with good service and greeted our family in the Japanese style (of course, this is a Japanese restaurant after all)

My meal consisted of (Nigiri Sushi) 2 Unagi, 2 Tamago and 2 Inari, as well as the Unagi Don, Chawan Mushi and Miso Soup. While it is a bit more expensive than most Japanese chain restaurants, the taste is well worth the price! I enjoyed every moment of the meal.

One thing that consistently caught my attention was the Studio Ghibli piano music playing over the speakers. I heard Carrying You, Name of Life, Town with an Ocean View, Path of the Wind, as well as songs from other Ghibli movies I haven't seen yet. Being a huge Ghibli fan myself, it greatly lifted my mood (but this does not make my review biased). I made sure to heap praise (about the music) upon the staff at the counter! LOL

Given the chance I would definitely come back (which is unfortunately unlikely since I...