Ichi-u Japanese Dining – The Row, Chow Kit
Words: Joanna Florento
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Tucked into the corner of the Faber Imperial Court on Jalan Doraisamy (The Row), Ichi-u radiates a quiet elegance. Its cosy interior of polished wooden booths is accentuated by red plates, while the outdoor patio is backlit by dappled sunlight, trees, and carefully arranged decorative stones. Ichi-u Japanese Dining aims to provide a menu that is both well-curated and accessible.
Ichi-u Japanese Dining
Upon our entry, we were greeted by the manager, Mr. Fazli. He shared that Ichi-u was designed to cater to diverse groups of people through an inclusive dining model. Lunch sets offer a convenient experience for people who stop by during the midday rush, while the tranquillity of the outdoor patio sets the scene for families, ex-pats, and visitors to KL to enjoy a leisurely meal with good company amidst the twinkling storefronts of The Row. Ichi-u opened its doors around three weeks ago, with Chef Roeney expertly presiding over the creation of authentic dishes with fresh fish delivered directly from Japan.
Ichi-u Japanese Dining Menu & Prices
Salads / Appetizers / Nimono
We began our meal with the Ehire Grilled Stingray Fin (RM 25). Thin strips of grilled stingray fin were pleasantly plated on a fresh bamboo leaf. Mayonnaise and a dusting of chilli powder made excellent seasoning. These chewy, crunchy bites are addictive! They’d be awesome with any icy-cold beer.
The Crispy Salmon Skin Salad (RM 38) was not to be upstaged. The crunchy skin added texture to romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, Japanese cucumber, red radish and flying fish roe garnish. The yuzu sesame dressing was slightly sweet and accentuated by toasted sesame.
From the Nimono menu, we enjoyed the Uni & Caviar Chawanmushi (RM 58). The steamed egg custard with sea urchin and caviar was velvety and dotted with caviar and small mushrooms. We found a springy roasted shrimp hidden underneath – yum!
Beef lovers should consider the Miyazaki Wagyu Tataki (RM 78) as an appetiser. Slices of seared Miyazaki beef are drizzled with yuzu ponzu over a bed of thinly sliced onions, garnished with crispy garlic slices and ikura salmon roe. Each slice was tender and almost creamy-tasting, and the crunch of garlic coupled with the juicy roe bookended every bite with a crunchy, sweet note.
Sushi
Ichi-u Japanese Dining has a good range of sushi and sashimi platters for most budgets. The Maguro Sushi Platter (RM 72) featured three types: otoro, chutoro, and akami tuna. It’s an educative experience tasting across the tuna belly from the fatty otoro to medium-fatty chutoro and, lastly, the lean akami. We can see why the buttery otoro is popular, but we preferred the leaner cut and deep red hue of the akami.
The Mitsui Sushi Platter (RM 178) featured Chef Roeney’s selection of seven assorted sushi: akami (tuna), kampachi (yellowtail), sake (salmon), hotate (scallop), ama ebi (sweet prawn), engawa (sea bream), and negitoro hosso (tuna). If you’re a sashimi lover, you’d do well to know that fresh fish is delivered Tuesdays and Fridays to Kuala Lumpur. It was our great fortune to dine on a Tuesday, so the fish could not have been fresher.
The Unagi Platter (RM 68) featured a delicate combination of freshwater and saltwater eel drizzled with a sweet sauce and attractively arranged on a frosted glass plate. You can tell them apart by their richness. The freshwater eel is generally fattier, so it offers a richer taste, while the saltwater eel is leaner with a lighter texture and more subtle flavour profile.
Makimono
From the Makimono menu, the Engawa Maki (RM 68) featured roasted flounder fin and ikura salmon roe on small rice rolls. The fish was complimented by creamy avocado and nutty aburi rice. These were surprisingly filling and had a good balance of flavour between the earth and the sea.
Sashimi
The Jyu Platter (RM268) is a real treat for sashimi fans. It’s delivered in a glass box with added drama, thanks to dry ice. The chef selects six types of sashimi depending on the delivery, so the range can change with the season. During our visit, we had sweet prawns, bluefin tuna belly, salmon, hiromi (white fish), and scallops. Once again, it was an incredibly fresh assortment cut with precision.
Yakimono
If grilled dishes are more your style, turn to the Yakimono section of the menu. Gindara (RM 98), grilled cod fish with a sweet and sticky teriyaki sauce, is an excellent choice. Cod is tricky to cook: a skilled chef must ensure the flesh is flaky and moist, not slimy. I’m pleased to report that Ichi-u’s chef passed the test with flying colours.
Dessert
For dessert, we enjoyed the Dango (RM 25) and the Mizu Shingen Mochi (RM 18). The dango consisted of tri-coloured rice dumplings on skewers. We loved the contrast between the chewy middle and lightly grilled coat, and a drop of the brown sugar sauce drew out a rich rice flavour. The mizu shingen mochi, raindrop cake, held a large strawberry encased in a jewel-like dome. On its own, it was quite mild in flavour, but the gula Melaka sauce completed the dish with a sweet finish.
Ichi-u Japanese Dining Review
I very much enjoyed my visit to Ichi-u Japanese Dining. Each menu item was beautifully presented, and prices seemed quite reasonable considering the standard served. The restaurant’s interior is warm and inviting, but I recommend visiting early evening to enjoy the semi-alfresco patio that looks out over The Row through a border of plants.
Reasons to visit Ichi-u Japanese Dining: Fresh seafood, attractive presentations, friendly service, and a pretty semi-alfresco patio surrounded by greenery.
Ichi-u Japanese Dining
Ground Floor, F&B Space, Faber Imperial Court,
Jalan Doraisamy, Chow Kit, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Link to Ichiu Japanese Dining on Google Maps
@ ichiu.japanese.dining +6 014 641 2866
[email protected]
Basement parking is available at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
Ichi-u Japanese Dining
Daily: 12 pm – 10 pm
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