COMMENTARY, July 29 – It is a truth universally acknowledged that café culture in Kuala Lumpur rarely stands still.
There’s always something new to sip or savour, whether it’s artisanal matcha or the umpteenth variation on croissants (cronuts, cruffins, cragels, crookies… and who knows what’s next?).
Yet amid the steady churn of trends, a quieter dish has begun to surface – ochazuke, the Japanese comfort classic of steamed rice topped with savouries and finished with a pour of hot tea or broth.
I began noticing it as a kind of culinary murmur.
Ochazuke Salmon Yaki Onigiri at Yaki Soul. — Picture from Yaki Soul
At Shan Mu in Taman Connaught, the salmon ochazuke arrived in a minimalist bowl: the cooked rice is topped with poached salmon, bonito flakes, seaweed, a halved soft-boiled egg and ikura (cured salmon roe).
Our server poured some Japanese sencha over it and you have a dish even folks who don’t love tea – or rice, for that matter – would appreciate.
A 20-minute drive away in Maluri, I had enjoyed a fusion style poké bowl ochazuke at Hello Summer. It was an unrestrained kaleidoscope of ingredients: cubes of salmon, tuna, cucumber, sweetcorn and tomato atop rice.
Niku Ochazuke at Fukuniku. — Picture from Fukuniku
Ochazuke, it turns out, has become a kind of blank canvas in KL’s food scene. Each café seemed eager to give the dish its own spin.
In Japan, ochazuke literally translates to “tea over rice,” and its origins go back to the Edo period. Workers with little time would douse their bowls of rice with hot tea or dashi for a fast, filling meal.
Over the years, it shifted in form: from a humble household staple to instant packets in supermarket aisles and, more recently, a refined palate cleanser in izakayas (such as the Ochazuke Salmon Yaki Onigiri at Yaki Soul in Bukit Bintang).
Its appeal lies in simplicity. At its core, ochazuke is just rice, toppings – perhaps grilled fish, umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum), toasted sesame, or crisp seaweed – and a liquid base, whether green tea, roasted genmaicha, or savoury broth.
But as I discovered wandering from café to café, and restaurant to restaurant across Klang Valley, its versatility is why ochazuke has become a trending menu item.
For one, it’s a feast for the eyes: a bowl of ochazuke seems almost designed for the Instagram age.
Consider the Niku Ochazuke at Fukuniku in Bangsar South: a perfectly seared hanbagu patty balanced on rice, the deep umami aroma of genmaicha rising as tea cascades over the dish. Beautiful.
Porkyzuke at Alluring Café & Dining. — Picture from Alluring Café & Dining
KL’s cafés also thrive on cross-cultural creativity, and ochazuke offers a malleable foundation.
At Alluring Café & Dining in Taman Bukit Cheras, the cheekily named Porkyzuke features handmade pork balls, lard, baby corn and edamame in a shoyu broth.
As more diners seek cleaner, restorative fare, ochazuke feels almost tailor-made for this moment.
Towzen, a vegan-friendly spot in Bukit Damansara, serves a vegetarian version brimming with tofu, umeboshi, kailan, bamboo shoots, rice crackers and wasabi flavoured sesame.
There’s also something profoundly calming about the act itself – gently pouring hot tea over rice, pausing as the steam rises.
The experience brings to mind the mindful eating practices described by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh:
“We tend to eat a little more slowly, to allow us to really savor every mouthful… to really slow down and encounter the food, without rushing to swallow. When we can do this, we have a chance to touch peace and freedom right in the present moment.”
Vegetarian Ochazuke at Towzen. — Picture from Towzen
Each bite becomes a small, deliberate act, a momentary retreat from the city’s relentless pace.
Ochazuke’s growing popularity across cafés in KL speaks to a broader shift in dining preferences. Patrons no longer crave only photogenic food; they seek meals that offer both nourishment and a sense of connection.
A bowl of ochazuke does both, carrying centuries of Japanese tradition while leaving ample room for contemporary reinterpretation.
What draws us to ochazuke is not just its flavour or visual appeal, but how it might just be the ultimate comfort food especially in times of uncertainty.
Who wouldn’t want a warm embrace in the form of one delicious spoonful after another? Slowly, of course.
