Happy Lunar New Year 2026! My cousins and I visited this cafe in Ipoh for lunch on the third day of Chinese New Year ("大年初三 Da Nian Chu San").

From the outside, it looks rather unassuming. However, once inside, we were greeted by a cosy atmosphere. There are two floors, but the seating is still quite limited and it was especially crowded during the festive period.

The cafe specialises in Japanese dishes. Here’s what we ordered:

🍜 Scallion Oil Ramen with Dumplings

Handmade Ramen, Fried Scallion, Scallion Oil, Ajitsuke Tamago, Dumplings

💸 RM 20.00
⭐⭐ 2.5/5

I enjoyed the chewy texture from the noodles, but the overall flavour was slightly bland. There was a hint of sweetness in the sauce, though I felt they could have been more generous with it.

The ajitsuke tamago, or the marinated jammy egg was cooked nicely - soft and well-seasoned. The dumplings definitely stood out among the elements in this dish. The broccoli side dish was quite raw and would have been nicer if it had been chargrilled or seasoned a little more.

🍳 Tamago Mentai Don

Handmade Tamago, Mentai Sauce, White Sesame, Seaweed Flakes, Japanese Rice, Seasonal Vegetables

💸 RM 18.00
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5

The tamago was cooked well: soft and slightly sweet. It paired nicely with the savoury mentai sauce and fluffy Japanese rice, a combination that rarely goes wrong.

Unfortunately, it was served with the same broccoli, which tasted underseasoned.

🍵 Salmon Ochazuke

Miso Salmon, Bonito Flakes, Bonito Furikake, Seaweed Flakes, Ajitsuke Tamago, Seasonal Vegetables, Leek, Sencha, Japanese Rice

💸 RM 29.00
⭐⭐ 2.5/5

This was my first time trying ochazuke, so pouring tea over a salmon rice bowl was a unique experience.

It tasted decent overall, though the fishy notes were slightly strong. That was expected though, as the salmon and furikake were mixed into the tea-based “soup”. Nevertheless, it paired well with the rice, and the salmon itself was cooked decently.

Unfortunately, it was also served with the underseasoned broccoli, which lowered my overall rating of this dish.

🍵 Matcha Latte

Niko Neko Ajisai Matcha

💸 RM 15.00
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5

The matcha latte was really good. Vibrant green in colour, with a pleasant umami bitterness balanced by just the right level of sweetness. The delicate floral latte art was a lovely touch too.

☕ White Coffee

💸 RM 11.00
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5

The coffee was enjoyable as well. It leaned more towards bitterness rather than acidity, but overall it was nicely balanced.

🍂 Houjicha Latte

💸 RM 15.00

🌿 Tie Guan Yin Latte

💸 RM 15.00

Skipping the ratings for the Hojicha Latte and Tie Guan Yin Latte as they were my cousins’ orders, but both gave positive feedback on their drink choices.

Perhaps it was due to the festive period, but the cafe felt understaffed and overcrowded during our visit. The three main dishes arrived one after another, and we were seated on side benches with small tea tables, which made dining slightly inconvenient.

Overall, I’d recommend the drinks more than the food here, as the drinks were consistently good, while the food could be a hit or miss. Keke Cafe also offer cakes and pastries, so it might be a nice spot for tea time or post-meal dessert.

Menu:

Keke

📍 114E, Jalan Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Taman Chateau, 30250 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia