Ramen @ Menya Miyabi Hokkaido Ramen, Sunway Pyramid

I feel like ramen is very similar to coffee as a good one needs to be simple, satisfying and strong. 

And a major emphasis on "strong" here if you are heading down to Menya Miyabi.

My favourite spot, the dining bar.

With three branches in Japan and one based in Penang, the Klang Valley is now blessed with its own branch in Sunway Pyramid. Its simple decor has its charm, giving it a look that is warm and inviting, but yet simple and rugged, just like an actual ramenya in Japan. Well, except for the ticket booth, but thats just a minor detail.

Look what we have here?

Initially, I intend to order the usual shio, shoyo or tonkotsu, as its the usual three that you will normally get in a ramen restaurant. But a sign that says burnt garlic ramen piqued my interest and I opted to order a bowl which stood for RM 27. Definitely pricey for a bowl of noodles but hey, gotta indulge once in a while right? As I was starving at that point, I ordered a plate of gyoza, which was for 6 pieces at a modest RM13. 

Let the munch begin

The gyoza came first. Loaded with porky goodness, it was intensely flavoured with chives and the skin was charred to the perfect consistency. Its good on its own but I like to dip it into vinegar laced with La-Yu, which is a type of chilli oil. Tasty.

Kirei ne, kono ramen...

Then the main event appears. Traditionally known as "kogashi niniku" (焦がし にんにく), or charred garlic for us English speakers, this behemoth packs some serious punch. Having a ladle instead of a spoon is a nice touch. And the bowl is the one you would probably see in a proper menya. 

Springy

The noodles were springy and fresh and the egg was cooked to perfection. The charshu that came along was tasty too. But it is the broth that is the real star of this bowl. 

Just way too good. Note the bits of garlic inside to soup. 

The flavour was strong.  And strong was an understatement. The taste of the roasted garlic came in like a violent tornado, rushing through your taste buds almost like the geological catastophe that it deserves to be seen as. Smoky, salty, savoury and loaded with umami, the incredibly strong flavour of the woody garlic was just a precursor to the porky broth that it was leaning on.

The pork was equally intense. Deep and satisfying, it has a flavour that was almost bacon-like. The texture felt like a gravy out from a roast dinner, but is this thickness which makes this broth memorable. Bits of minced pork added another depth of texture. It was a strong explosion to the palate. The only thing stronger would probably a techno J-Metal album. 

Ajitama done right 

There is a fault to this bowl though, which was its main strength, which is well... the strength of the soup. I thoroughly enjoy such intensity. But it may not to be everyone's liking. In fact, there was a sign that say that the soup may not be suitable to everyone and as such, the establishment would provide some clear broth to help dilute the soup.

Another look at this fine establishment

I was thoroughly impressed to what I had earlier, and would probably come again to try other more traditional variants. However, is this my new number one? I have my reservations, and would still rank Menya Kotetsu as my top seed as they were able to put the game of balancing flavours down. Funnily enough, both shops have origin stories from Hokkaido.  

Yet, still a good place to have a great slurp down. If you are up for the challenge, do visit this fine establishment. The address is as follows:

Menya Miyabi Hokkaido Ramen
Sunway Pyramid Hotel West, 
Ground Floor, Green Zone, Jalan PJS 11/15, 
Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya,
 Selangor

Front of the house