Ramen @ Ramen Bankara, Avenue K, Kuala Lumpur

This is sort of an overdue post, as I always had in mind a "comparison" post, whereby I will try out the local version of the Japanese noodle behemoth, which is Ramen Bankara. After some serious procrastination, I finally gone through a bowl, well several in fact, and here are my two cents on how it fare to its Japanese parent. 

A much younger self, having the time of my life. 

The first time I had Bankara was back in October 2017, when I went to Tokyo for the first time. Long story short, I was pleased and left very satisfied. As such, I made it a point to try the branch at home. If you would like to read more about my take on a Japanese outlet, do click here, where I paid a visit to one of their busy shops in Shinjuku. 

A bowl of  happiness

How does the local version fare? Pretty good actually. I headed out for the usual suspect and the staple favourite, tonkotsu. The broth was pale and rich, with alot of porky after tones. It was made from pork bones after all. It was a bit salty but still tolerable. I have to admit though, that Malaysian palates may not enjoy this as much. But the inner middle-aged Suntory charged office worker based in Chiyoda strongly approves. I do like it alot, but if you are looking for a more balanced affair, you would have to look elsewhere like Menya Shi Shi Do or Marutama, both  of which I give high praise. My only gripe is that you need to pay more for the egg. Sigh, you just cannot have it all I guess. 

Come to daddy!

Speaking of Menya Shi Shi Do and its noodles, I have to say that Bankara's tsukemen can be its formidable contemporary. It is hard to get good tsukemen here, but Bankara really delivers.  The noodles were firm and chewy to the touch, yet was a bit delicate. 

Treasures deep down in this bowl. 

The broth does have a spicy note to it, probably to accommodate Malaysian palates. And I like the bits of meat at the bottom. It gave the dish an extra profile and a depth of serious flavour. It was decadent and sinful, yet sublime. 

A bit too greasy, but still very good. 

There are other varieties as well. If you are not keen on strong tasting broth, the shoyu based ramen is a good choice too. It was a bit oily when I had it, but then again ramen has always been known to be a bit unhealthy. The soup is deep, but not as intense as the tonkotsu. A sweet after tone is present, most probably due to the soy sauce in it. It is the base of it after all. Still, something that I enjoyed alot. 

Front of the house. Its quite quiet during dinner, but packed during lunch hours. 

So, how does it compare to its Japanese ancestors? I would say it is not a real complete and authentic representation, but it would definitely make its source material proud. However, like most ramen joints in the country, this is not the cheap fulfilling fare you get in Japan as a bowl can range from RM25 to RM35 on average. Do be prepared to pay for extras if you like to customise your ramen. Still, I do enjoy eating here and it the occasional treat that I indulge in. And if Japanese expats say its good, then there is no argument here. Fancy a go? The address is as follows:

Avenue K, Lot 2-7, Level, 156, Jalan Ampang, Au 2, 50450 Kuala Lumpur