KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — Ramen Minamo, the latest ramen spot that’s all the rage on social media, has arrived in KL.
Located in Desa Sri Hartamas, the restaurant officially opened on September 1, though it had previously been possible to sample some of Chihiro Miyazaki’s chicken broth ramen as early as mid-August.
Miyazaki is the man behind Soranoiro, an acclaimed ramen restaurant in Tokyo known for unconventional offerings, including vegan and even chocolate (!) ramen.
He opened the first location in 2011, which earned a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide for Tokyo three years in a row (2015, 2016, and 2017). The opening of Minamo is a partnership with Kota Furuya, who is behind a host of other Japanese concepts in KL, including Asumo, Kyomo and Itsumo, with Minamo located next to the latter.
Those familiar with the area will recognise that Minamo occupies one of the two lots previously held by Itsumo, located on a horseshoe bend where parking is notoriously difficult. Note: the free valet parking offered at Minamo is only available at night.
Walking in, I noticed the layout was unconventional for a ramen place — lots of tables for small groups, separated by partitions, with very few seats at the bar. It seems much of Itsumo’s layout, originally designed for an izakaya serving yakitori, remains unchanged, though it could also be a design choice to reflect Minamo’s philosophy.
“Minamo” translates to “everybody” in Japanese, embodying the restaurant’s goal to be a place where “everyone, regardless of religion, can enjoy ramen,” as stated in their 20-strong list of FAQs.
These FAQs, which cover everything from Miyazaki’s background in ramen to his decision to showcase chicken broth, as well as detailed information about the ramen (toppings, ingredients, and preparation process), can be found on a comprehensive sheet of paper at every table.
In one answer, Miyazaki contrasts the popularity of chicken broth in the top ramen shops in Tokyo with the preference for pork broth in Malaysia, explaining why Minamo focuses solely on chicken broth.
This sheet also includes a complete list of ingredients for each type of ramen, down to the pH of the water used. It reminds me of the study guides I used in college to cram for exams — though I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.
Ordering is a much simpler process: you can choose between shiro, with its creamy, collagen-rich broth; shoyu, a clear chicken broth enhanced with fresh, unfiltered Okamoto soy sauce; or aka, a spicy broth infused with chilli and a blend of spices.
The same chicken soup base is used across all three, but flavouring, toppings and noodles used are where they differ.
The shiro (RM30) is for those who like their chicken flavour dialled up to 11. I won’t bore you with a blow-by-blow account of the ingredients — they’re listed for your convenience.
But is the sum of the whole greater than its parts? In my opinion, yes.
The bright yellow broth was rich, unctuous and creamy, without being decadent or excessive. It wasn’t quite bursting with chicken flavour; it was swimming in it, yet I felt I could comfortably do a couple of laps in this flavourful pool.
The hand-pulled noodles weren’t the springiest I’ve had, but there was enough bounce to keep me satisfied.
A card on the side explained the order of operations, which involves adding the toppings into the bowl after an initial taste, allowing customisation to one’s preference.
The sliced Japanese leek added sharpness to balance out the broth, but it was the slices of chicken breast that were most impressive — succulent and probably as good as skinless, boneless poached chicken gets.
The shoyu (RM30), by contrast, was positively bursting with chicken flavour. The broth was clear, but what it lacked in creaminess and richness it made up for in savouriness, thanks largely to the addition of Okamoto soy sauce.
A family brewery from the town of Ōsakikamijima, Hiroshima, Okamoto still makes shoyu through an all-natural process.
The straight noodles in this bowl were slightly stodgy and underwhelming — I definitely preferred the springier hand-pulled noodles.
Toppings included the excellent chicken pieces again, a sweet-ish omelette, and also a spicy fermented soybean paste that added a real punchy kick to the broth.
So, to the verdict. There is a wealth of literature provided, all of which is designed to explain, deconstruct and maybe, just maybe even try to sell Minamo’s ramen to you.
However, I think the final product more than backs up the talk, and I’m a big fan of having yet another great ramen option that isn’t tonkotsu for a change.
Ramen Minamo みなも
38-G, Jalan 24/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Open daily, 12-3pm, 6-10pm.
Tel: 012-572 3703
Facebook: @ramenminamo
Instagram: @ramenminamokl
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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