The aka ramen is a fire-studded option that is designed for those looking for a bit of heat with their ramen. — Photos: MINAMO
Throughout Japan, there are an estimated 25,000 ramen shops, offering various permutations and iterations of this beloved noodle dish, from kaisen (seafood) ramen to tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen and even miso ramen.
But interestingly over the past few years, chicken broth ramen has become one of the trendiest items on the ramen circuit. In fact, some of the most famous ramen shops in Japan actually specialise in chicken broth.
“In Malaysia, tonkotsu ramen is very popular. Everywhere you go, you can find pork broth ramen. But chicken broth ramen? It’s very hard to find here. But ironically in Tokyo, chicken ramen has been very, very popular in the last few years. So I wanted to introduce it to more Malaysians,” says Kota Furuya.
Furuya is a serial F&B operator with a string of Japanese restaurants in KL to his name – including Itsumo, Asumo and Kyomo.
His most recent restaurant – which opened just a few days ago in Desa Sri Hartamas – is Minamo Ramen House, an eatery that is led by redoubtable Japanese chef Chihiro Miyazaki of famed Tokyo ramen restaurant Soranoiro Ramen.
Miyazaki’s popular eatery was launched in 2011 and specialises in vegetarian and vegan ramen – as well as meat-friendly options. The restaurant is on Tokyo’s Michelin Bib Gourmand (value-for-money) list.
Miyazaki (left) and Furuya are behind the brand new Minamo Ramen House, which is devoted to the joys of chicken broth ramen. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
To set up Minamo, which means ‘everybody’ in Japanese, Furuya and Miyazaki visited ramen shops throughout the Klang Valley to get a sense of what the Malaysian predilection for ramen is, admitting that they both regularly ate up to 10 bowls of ramen in a single day!
They topped this with Miyazaki’s own experience of eating ramen since he was a child – he estimates that he has eaten at least 6,000 different ramen in his lifetime!
To perfect the chicken broth ramen recipe at Minamo, Furuya worked closely with Miyazaki and before opening the eatery, he sent samples of the finished ramen directly to Japan for him to try.
“We did this at least three times before we got the flavours right,” says Furuya, laughing.
Mizayaki was very happy with the quality of Malaysian poultry, so local chicken forms the heart and soul of each bowl (incidentally the bowls are Arita ware, which has a 400-year-old history in Japan and is known for keeping soups warm).
Making the ramen noodles proved trickier. At his own restaurants in Tokyo, Miyazaki hand-makes the noodles but here, there were issues with the flour and the resulting consistency wasn’t quite what he wanted. To combat this, Furuya found a local producer who could make the noodles based on the recipe provided, so the noodles are still hand-made; just not made in-house.
Miyazaki is a Japanese ramen wizard who has perfected his delightful chicken broth ramen recipes down to a science.
The menu at Minamo is bare-bones and basically features just three chicken broth ramen options – shiro (creamy and extra rich broth), shoyu (light and clear soy sauce broth) and aka (chilli and mixed spices broth) as well as a few a la carte side dishes to complement the meal. According to Miyazaki, this was entirely intentional.
“Currently it is popular in Japan to have a limited menu. By focusing on a few options, we can concentrate on delivering high-quality soup rather than spreading our efforts across many different soups,” explains Miyazaki.
Each chicken broth starts off with the same base ingredients – Ph7.6 water (soft water), apples, dried Japanese bonito, onions, a whole chicken, young ginger, homemade chicken oil, fermented fish sauce, Japanese kelp seaweed, sun-dried salt, classically brewed soy sauce, Japanese leek head and chicken bones. Based on the individual choice made, the base broth is then layered with additional ingredients to give it its own specific flavour profile.
To start, take a dip through lighter waters with the Shoyu Ramen (RM30). Here, the soup base features the addition of fresh and unfiltered Okamoto shoyu. The broth is simmered for exactly five hours and 10 minutes, and the ingredients are stirred every 10 minutes while impurities are skimmed.
At Minamo, each ramen is presented as is, so essentially you will get just the soup and noodles in a bowl. Presented separately are three different toppings, which you should add into the soup-noodle mixture in the sequence suggested (each order comes with instructions on how best to enjoy the ramen).
The shoyu ramen is the best way to get acquainted with the wonders of chicken broth ramen as it offers pure avian flavours.
The shoyu ramen is divine – clear and yet incredibly potent. The rich avian profile of the soup comes through in the first piping hot mouthful. It is akin to slurping on the essence of poultry, amplified by the other ingredients added to the mix. The thin noodles used in this configuration have a playful twirl and are bouncy while still retaining yield and firmness.
As suggested, dunk the toppings into the bowl in the order in which you are meant to – first the chicken slices and Japanese leek, then the Japanese omelette and finally the Japanese spicy sauce. Each addition accentuates the meal in different ways – the chicken slices and leek add allium undertones and more chick-filled depth while the omelette offers a touch of sweetness to the broth and the Japanese spicy sauce gives off peppery nuances. It’s a wonderful exploration of the ways in which different ingredients can add something new to a broth that is spectacular even on its own.
Up next, definitely try the Shiro Ramen (RM30). This creamy broth is enlivened with more chicken bones and an extra whole chicken and is simmered for five hours and 20 minutes to extract both umami and collagen from the bones.
The result is a broth that is truly superlative – slightly unctuous and intoxicatingly good. It is very creamy and yet simultaneously not at all cloying – which is probably key to its success. The hand-rolled noodles are lovely – slightly plump, quite firm and springy to the touch.
For a truly unforgettable meal, indulge in the pleasures of the shiro ramen, which offers a truly nirvanic odyssey.
The toppings on offer – chicken slices and Japanese leek, aosa seaweed, and onsen egg – all confer different attributes to the noodle dish, most notably the seaweed which adds a touch of brininess to the meal, which is then buoyed by the onsen egg which takes the creamy nuances of the broth to a sublime, silken zenith.
In a world of ephemeral qualities and passing fancies, this is a meal whose superpower is that it is simply unforgettable, anchored by a broth that is dedicated to delivering bursts of euphoria in each mouthful.
The final piece of Minamo’s ramen puzzle lies in the Aka Ramen (RM30) which is a chilli and mixed spices broth that features the original chicken soup base accentuated by chilli oil, tomatoes, chillies, ginger water, cinnamon, Nagano chilli powder, star anise and spicy miso paste.
This is a ramen that will probably appeal to those looking for a fiery blast of heat. The chicken nuances in this broth are understated and not as prominent as the other two options, but that’s probably also because the spice levels have been turned up fairly dramatically. As a result, you will feel the fire from the very first mouthful but this is also juxtaposed against the tangy elements of the broth, which might remind some diners of the familiar Indian staple of rasam.
The vegetables, roasted chicken and coriander toppings added to the broth enhance its potential even further, especially the roasted chicken which is where the chicken element of the meal really seems to come alive. The coriander, meanwhile, adds an herbaceous undercurrent to the broth, which brings it a hugely satisfying close.
The Japanese fried chicken is simple but simply delightful. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
The a la carte options on the menu are limited, but clearly the idea is to do a few things and do them well. So you could opt to try the Japanese Fried Chicken (RM10 for three pieces). Here, the chicken has been fried to absolute perfection and retains a crispy outer carapace that yields to oh-so juicy, succulent meat inside. If you are so inclined, you could even opt to pair the chicken with the fantastic house-made sambal belacan (yes, they have it in a Japanese restaurant!) and enjoy it with a Malaysian twist.
Another sideshow star is the surprisingly good Bitter Gourd Salad (RM13). Tossed in a mayo dressing, the bitter gourd retains its sturdiness and is a crunchy operator with the mayo offering a sweet, slightly creamy counterbalance.
Moving forward, Miyazaki says he will be coming to KL every three months to introduce a limited edition ramen on the menu. He whips out a book with a list of all the ramen he has produced and points to options like a peach ramen and even a watermelon-infused ramen.
“There are 300 ramens here,” he points at the book. “So I am going to keep introducing different kinds of ramen to Malaysians,” he says.
Minamo Ramen House
38-G, Jalan 24/70a
Desa Sri Hartamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 012 572 3703
Open daily: 12pm to 3pm; 5pm to 9.30pm
