Specialising in its rich tonkotsu shoyu broth packed with umami and flavour, Bari-Uma Ramen hails from Hiroshima, Japan. It has multiple branches around the Klang Valley, its most famous being its Jaya Shopping Center location. Its broth is pleasantly thick and slightly darker than other tonkotsu broths, thanks to the addition of special soy sauce that it imports from Japan. It comes with a thick slice of fork-tender pork brisket and a runny “onsen” egg, the perfect addition to this flavourful bowl.

Should its supply chain experience some disruption and the kitchen cannot get its soy sauce stock, the restaurant will not serve any bowls of ramen made with this shoyu. To us, that screams commitment to quality and taste. Aside from its tonkotsu shoyu ramen, its signature Bari-Uma Ramen is also reliable.

Located in the trendy enclave of The Gasket Alley in Petaling Jaya, Ramen Bar Shi Shi Do is home to the recently announced ice cream ramen, the viral croissant ramen from earlier this year and 2021’s matcha ramen. Gags and fads aside, Ramen Bar Shi Shi Do makes some of the area’s most reliable bowls of ramen, served in its space designed to immerse you into four different traditional Japanese settings, including one called “Tokyo Night Street”.

Its menu is extensive, ensuring that its bowls can cater to any palate, and it also includes rice bowls, side dishes, and appetisers to bulk up your meals. The standard Ajitama Chasu Ramen is decently priced and comes with a slice of pork shoulder, black fungus, an egg, and spring onions. You also have the option of adding on more toppings if you need a heartier bowl.

Nestled away in Taman Desa is Ramen Mob, a relative newcomer to the scene with its sleek space and slurp-worthy bowls of ramen. Marked by its elevator door-like entrance, the establishment’s kitchen is at the centre of its space, positioning its chefs under the watchful eye of hungry diners.

Once seated, you’ll order your preferred bowl through its digital menu detailing ramen styles such as miso, shio, shoyu, and tonkotsu. Those with a penchant for spicy food should go for its mala ramen with a kick to it. Otherwise, its tonkotsu and shio ramen bowls are also popular choices for those craving a classic bowl of noodles.

Though not a traditional ramen specialist, Japanese restaurant Uo Sho is a favourite for its aburasoba, a dry ramen made with a shoyu tare base, aroma oil, and ramen. Despite its name, aburasoba is a ramen version in which the noodles are served on top of a sauce, the tare. There is also a soup version available on its menu.

Typical aburasoba toppings include black fungus, bamboo shoots, an egg, shredded nori (seaweed), and spring onions. At Uo Sho, your aburasoba will come with a tare, made even better with aromatic pork oil, the standard toppings, and a juicy piece of pork belly, grilled to perfection. You’ll also have the option of having thin or thick noodles in your aburasoba—we recommend the thick noodles for peak enjoyment.

Another dry ramen specialist, Menya Hanabi, boasts a cult following who swear by its bowls of mazesoba, which is similar to aburasoba, except that it is served with different toppings and vinegar. Its several locations are a testament to consistent demand for its mouthwatering bowls of noodles. There are also three soup ramen options and three kinds of rice bowls on the menu for those not feeling mazesoba during their trip there.

Its signature mazesoba is called Nagoya Mazesoba, served with a heaping serving of minced pork, spring onions, and seaweed. If you prefer pork belly slices, order the Toroniku Nose Aemen. The best part of the meal comes after you finish the noodles, when you can request a scoop of rice on the house to mix into the leftover sauce and vinegar in the bowl so that you can enjoy the meal to its last drop and grain.

Named after the Japanese word for “brilliant”, Menya Appare is loved by many for its aburasoba and tonkotsu ramen. Located in Isetan at The Gardens Mall, Menya Appare is helmed by a team of experienced Japanese chefs who are dedicated to the art of ramen making. Its menu goes beyond its ramen, offering grilled gyoza, iron plate fried rice, and more.

A bowl of Menya Appare’s signature deluxe tonkotsu ramen consists of a 48-hour broth made with its secret tare recipe, medium-thick or thin al dente ramen noodles, a juicy slice of charsiew pork shoulder, a tender slab of charsiew pork belly, seaweed and spring onions. As with many other ramen specialists, you can also add more toppings to suit your fancy. Other recommended ramen options include shoyu tonkotsu ramen, black tonkotsu ramen, and deluxe Tokyo style dry ramen.