Stepping into the small but cosy abode that is Menya Shi-Shi Do at The School in Jaya One, it’s easy to imagine yourself in an underground ramen shop somewhere in Tokyo, where service is fast, the setting casual and the food is delicious.

The tiny space accommodates 20 at most, with extra tables on the corridor outside to cater to the huge influx of customers during lunch hour. Wooden tables are complemented by red walls papered over with postcards of urban Japan and anime/manga stills.

It’s rare to find establishments selling fried chicken skin, so I had to order this as an appetiser. It didn’t turn out the way I expected chicken skin to be – instead of being crispy and thin, the skin was somewhat chewy. The flavour was good though.

You can choose from several soup bases and ingredients to customise your bowl of ramen. I had the spicy pork soup base with chashu and woodear fungus. The broth was rich and flavourful, and they didn’t hold back on the spiciness ! Ramen was springy with an al dente texture. The chashu was not too thin and served in a generous portion. All in all, a good bowl of ramen!  Prices are above average, so a bowl will set you back RM20++

• Food: 8/10
• Service: 7/10
• Ambience: 6/10
• Price: Above Average, RM20+ per bowl.

MENYA SHI SHI DO