When N and I were at TRX’s opening last month, we came across a restaurant called Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, which had long queues of patrons waiting to be seated. As a seafood fan, my curiousity was piqued, especially after seeing their stellar reviews on Google – but we didn’t want to spend an hour queueing up, so I filed it under my “restaurants to try” list.

Lo and behold – we found one of their outlets while strolling around IOI City Mall Putrajaya last weekend. There wasn’t much of a crowd, so we decided to try it out. Here’s how our experience went!

The interior exudes a warm, comfortable vibe, thanks to the mellow lighting and green booth seats paired with natural wood. Japanese touches can be seen throughout the shop, from the noren curtains lining the glass windows near the kitchen, to the painting on the wall inspired by the famous Great Wave of Kanagawa woodblock print – a popular symbol of Japanese traditional art.

Moving on to its culinary offerings, Le Shrimp Noodle Bar brings together the best of two worlds – namely the robust flavours of Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques, and the natural simplicity of Japanese food – to present “Malaysia’s First Japanese Shrimp Broth Ramen”. Their bestseller is Le Signature Trio Shrimp, which is filled to the brim with fresh big prawns, handmade ebiko prawn paste, and prawn dumplings swimming in a umami-rich broth.

If you prefer not to have shrimp, they also have a thick chicken soup ramen. You can pair either soup base with a variety of sides, such as braised scallion soy chicken, crispy chicken karaage, dumplings, and crispy white tuna. Those who like their noodles dry can also opt for Tossed Ramen, which features a special blend of chilli vinaigrette for a tangy burst of flavour.

They offer rice bowls as well: suitable for people like my dad who must have rice for every meal lol.

It’s been awhile since I had tuna, so I went for the Crispy White Tuna Shrimp Ramen (RM35.90) – that way I could still taste their signature broth, while also satisfying my cravings for fried fish.

I was served a bowl of silky ramen in a thick, beautiful, orange broth. To achieve this, fresh big prawns are baked at 180 degrees Celcius, ground to a fine texture to extract maximum flavour, then simmered for eight hours with chicken broth and a blend of spices such as cinnamon, clove, and white pepper corn. Think gai see hor fun, but amplified by 100.

They weren’t kidding when they called it an umami ‘bomb’. The broth was extremely rich and thick, almost like tonkotsu, and packed with the natural sweetness of shrimp. There was also a smokey, roasted aftertaste to it that added a layer of complexity: it’s similar to the slight char you get from grilling prawns over a charcoal fire. The noodles were done extremely well too, with a chewy texture that allowed the broth to cling to each strand, so the flavours disperse in your mouth with each bite.

The crispy tuna came in generous portions, lightly battered with a sprinkling of black pepper. While it tasted like clean, high quality white fish with no overwhelming fishiness, it was also very salty and not as enjoyable after the first few pieces.

N ordered the Braised Scallion Soy Chicken with Thick Chicken Soup Ramen (RM26.90). While decent, the two items felt like separate dishes instead of being a cohesive whole. The broth, like the shrimp one, was dense and full of flavour. In contrast, the braised chicken was only mildly sweet, but with a nice and tender texture.

Shrimp ramen is definitely the winner at Le Shrimp Noodle Bar. If you like milder flavours, however, their offerings can come off a tad strong. Personally, I like the shrimp broth’s rich, complex taste, but I also felt thirsty afterwards because of how concentrated it was. That being said, seafood fans–you might want to check this one out.

LE SHRIMP NOODLE BAR (IOI CITY MALL PUTRAJAYA)

Lot LG-254, IOI City Mall, 62502 Putrajaya

Opening hours: 11AM – 10PM (daily)

**(halal ingredients. Not halal certified).

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PS2:  All food reviews are at own expense unless otherwise stated. Views here are my own and are based on my personal experience. They are not meant to endorse or disparage businesses in any way.