The Hubs and I didn’t have a particular place in mind to have our wedding anniversary celebration meal – so we wandered around IOI City Mall Putrajaya before settling for Ippudo Ramen. Most ramen enthusiasts will have heard of the brand, which is perhaps one of the best known ramen chains outside of Japan. Their specialty is the tonkotsu, which features a rich broth made from boiling pork bones for up to 18 hours.
I like the decor at their IOI City Mall Outlet. While it sports the typical Japanese restaurant look – namely lots of light wood furniture and beige walls – there are a few unique touches, such as the large mural of two warriors resembling an ukiyo-e painting, as well as the linear motifs running across the ceiling, which remind me of a bamboo lattice. Mirroring this design are the reddish-brown tiles on the floor.
The menu is slightly different across different outlets (the Pearl Point branch, for example, has kushiyaki, or skewered/ grilled items), but the essentials are the same, such as their signature Shiromaru Special , a Hakata-style ramen comprising thin noodles, soft boiled eggs, pork belly, kikurage (Wood ear mushroom), beansprouts, seaweed and spring onion in a rich and thick tonkotsu broth. You can choose the degree of hardness for your noodles, ie very hard, hard, normal, and soft.
I went for a slightly budget version ie the Shiromaru Chashu (RM35) which doesn’t have the seaweed and egg. I also requested not to include beansprouts.
Ippudo delivers once again with solid consistency. The broth was creamy and delivered a flavour bomb as it clung to each silky strand of noodle (I got the normal, which is still a bit chewy). The chashu on top was the perfect thickness, and meaty to the bite. All the elements come together harmoniously. Hard to fault the quality!
N had the Akamaru Special (RM40), a slight variation from the Shiromaru, with spicy blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil. If you like stronger, garlicky flavours, give this one a go.
Aside from the two kinds above, they serve many other types of pork ramen such as the Karaka (sweet and spicy Szechuan pepper-infused miso paste) and Kuro Special (miso paste with garlic oil with black pepper). If chicken is more your thing, you can go for the Shoyu Special which is made from chicken broth. There are beef options too, ie the Niku Soba Special.
We had a nice surprise at the end of the meal – by filling in a survey form, we got one free ice cream each. The green tea one was good; creamy and rich with a strong matcha flavour, so it wasn’t too sweet. The black sesame (Goma) wasn’t bad either. If you order them from the menu they are RM10 each (served with azuki red beans, which are not in the ones above).
Service is fast and friendly. Ramen bowls range from RM30 – RM43.
IPPUDO RAMEN (IOI CITY MALL) – non-halal
Lot No. GE-207, Ground Floor, IOI City Mall 2, Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City, 62502 Putrajaya, Malaysia
Opening hours: 1030am – 10pm
Phone: 03-8682 5886
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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.
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