Searching for pork can feel like a hassle in Mont Kiara, but these two outlets are worth the hunt on evenings when chicken, beef & fish aren't enough.
First up, Ramen Taiko, tucked inside Mont Kiara Shoplex. The restaurant has long cultivated a faithful following in this neighborhood, but it feels more popular than ever now, following a recent refurbishment & revamp of its menu.
Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen, bristling with a wealth of chashu slices, egg, bamboo shoots, fish cakes, corn & spring onions. Not as satisfyingly aromatic as what Pavilion's Hokkaido Santouka & Fahrenheit 88's Marutama serve, but it'll still muster at least a 'B' in our book.
Comfort food is what the crowds crave here. Something disarmingly simple & decisively rustic _ such as stewed duck with rice _ fits that bill perfectly.
Pumpkin croquettes, creamy & naturally sweet. Ramen Taiko's expanded menu includes sashimi, makis & more, ensuring that customers won't run out of things to try. Prices are marginally lower compared to chains like Rakuzen.
Oh, there are complimentary starters too. Pray for tamago stuffed with unagi.
Ozeki Hana-Awaka, a sparkling sake with sugary overtones.
Just across the road, Takehana occupies a discreet corner of Plaza Mont Kiara.
Meat that's reminiscent of char siew _ reasonably tender, but not richly caramelized.
Takehana's equivalent of siew yok. Fleshy & fatty, sweating in savory gravy.
Fluffy crab omelet in sweet-&-sour sauce. Could have been the handiwork of a Chinese kitchen.
Pork liver with chives. Stinkier than expected. Hold your breath while eating this!
Coming full circle, we end this entry with more porky noodles: Wakamai Miso Ramen _ hot, hearty & heartwarming. But unfortunately, unlike Ramen Taiko, Takehana serves ordinary hard-boiled eggs instead of seasoned ones.
Sake makes the earth move under our feet (we feel the sky tumbling down).
Ramen Taiko,
Mont Kiara Shoplex, Kuala Lumpur.
Open daily for lunch & dinner.
Tel: 03-2096-1822
Takehana,
Plaza Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.
Little nitpick ~ should be Tonkotsu instead of Tonkatsu, no? How much RM's a bowl?
ReplyDeleteTiming: ooh you're right! I must have been dreaming about Tonkatsu instead while I was typing that. Will fix shortly, thanks! :D I think it was in the RM20-something range. Definitely not the priciest in town, but the exact cost wasn't something memorable, heh =)
DeleteThe stewed duck with rice caught my attention. Everythin else seems run of the mill...
ReplyDeleteTng: Japanese grub, done nicely. I think both these outlets are pretty popular with the Japanese expats in this area :D
DeleteAha...another place for sparkling sake :)
ReplyDeleteSeems this year u will 'zet tai zet tai' hog d limelight :p
Ulric: heheh, I just checked the list of blog posts that I've lined up for the remainder of this week (since i'll be out of town for work for the next several days), and guess what. They're all pork-free! :D
DeleteAhemmm...fyi there's 47 weeks more to go :P
DeleteYummy new porky discoveries. THANX Sean:D
ReplyDeleteMissyblurkit: sniffing out the scent of pork is a pleasure! :D
DeleteSpeaking of ramen, i shall go to the one at fahrenheit 88... I must try that one!
ReplyDeleteMichelle: hope u enjoy it! it's a bit on the pricey side, but it is yummy :D
DeleteIt's been a while since I had ramen. Time to get myself some. :)
ReplyDeleteBangsar-babe: always good to have ramen at least once a month! :D
DeleteHaha can only muster a B.. that made me laugh. Hokkaido Santouka is still my fav place for ramen.
ReplyDeleteBaby Sumo: heheh, ya, Hokkaido Santouka gets an 'A-minus" from me! i think they had some new promotional broth flavor recently (combining a few flavors in one), but i didn't manage to check it out =)
DeleteWadda u waiting for?...lets' go...dun forget u haven't tried their tori karaage yet...hehe :P
DeleteUlric: hahah, that ramen promotion ended already, i think. it was some kind of christmas-season special :D
Deleteit is more towards to Fusion style ...
ReplyDeleteD liver? Japs chow tau fu?
Simple Person: heheh, yeah, some similarities with chinese elements in the cooking :D
DeleteTakehana is the place to go to for cheap ramen during weekday lunch time. Although it is not as good as the famous ones, for RM10, there's nothing to complain about. Haha. Their ramen set (that comes with fried rice) is quit affordable too!
ReplyDeleteChong: sounds like a worthwhile lunch stop! i don't work near mont kiara though, but if i'm in the area, i'll keep takehana in mind :D
DeleteI used to work at Plaza Mont Kiara and Takehana was a good break from the food court and Bestari. =)
ReplyDeleteSmitten by Food: sounds like folks working in mont kiara have pretty nice options for lunch! :D
DeleteSake does seem to make you tumble and mumble a lot, does it not? Hehe.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, anything that mixes tamago + unagi = heavenly. :D
Kenny: heheh, hopefully it doesn't make me shout & be a lout! :D oooh, but the tamago must be warm & soft! warm & soft, that's the ticket :P
DeleteOooooh so want the omelette!! I like crab and sweet sour sauce! Yummmmmmm
ReplyDeleteRad: good choice! i think some chinese restaurants might do something like this too :D
Deletesounds like not as good as the hot favs lor:)
ReplyDeleteCiki: if you're in mont kiara & wondering what to eat, these could be worthwhile options :D
Deleteslurps... that bowl of piping hot ramen is so tempting!
ReplyDeleteEiling: ramen is perfect for hungry diners! :D
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