I was minding my own business on Google maps and there it was: a new Ramen shop near Lorong Burma! Google definitely sensed my inner ramen craving. I did some scrolling and they have nothing but glowing reviews so far. Their Facebook page reveals that they've just opened at the end of April so of course I had to drop by for lunch ASAP.
The shop is located within a row of houses and street parking can be scarce due to its proximity to the Pulau Tikus Wet Market. For convenience, you can park inside Moulmein Rise Secure Parking located right across from the shop.
Thankfully, we arrived around 11.40pm (10 minutes after opening) as the place filled up soon after. We're not greeted with a loud & energetic "irasshaimase!" but the servers were prompt & courteous with their service.
For a small shop with only 10-15 tables, they did a pretty nice job with deco - simple, bright and clean.
You can check out their menu here. They only serve tonkotsu ramen and a relatively small selection of donburi & side dishes. It's a shame that I wasn't hungry enough to order the Chicken Namban as it looked so tempting! Also, they do not offer a choice of noodle type or doneness, but diners can select the level of saltiness for their ramen: low, medium, or high.
Bowls of ramen came flying out of the kitchen and we were served within a quick 10 minutes.
Let's makan!
Shiro Special (4.5/5)
The Shiro Special was the first item on their menu so it's a "must order" for me. Each bowl comes with 4 slices of charsiu, 1 egg, 2 pieces of nori, and a handful of black fungus & spring onion. A bowl of ramen with these toppings would set you back at least RM35 at Ippudo - they definitely have friendlier pricing here.
One sip of the milky broth and I fell in love! It's very balanced - not too thick or oily and deliciously rich in umami. Worth noting that the Low saltiness level can come across as quite bland for some but health-conscious eaters should like it.
Their handmade noodles were perfectly cooked with a nice chewy bite.
I thought their charsiu was a standout. It melts in your mouth and has the most heavenly smoky aroma! The ramen egg was flavourful as well but unfortunately, a touch overcooked.
If you're a small eater, you can order the Shiro Basic (RM16) instead as it omits the egg and only comes with 1 slice of charsiu.
Kuro Special (4.5/5)
Their Kuro Special was equally tasty as the Shiro. The only difference between these two is the addition of a splash of garlic oil for the Kuro, introducing a bold garlicky aroma that pairs nicely with the milky broth.
For this bowl, we opted for Medium saltiness. It still tastes less salty than a conventional bowl of ramen but I personally prefer it this way - at least I don't feel too thirsty after the meal!
Similar to the Shiro, the Kuro also comes with a Basic option (RM17) with fewer toppings.
If you love upsizing or jazzing up your ramen, here's the list of toppings for you to add on:
Overall, it was a super satisfying ramen lunch. The umami-rich tonkotsu broth wasn't cloying, the noodle texture was just right and the charsiu was irresistibly tender. The Japanese owner is definitely bringing the best of Osaka ramen to Penang. For a newly opened establishment, their service was also efficient and friendly. And of course, the price is beyond reasonable for the quality of ramen they are serving.
I'd highly recommend trying this place but do arrive early to avoid a wait. If you have to wait, at least they've proper queue numbers & seats outside to make it more bearable. Let me know if you think this is the best ramen in Penang.
Sabbylicious Makan Rating
Food : 4.5/5
Price : 4.5/5
Environment : 3.5/5
Service : 4/5
Must order : Ramen!
Operating Hours Generally open Wednesday - Monday (11:30am–3:00pm; 5:30pm-9:30pm). Best to check their Facebook for operating days & hours as they update it monthly.
Location
Kakuriyo Ramen
5, Lengkok Moulmein, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang.