KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — A bowl of ramen when done right hits you hard with its flavours and leaves you craving a second round or so.

I have been slowly eating my way around Steppes @ Mont Kiara, which has a slew of new places.

One impressive spot is Fujin Ramen, which is linked to Raijin Ramen from REXKL.

In Japanese mythology, Raijin and Fujin are brother gods: controlling thunder and wind.

Perhaps this is a nod to the two brothers, Larry and Gary Tan, who are behind Raijin Ramen, Fujin Ramen and Koka Izakaya.

The headline act here is the FUJIN Tori Paitan (RM32), which their menu promises will be “rich, savoury and deeply comforting”.

That description suited my palate but taste is individual, especially since everyone’s comfort levels vary widely.

Your bowl arrives with a frothy top reminiscent of the famed mushroom cappuccino soup popularised in the 1980s by French chef Alain Chapel, one of the originators of nouvelle cuisine.

As you drink each spoonful, the flavours unfurl on your tongue with depth, yet they are kept in check by the lightness of the airy foam.

Poached chicken breast is so moist that it makes you double-check if it’s really the boneless part of the chicken, which many dislike for its dry, stringy texture.

There’s a soy sauce-cured egg with a jammy centre for extra protein and a little bit of ooze.

For spice lovers, there’s a tongue-tingling Aka Tori Paitan (RM34) with the same chicken broth but infused with a spicy heat.

Since they are still on their soft launch menu, choices are limited. However, I really wanted to try their Ebi Tsukemen (RM38), which warrants a second visit.

When you can smell the crustaceans used to create the burnished orange dipping sauce, you know it’s a winning sauce.

I would have preferred a slightly thicker consistency for the sauce to better coat the noodles but balancing that consistency for general taste is likely tricky.

With tsukemen, it’s a leisurely meal since there’s no pressure to eat the noodles quickly before they turn soggy.

Sometimes I even burn my tongue drinking down the hot broth that accompanies the ramen, which I like to do.

For the tsukemen, dip the noodles in the rich prawn broth to coat them and slowly savour the flavour of the sea.

Add a bit of the toppings too with the ramen to enhance its flavours, perhaps a bite of the juicy grilled prawn or seaweed.

Any extra dipping sauce can be diluted with hot water to easily make it into a drinkable soup that isn’t overly salty.

Snacks can also be ordered but few are available or not ready yet.

Never mind I say, I am happy with their Karaage (RM15), which are juicy, ball-shaped bites of fried chicken.

Wash it all down with a House Highball (RM35), a lighter mix of rice wine with citrus to cool you down and make you happy. 

Fujin Ramen

LG1-06-1, Steppes @ Mont Kiara,

32, Jalan Kiara 3,

Kampung Segambut Dalam, Kuala Lumpur

Open: 12pm to 3.30pm., 4.30pm to 9pm (last call is 8.30pm). Closed on Wednesdays.

Instagram: @fujin.steppes

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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