Menya Shishido launches Durian Ramen
Innovative food combos have always been a trend, and we Malaysians, are naturally inquisitive foodies who won’t miss out on the chance to try all manner of twists on our local favourites. From Indomie pizza to teh tarik pasta, we’ve definitely more than a handful of outlandish food combos already.
Just when it seems like nothing could make us question our sanity any further, along comes Menya Shishido‘s latest offering – Durian Ramen. Just like it sounds, ramen is served in a durian shell and topped with chashu, half-boiled egg, and durian flesh.
Needless to say, our interest was piqued – and so we tried the dish to bring you this review.
Durian Ramen incorporates the creamy flesh of durian with tonkotsu broth
When we said we love our ramen broth thick and packed with flavours, this wasn’t what we had in mind.
A local ramen diner, Menya Shishido in Petaling Jaya, has decided to crank this up to the next level by introducing a new “flavour bomb” ramen dish to their menu on 15th May 2023.
Called Durian Ramen and priced at RM40 a bowl, the dish brings together the nation’s King of Fruits with everyone’s beloved Japanese comfort dish, incorporating the creamy flesh of durian with the ramen diner’s signature tonkotsu broth.
While the unique ramen flavour is enough to turn heads, the dish is also served in a whole hollowed-out jagged durian husk as a bowl, with springy ramen noodles swimming in the near-opaque broth.
The toppings include a piece of chashu, a boiled egg, scatterings of spring onions, and of course, a single durian pulp.
According to the restaurant, the custardy consistency of the durian is meant to meld with the lush broth to create “a very unique creamy taste that compliments our Ramen to the highest level”. And it’s not the restaurant’s first eccentric dish either. They’ve launched a Croissant Ramen, Chocolate Ramen, Matcha Ramen, and Cold “Boba Pearl” Ramen before.
It’s safe to say that curiosity got the best of us – and coupled with a heavy case of #fomo, we decided to try the Durian Ramen out for ourselves.
Here’s our thoughts on the dish
The ramen was served elaborately in a spiky durian husk, with a gold durian flesh swimming on the surface of the soup and looking completely out of place. Besides the durian, the simple toppings comprise a single chashu and whole half-boiled egg, with complimentary additional toppings such as crispy garlic and seasoned bean sprouts available at every table.
Upon slurping up a mouthful of the noodles, the taste of the durian was not as evident. But after we broke apart the flesh and let them marry with the broth, we were overpowered by the signature pungency of the fruit as we sipped on the soup.
The elevated creaminess of the broth from the durian, coupled with its rich consistency, made it cling onto the noodles in a satisfying slurping experience. But the intense musky sweetness of the durian merging with the deep meaty flavours of the broth aren’t the best of pairs, and may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Netizens’ mixed reaction on the dish
Naturally, such an unconventional food combo would leave netizens divided online – with some tickled and intrigued by the creation, and others scratching their heads in confusion.
Image adapted from: Menya Shishido via Facebook
On Facebook, a handful of netizens expressed their curiosity about what the combination would taste like, while some who have actually tried the durian ramen said that it tasted nice.
On the other hand, there were many who just couldn’t wrap their heads around the dish, with one Instagram user commenting “Don’t make Japanese ancestors cry!” on Menya Shishido’s Instagram post introducing the dish.
Image adapted from: @menyashishido via Instagram
Several other netizens on Instagram used hilarious puns and memes to voice out their contempt for the restaurant’s new offering.
Image adapted from: Menya Shishido via Facebook
The viral Durian Ramen from Menya Shishido
It goes without saying that Malaysians are connected by our common love for food. However, our passion for food can sometimes stir up some disputes as well, given our different taste preferences and the vast range of unique delicacies we have access to.
So whether you love or hate the idea of durian ramen, we can’t deny that the creation is a unique and amusing one, as much as it may be perplexing.
Address: 2, Jalan 51a/225, Seksyen 51a, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 11am-9.30pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
To know more about bizarre food combos in Malaysia, there’s US Pizza M’sia’s Indomie ramen pizza and Santan’s nasi lemak ice cream.
Photography by Dennis Kong.
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local Malaysia