Enishi in Malaysia
It’s not difficult to find authentic Japanese food in KL that whisks you away to Tokyo with one bite. But it’s not every day that you come across a Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurant that serves some of the best ramen to locals in Japan, right here in Malaysia.
That’s Enishi. Hailing from Kobe, Japan, where the ramen shop earned its coveted Michelin award, the ramen shop is best known for their Dan Dan Noodles prepared in an open-concept kitchen before diners.
A Japanese take on the dan dan mian
Whether served with savoury soup or delectably dry, noodles are probably the only dish that we would willingly trade rice for. At Enishi in KL’s Mont Kiara, you’ll have the best of both worlds – noodles, served with a side of rice.
Enishi keeps it simple, whipping up just two star noodle dishes – the Dan Dan Noodles (from RM58) and Dashi Noodles (from RM34).
For the uninitiated, dan dan mian is a staple among Chinese-Sichuan cuisine, comprising chilli oil, minced pork, and a variety of preserved vegetables.
Enishi’s Japanese take on it involves flat noodles crafted with quality Japanese wheat flour, sans the broth and tossed with a base crafted with 32 different spices and ingredients instead. Their signature in-house spicy oil alone boasts over 20 spices.
Dan Dan Noodles
Enishi has five different types of Dan Dan Noodles, with a selection of spicy levels – Zero, Curry, Rich, Medium, and Very Hot. If you’re not sure which one to go with, they recommend the Medium for first-time customers, which is just mildly spicy.
The Dan Dan Noodles are a sight to behold. A bed of thick, bouncy noodles is topped with six ingredients neatly arranged in a large bowl – minced meat, chashu, pickled gingers, cashew nuts, diced white onions, and mizuna. Each component complements each other and adds a different texture to each bite.
You’ll be given a laminated card with info on how to fully enjoy the noodles.
It starts with taking a snap of your meal within 20 seconds, stirring the noodles 3 times, adding the on-tama (soft-cooked egg), drizzling a choice of flavoured vinegar, and adding spoonfuls of strong umami dashi to your liking.
A bowl of rice is also served on the side along with the dashi, which you can dump into your bowl after finishing your noodles to let it soak up every last bit of the flavourful sauce.
There are three vinegars on the table, infused with orange, dashi, and apple. They help further elevate the bowl of noodles, with portions up to you based on your taste preference. For that extra kick of spice that’ll be much welcomed for spice lovers, the restaurant’s signature chilli oil can be added to the mix too.
Else, opt for the Curry (RM64) option, which adds another twist to the Medium dan dan noodles – it’s flavoured with a blend of Indian spices that the chef learned from the Indian community.
Dashi Noodles
For comforting ramen bowls, there’s also the Dashi Noodles, a soup option with an umami-packed broth. Each bowl features chashu, duck meat, and ajitama with wheat noodles and a clean-tasting broth, with a dash of vinegar also recommended to add a sharpness to the dashi.
There are also different broth options to enjoy, the Scallops Stock Shoyu (RM37) with a deep-umami shellfish flavour, or the Yuzu Shio (RM40) comprising a homemade salt sauce and zesty yuzu oil.
Ambience at Enishi
You’ll be enjoying the noodle bowls at Enishi’s cosy and intimate dining space, with soft woods and minimal decor that exudes that well-loved Japanese minimalist concept well.
The best seats in the house are at the bar seating area, where you can watch the chefs prepare the noodles at the open-concept kitchen from your seat.
Slurp on Dan Dan Noodles at the first Enishi in Malaysia
A bowl of noodles at Enishi seems simple for the rather high price it’s set at. But each dish is carefully crafted with a variety of quality ingredients and spices that come together, forming a satisfying and authentic bowl of ramen.
Address: 15-0-1 Shoplex, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480, Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 11am-3pm & 6pm-9pm, Daily
Contact: Enishi’s Instagram
For more dining adventures, read Kepong food guide and 16 cafes in Petaling Street.
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Yusintha.