I have been to IPPUDO a couple of times in the past and found their Hakata tonkotsu pork bone soup to be better than most. IPPUDO is famous for their Kyushu style ramen and pork buns. The latter is actually really yummy! The one in Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC) is actually a new Bar IPPUDO – one of their IPPUDO x sake outlets.
This doesn’t mean that Bar IPPUDO don’t still serve good ramen though. I was there for lunch with Ang Khian and the place was packed! I originally wanted to meet at MidValley but due to the school holidays, there was no parking to be found. I circled two parking lots (C and H) for almost an hour before giving up and going to BSC instead.
There was a waiting list to get a table and I finally managed to get seated. I was tempted to order the Samurai Rock (around RM 40) cocktail which is made with Nikka From The Barrel but since it was a lunch meeting, I abstained and just stuck to their lunch sets.
Perfect Ramen Set Combo A (RM 29.90)
This is what I had. You can choose from Shiromaru Motoaji or Akamaru Shinaji and I opted for the former. It’s a half bowl ramen instead of a full serving since it came with other stuff. In addition to the half bowl Shiromaru Motoaji, there was:
- Pork Bun
- Tamagoyaki
- Nappa Cabbage
- Dessert
- Green Tea (hot/cold)
I made this choice for the Ippudo pork bun, which sounds mundane but is surprisingly good. My first bite left me wanting more – the pork belly in the soft and warm enveloping clamshell dough was simply divine!
I really liked the sweet tamagoyaki too but the nappa cabbage was left half-eaten. The dessert of watermelon with a wedge of orange was pure genius though – the orange slice was cut in a way that each cube of watermelon *absorbed* the orange juice and it tasted wonderful.
Perfect Ramen Set Combo B (RM 31.90)
This set had two different items – sashimi replaced the pork bun and beef enoki the tamagoyaki but it’s otherwise the same. You also get the same ramen options and Ang Khian went for the Akamaru Shinaji half bowl ramen.
She asked me if I wanted to have a slice of her salmon sashimi and I said it’s fine. I was just being polite coz it’s only the second time I met her and we were discussing some business over lunch. Haha. I really wanted to eat it but I haven’t seen her since Chinese New Year in Ipoh in 2009 so I decided to be gracious.
I was quite tempted to eat her beef enoki too. 
The service was really rushed and you can see the waitresses visibly harried – the lunch crowd at Bar IPPUDO, BSC is surprising considering the amount of F&B outlets there. People came, they ate, and they left – the turnover was so fast that we couldn’t talk shop and finished our lunch before heading over to CBTL for coffee (forgot there was a Dome there).
I’ll be back for that Nikka Japanese single malt and grain whisky cocktail with a perfectly round and spherical ball of ice though. 🙂
That’s good news to know I could slurp the famous Hakata Bone Soup in BSC! Last year I went to Fukuoka and had Hakata Ramen everyday with their pork bone broth. It was so yummy and I even saw TVB’s Ekin Cheng eating at the same road side stall. I will go to BSC next.
You burning holes in my pocket.
Nice! That’s one of the HK actors I recognize. 🙂
I used to watch him in Young & Dangerous. I’ll love to eat ramen in Japan too but since we got an overseas trip planned for this year dy, it’ll have to be next year.
This is a pretty good deal if you want to eat more variety – a regular bowl of Ippudo ramen starts from RM 33 while this set with half-bowl ramen and other stuff is less than that.
You have postponed your trip few times! Delay no more as their scientists have hinted big earthquakes looming.
Yeah, had to postpone coz too much stuff going on. 🙂
It’s all good though, still going for two overseas trip this year.
Food looks good. I’ve been to Ippudo in Pavilion and the Gardens. The napa cabbage wasn’t nice?
Yeah, I’ve been to the Ippudo in Pavilion too! 🙂
This one is pretty much the same but has a Bar Ippudo which serves speciality sake, Japanese single malt and blended whisky and other drinks from the Land of the Rising Sun. I even saw a wasabi cocktail in the menu.
I didn’t quite like the Napa Cabbage personally.
Hmm.. I’ve been to the outlet myself but during dinner time . Lunch seems a good option there judging by the combos they have! must try, must try.
xx,
Gilliannong.com
Yup, it’s a good deal if you want to eat a variety of food. 🙂
A bowl of Ippudo ramen starts from RM 33, this is less than that, but it’s half-bowl ramen. It comes with a lot of sides though so it’s worth it if you like to eat different things but don’t want post-lunch coma from a large portion of ramen.
I was converted….from a non-fan to a fan…after eating Ippudo’s ramen! 😀
I had my first authentic taste of ramen in university and was a fan since! 🙂
It’s really good, there are more good ramen places in KL nowadays. We have a few “Japanese” restaurants in Sibu too but none worth mentioning. KL used to be like that too until the ramen craze – that’s why I love living there, capital cities have the best food, both in variety and quality.
Hey! Who’s that handsome looking chap? Hmmm…come to think of it, you’ve never taken me to eat anywhere in KL and the surrounding areas hor?
She’s Ang Khian, a friend of a friend that I first met in Ipoh. 🙂
Yeah, I don’t recall ever meeting you in KL. There’s a lot of good and authentic ramen places here nowadays. Give me a buzz next time you’re around.
Yay, ramen! Kam ngam I was watching this Japanese “big eater” girl in YouTube before I clicked on your blog, her name is Yuko something, she can eat 100 eggs, 5-pound rice, 5-pound ramen, 5-pound spaghetti, 100 plates of sushi, you name it.. Then I see ramen in your post, haha.. The dessert looks like it has got saffron strips on it..
I’ve seen that video clip too! 🙂
I showed it to my better half, it’s quite amazing, the amount that the Japanese girl can eat. I personally don’t think it’s real since there are cuts where she could have spat out the food after chewing with the fast forward motion but it’s sure interesting. Haha.
Oh, that’s not the dessert, that’s the Napa Cabbage.
Japanese ramen anytime for me. It seems only in KL you can find authentic ramens other than SG and some other places. In Jb, the ramen somehow looks more localised and I don’t find the egg and chashu there.
Yeah, the authentic chains from Japan seem to only be in KL and Singapore. 🙂
I guess the metropolitan areas has more demand for it due to the sheer size of people in the city. It’s easy for you though, you can always just go to Singapore.
I love your choice of ramen. Am drooling over it now!!!
Thanks Rose! 🙂
Yeah, it was really good. I love Ippudo ramen, it’s one of the better ramenya that came to KL from Japan.
Hi Huai Bin,
It was really great to finally meet you after a series of events 🙂 you could have told me that you wanted a bite of my food! I wouldn’t have mind!
Looking forward to meet you again 😉
It was great to meet you again too Ang Khian! 🙂
My apologies about the multiple reschedules – had a string of unfortunate events I had to attend to.
Haha! Yeah, I didn’t want to be rude, I’ll be sure to eat yours next time! See ya soon.
the food here looks really yummy. Especially the Ippudo pork bun, juicy!
Yeah, I love the ramen in Ippudo! 🙂
The pork buns are really good too, they’re known for that as well. I love it, which is why I’ll rather have the set with a half-bowl of ramen and the Ippudo pork bun instead of a full bowl of ramen.