Menya Abura 麵屋油 — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

Looking for some delicious Abura Soba in Malaysia? Menya Abura has got you covered! Located in The Store Sri Petaling, it is convenient to look for parking, and its façade establishes it as a mini-Japan on Malaysian soil, with Japanese signs pointing you towards several well-known neighborhoods across Tokyo (my favorite being Shimokitazawa), a Japanese post box, just to name a few.

Firstly, I would like to highlight that the Spicy Mala Abura Soba is not for the faint-hearted; although extremely savory and delicious, it is spicy enough that even someone like myself would struggle to finish it without a refreshing highball drink. Imagine if you couldn’t take spicy foods at all! Well, fret not, as they also serve a few other Abura Soba flavors, and if you don’t know where to start, you can always go for their Signature Original Abura Soba! Even the gyoza they serve were soft and meaty inside the smooth pan-fried outer skin. The menu items are also very reasonably priced, much more affordable than what you can get in Japan! The only caveat is that alcohol served here is twice as expensive than that of Japan’s because of our local tax on alcoholic beverages.

Upon entering the restaurant, you are greeted with two digital ordering kiosks that were intuitive to use, albeit a little laggy. A staff member was present to aid us through when difficulties navigating through the software arisen, and payment with card and e-wallets were very swift.

As mentioned earlier, it looked like Mini-Japan from the outside, so what about the interior design? As I would like to quote my mother, she said, “it’s as if I was back in Tokyo again!” With the cozy temperature from the cool air conditioning, plus the wooden furniture and decorations, with the Japanese music played in the background as ambience, no wonder my mother said what she said!

All in all, I am already making plans to come back for another delicious bowl of Abura Soba with my family and friends! I hope you enjoy...

Menya Aburi Sri Petaling: A Taste of Tokyo, Minus the Parking Headache! Finally, a ramen spot in Sri Petaling that understands the struggle! Menya Aburi, a newly opened Japanese ramen eatery, has ingeniously solved the perennial parking nightmare. Located right next to The Store, they offer private parking accessible via Touch 'n Go or credit card, saving you from endless street circling. This alone is a game-changer! From afar, the restaurant is a beacon of Japanese charm – huge and brightly lit at night, its signature look is unmissable. The entire exterior, with its inviting outdoor seating and traditional design, truly transports you to Japan. Once inside, you're greeted by two user-friendly touch-screen ordering counters offering a vast array of options. While their focus is predominantly on delicious dry ramen (with only one seasonal soup ramen, if available), the choices are plentiful. We dived into the sides, ordering their crispy, huge gyoza (you can choose your portion size!) and the karage chicken with their amazing homemade tartar sauce. Let me tell you, the karage was perfectly crispy and juicy, and that tartar sauce, richer with egg yolk, was an absolute winner. But the star of the show, of course, was the ramen. The prices are incredibly affordable, especially considering the generous, thick slices of braised pork that accompany each bowl. Everything was decently flavorful and exceptionally generous. The entire space is a breath of fresh air – very chill, cool, and incredibly spacious with a spotless environment. It's the perfect spot for a solo diner looking to enjoy a quiet, delicious meal. Menya Aburi is a definite must-visit! With its authentic vibe, fantastic food, and stress-free parking, I'll definitely be...

The operational team seems inexperienced in managing restaurant processes.

When we arrived at 7:15 PM, there were only two to three groups queuing to order using the machine. However, the staff seemed inexperienced and did not inform customers that they should wait to order until a table was assigned. We had to infer the process based on how they were managing other groups. Additionally, no menu was provided while waiting, which could have saved time and eased the decision-making process at the machine. The table arrangement was poor, and the food service was slow. With many customers queuing to dine in, it would be better to have extra tables and chairs available to accommodate more patrons.

We ordered some snacks and three aburasoba dishes. The karaage was good, but the soba dishes took around 15–20 minutes to be served, and the taste didn’t live up to expectations. To make matters worse, we found a piece of plastic in the noodles. A lady who seemed to be the manager offered to replace the dish or provide a free snack. Since we were quite full by then, we opted for a refund instead.

There is significant room for improvement in areas such as customer communication, table arrangements, and food...