Lai Po Heen at Mandarin Oriental Welcomes Chef Thomas Fong from Doha
April 24th, 2024
This review is brought to you in part by Udon Kobo Min Min.
Every morning, Chef Hideaki Nakajima & his team oversee the production of a fresh batch of noodles at Udon Kobo Min Min – it’s a consistent ritual aimed at shoring up quality & authenticity at this top destination for thick, smooth noodles with a firm bite.
You’ll find no fewer than 15 udon recipes here, from hot & soupy variations to cold ones with assorted accompaniments. We enjoyed the chashu udon, with tender cuts of slow-braised pork (RM17.90), & the mentaiko udon, coated in creamy cod roe mayonnaise (RM17.90) – comfort food for Japanese gastronomy enthusiasts.
Other temptations include udon with Japanese curry & pork slices; with salmon, Hokkaido scallops & crab meat; with tempura prawns & vegetables; & with karaage chicken.
Six types of donburi are also available – the Katsu Curry Don boasts a crispy-juicy breaded pork cutlet paired with a rich Japanese curry. The portion we tried was meant to be a mini, but it could be a complete lunch for light eaters (a mini costs RM10.90, while a big is RM17.90). Other rice bowl options come with salmon sashimi, pork yakiniku or vegetable kakiage.
Speaking of salmon sashimi, Udon Kobo takes pride in its raw fish crowd-pleaser, sourced from a reputable supplier to recognised restaurants (RM18.90 for five slices).
There are side dishes galore to add diversity to the meal – shishamo tempura (RM16.90) to traditional staples like atsuyaki tamago, agedashi tofu, sake onigiri & pork tonkatsu.
The best bet for dessert is a refreshing clear jelly with brown sugar syrup & roasted soy powder (RM6.90). Many thanks to Udon Kobo for having us here.
Udon Kobo Min Min
72 GF, Jalan SS21/35, Damansara Utama.
Daily, 1130am-230pm, 6pm-10pm.