WHAT WE ATE
- Truffle Ramen – 70/100, Kuala Lumpur, 23 July 2026
Perched elevated above the historic energy of Chinatown on the 16th-floor rooftop of Kompleks Selangor, Hi Tea Malaysia represents a minimalist shift in Kuala Lumpur’s evolving tea landscape. Designed as a serene sanctuary for urban retreat, sensory workshops, and direct-trade single-origin tea tastings, the space pairs city views with a structured, educational approach to loose-leaf brewing.
Beyond its core focus on specialty tea leaves, tea etiquette, and plant-based pairings, the establishment introduces a unique crossover for tea and ramen enthusiasts with its house-crafted vegetarian ramen.
By applying their expertise in tea-pairing to its kitchen, the menu features unique creations like Matcha Ramen and Truffle Ramen. These offerings demonstrate a deliberate integration of botanical tea culture into a hot bowl of noodles, providing an intriguing destination for diners seeking a thoughtful, plant-based interpretation of traditional ramen craft.
Truffle Ramen: 70/100
Noodle: 25/35
Medium-thick, straight, and cut with an oblong profile, these noodles bring a distinct physical density to the bowl. The cook leans firmly into a dense, chewy structure that registers as an addictive, mochi-mochi elasticity on the bite. As you chew, the strands offer a noticeable cling, sticking slightly to the teeth before giving way. Beneath that physical resistance sits a clean, naturally sweet wheat baseline that emerges steadily without any sharp alkaline distraction, providing a solid foundation for a non-traditional broth.
Soup: 25/35
The soup opens with a clear head of aromatic truffle that swiftly gives way to an earthy, woody wave of shiitake mushrooms. On the mid-palate, the body builds a natural botanical sweetness that expands with every spoonful. The tail exits with a crisp, piquant, and slightly tangy undertone that refreshes the palate and keeps the bowl moving. For a plant-based broth, the structural layering is impressively calibrated; the truffle is applied with restraint, making a fleeting appearance at the front before stepping back to allow the deeper mushroom notes to take center stage.
Hero Topping: 10/20
In lieu of standard pork chashu, the hero protein here relies on whole mushrooms. The centerpiece is a large, fully intact shiitake cap. It arrives springy and remarkably juicy, releasing a bursts of woodsy sweetness with every bite without overwhelming the palate. While texturally satisfying and pleasant to eat, it ultimately lacks the rendered fat, high salinity, and substantial physical weight required to fully anchor a bowl of ramen as a true hero topping.
Other Toppings: 10/10
The supporting garnishes are thoughtfully chosen, providing functional texture and flavor adjustments across the entire bowl.
- Brown button mushrooms contribute a sweet, juicy, and bouncy bite that complements the main shiitake.
- Shredded lettuce introduces a fresh, grassy crispness to break up the warmth.
- Sweet corn kernels provide pockets of bright, popping sweetness.
- The marinated egg features a tea-infused cure, imparting a subtle floral aroma and caramel undertone to its rich, savory yolk.
- A side of soy sauce and wasabi acts as an exceptionally effective ajihen, introducing a sharp, nasal heat and deeper salinity that completely transforms the broth into a dynamic, multi-dimensional experience.
- The only thing that might need some improvement is the seaweed. It lacks the umami punch and is oddly clayish in texture when soaking up the soup.
Summary
Hi Tea Malaysia’s Truffle Ramen is a surprisingly well-layered plant-based bowl that treats truffle as a delicate accent rather than a blunt instrument. While the mushroom main topping lacks the heavy weight of traditional chashu, the chewy noodles and intelligent ajihen options deliver a rewarding, botanical take on ramen.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
