So let me begin my mini KK adventure this time around (since I was literally going solo for a few days before my partner can finally join me) with this ramen specialty store. Guys... I'm somewhat bashful to admit that I have been swept by the Hallyu wave as of late (and yes, I'm embarrassingly eating my previous 'kpop is not my thing' own words now). I blame it all on the long and boring days at home during the previous CMCO and my younger sister (a longtime self-proclaimed k-popper) that I suddenly became a 'noona' kpop fan. Hence when I heard that Aori Ramen (the ramen chained store formerly owned by disgraced Bigbang's Seungri) had opened a branch in KK (specifically on the 1st floor of Jesselton Mall) my kpop heart was beyond curious.
Since I can't exactly take red meat (due to health reasons) the only choice for me in terms of ramen was their Miso Ramen. They do have other non-ramen dishes but come on now... it is a ramen shop first and foremost right? And as it was also my very first real ramen experience (no joke) I do not know what to expect or how the order works. I did looked through several online pictures that had nori (seaweed sheets) sticking out of the bowl but mine was sans that. It appears that I need to request for them (a first timer's mistake no doubt). Also, I did read some online reviews starting that their ramen broth lacked any flavours. Although I do agree that the soup might be bland for the local tongue, I personally liked mine and I think it was still (mildly) flavourful. The ramen was also springy and had a nice taste to them.
Oh but I do have something else to share while dining there. Now since I did watched some Aori Ramen Youtube videos beforehand (from other branches), I was well aware of their solo booth seating area coming into the eatery. And because I was alone at that time, I thought that it would be best if I tried sitting there & experience it myself. Needless to say, the waitress that attended to me gave me an odd look and actually tried to get me to sit at their usual table and chair area, for which I politely declined. Is it that weird for a customer of one to sit at a single seating area? Other than that, the same waitress was rushing for my order (when there are barely people there at that time) & probably thought that I couldn't afford much (FYI... my bowl of ramen alone was around RM30 if I'm not mistaken) since she really didn't expect me to ordered anything beyond the ramen as I was looking through their side dishes menu. Seeing that made me loose interest in ordering anything else (and probably had unintentionally proven her assumptions to be correct). I pretty much just let it go as I didn't want it to ruined my mood. Aren't the order sheet was supposed to be fill up by the customers or did I get the concept wrong? But anyway, I was mainly there for the experience so I'm still glad that I did it and had tasted their ramen (and I'm not the only one since I did noticed one or two customers were also taking various pictures of said place - possibly due to being first time patrons as well).
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