MY New Year’s Eve dinner was at Bowls of Steel, a noodle bar in Damansara Uptown. I was awed by the hand-crafted noodles, springy and with bite and the layers of flavours in each bowl.

I needed no invitation to go back again the next night, for more of the noodles, the side dishes, and if tummy space permitted, a dessert.

First the “secret” menu tucked in between the pages of a Simpsons comic book grabbed our attention.

Appropriately, there is ‘2021’ on the menu, of flat egg noodles, 36hr sous-vide short rib, brisket and meatballs, chilli oil, caramelised onions, mixed pickles and umami beef jus shot. I was sold, I just had to have this.

There would be no short rib in my bowl (it was sold out) but it was replaced by a generous serving of beef brisket.

The flat egg noodles, resembling pan mee, came together in harmony, stirred up with the beef jus, ramen egg, homemade chilli oil, thin strips of caramelised onions and julienned spring onions.

Altogether they were scrumptious, the sauce leaving a velvety feel on the al dente noodles and a little heat on the palate. I liked the texture of the pure beef balls, and the tender, luscious beef brisket.

We had ‘2021’ (RM28) again on New Year’s Day, and still couldn’t get the short rib (which melts in the mouth, I’m told) because of that cruel two-day water cut.

My next best noodles have to be the four garlic Mazemen (RM23). These are egg noodles with garlic done four ways: confit, fried, pickled, and black garlic. A lovely garlic aroma rises from the noodles as they are stirred with the mushroom dashi stock together with the ramen egg.

I tasted the sweet black garlic (cooked for three hours and fermented for a month). There’s lots of umami in this complex bowl of noodles, with four types of mushrooms cooked in garlic oil and a bit of butter tucked within them.

Then there’s (name-less) – listed as such on the menu (RM25) – that truly deserves a name with the building up to a crescendo of flavours and textures with toasted wholemeal noodles, century egg and sengkuang dumpling, karaage shiitake, tempeh goreng, kimchi puree and kewpie-tare dressing.

For Yunn aka Thunder Tea (RM25) is the chef’s remake of the Hakka Lei Cha with toasted wholemeal noodles, basil and raja ulam pesto, karaage tofu, tempeh goreng, crispy kale, shoyu egg, raja ulam tempura and mixed pickles. They give a whole new and delicious dimension to Lei Cha.

The side dishes are awesome too. Of note is the burnt broccoli (RM20), and the mushroom and corn croquettes (RM15) with house-made tartar sauce.

Check the myriad ingredients in the burnt broccoli: gula-melaka-dijon dressing, charred broccoli and sweet corn, confit mushrooms, crispy fuchuk, pickled radish and cured egg yolk shavings. It was super delicious.

The mushroom and corn croquettes came a close second to this with a crispy breadcrumb covering descending at the bite into creamy, hot and tangy centre.

Kay Eff Si or fried Korean cauliflower coated in gochujang-calamansi glaze and toasted sesame, with tempura krispies beneath, a little too sweet and soft.

I made room for dessert – the spiced layer cake with Chang Jiang Kopi Shiok (a strong kopi o, RM15). It is the finest layer cake I’ve had, subtle with spices and buttery. It is made to a recipe from chef/owner Jun Chan’s mother.

Jun loves noodles and makes them himself, putting his heart in every bowl of them at Bowls of Steel. He believes in running a sustainable outlet using local ingredients and hiring local staff.

A mechanical engineer who’s now a French-trained chef, he spent a few years in the UK learning and working in restaurants, including a Michelin-star one in London.

“I want to empower small local farmers and I want Malaysian flavours to stand in my noodles,” said Jun.

“I’m very proud of my laksa lemak. It has a story behind it and has gone through many evolutions.”

Bowls of Steel, a pork-free outlet, is at 94A, Jalan SS21/62, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya.

It is open from Thursday to Sunday; call for reservation on 03-7733-1002. – January 9, 2021.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.