A LOT of us do not follow a balanced diet, which according to the people at Oki Shokudo, should be one-quarter of each of these – protein, carbs, vegetables and fermented vegetables. Fermented vegetables that come to mind are kimchi, sauerkraut and pickles.

Oki Shokudo in Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, serves fresh ramen made in-house in a fish broth. This soup base is also enhanced with beetroot juice and soy milk, shoyu or with spicy miso for a wider choice of broth for ramen or konjac noodles.

There are also dishes with rice, quinoa and millet, either meatless or with chicken.

The healthy food surprised me with its delicious flavours on our first visit, which led me to go back on my own for dinner.

We had the keto version of the shoyu ramen (RM20), with konjac noodles, in the tasty shoyu broth, with chicken chashu, black fungus and ajitsuke tamago or ramen egg, which is a marinated soft-boiled egg.

The noodles went well with the broth, and the chicken chashu was flavourful to the last bite. The ramen egg had a custardy yolk seasoned a little with the marinating sauce.

We spotted bibimbap (RM20) on the menu, a colourful bowl of calrose rice topped with a fried egg and surrounded by julienned carrot, cucumber, cabbage and purple cabbage together with kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, fried tofu and black sesame.

The best part of all this was the zingy and pungent sauce to toss the rice and everything together. It left a hot, sweet and tingly feel on the palate.

We finished the delicious bibimbap, though the friend with me is on a low-carb diet. I also liked the crunchy pickled radish served with it.

We enjoyed the shoyu tofu (RM7), which had been soaked in the lovely flavours of the shoyu it had been steamed with. The pumpkin tofu was smooth and firm, definitely a worthy substitute for meat.

On my next visit, I could not resist ordering the beetroot soy milk ramen (RM20). I was delighted by the slightly al dente fresh ramen in the pink, creamy broth, topped with a ramen egg and with chicken chashu and black fungus in it.

The broth tasted rich and complex and I was particularly taken with the ramen egg, which had a flowy yolk and tasted of shoyu, with a welcoming tartness from ponzu.

The fish broth for the ramen is derived from bonito stock simmered for hours. It is a healthy alternative to a meat broth.

Oki Shokudo’s nutritionist and owner Sky Pang recommended the karaage chicken curry don (RM23), a popular choice among his diners. The thick Japanese curry with carrot, potatoes and apple tasted of more herbs than spice.

It had a natural sweetness from the fruit in it. The chicken karaage (Japanese fried chicken) was crispy and light at the bite, sinking into moist and flavourful meat within.

The cafe also serves a variety of appetisers, from Okinawa fries (of sweet potato) to shrimp paste chicken karaage and katsu tofu steak. Vegetable dishes include sesame seasoned vegetables, spicy miso cucumber, enoki and edamame.

It also has a small selection of fish dishes like pan seared salmon with ponzu, Sicilian saba and yaki aaba with ponzu. Of course, there are drinks like kombucha, black goji and butterfly pea with lemongrass.

Oki Shokudo is pork-free. It is at 37 Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, tel: 010 950 8290. It also operates as a health food store. – September 17, 2022.

* 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.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.