Strands of noodles, steeped in a velvety, creamy coconut curry broth, with thin slices of beef marbled with partly-melted fat, rest beside a thin sheet of seaweed in a ceramic bowl. The rich sweetness of the coconut cream and the bold flavours of curry combine in the chicken broth base, creating a light yet creamy texture. A slow slurp of the noodles, followed by a spoonful of broth and a sliver of beef, rounds out the experience.

The Ramen Bowl, an ongoing festival at The Oriental Kitchen at Hyatt Regency Trivandrum, features five broths: plain, spicy, miso, tomato and coconut curry. Curated by chef Clisha Cleetus, diners can combine the broths with soy-braised beef, char siu chicken, smoked fish, seafood, or mushrooms and tofu, along with ingredients such as egg, black fungus, sweet corn, nori, pickled cucumber and spring onion.

Clisha, mentored by chef Cong Yong Li, head chef of The Oriental Kitchen,credits him for the recipes. An alum of the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Kovalam, Clisha says, “The complex nature of pan-Asian cooking attracted me to it. I wanted to try more techniques, which inspired me to take up Asian cooking and specifically Japanese cuisine. I was also happy to work with a wok and familiarise myself with different seasonings and sauces.”

The menu was designed to appeal to the local palates with the addition of coconut curry and spicy variants, says the chef. “The coconut curry ramen is our own creation, which we felt might attract the Malayali diners. This is the most popular choice in the lineup as well,” says Clisha, who cooks her broth for around 24 hours.

The soy-braised beef slices and curry-flavoured broth, mellowed by coconut cream, resemble the flavours of a Kerala-style beef stew. Small pieces of pickled cucumber act as a tangy interlude to the richness of the broth.

Another popular choice among the diners is spicy ramen. In the spicy seafood variant, the broth is loaded with plump shrimp, squids, crab sticks and chunks of mahi-mahi fish. The bowl was topped with crispy skin and succulent narutomaki, a type of fish cake, popular for its appearance in anime ramen bowls.

The spicy broth and the noodles complement the protein. Unlike the coconut curry rendition, the spicy ramen isn’t subtle. It is bold, hearty and fragrant. The pickled cucumbers and sweet corn kernels break the flavour pattern, preparing the diners for the next bite.

Ultimately, the ramen bowls are the perfect blend of comfort and flavour, which does not overwhelm the palate but does not hold back either.

The Ramen Bowl menu is available from 12pm to 3pm till October 10. For reservations, contact 6238600446