[CLOSED] Hayashi

Being a new concept brought by the same folks behind Suparakki Ramen which has outlets at Northpoint City, Westgate and Citylink Mall known for its wallet-friendly Japanese ramen, Hayashi had just recently opened its doors at ARTRA; a new mixed-use development which had sprouted up just a stone’s throw away from Redhill MRT Station; which also saw tenants such as Old Chang Kee, Eatcetera, Burger King and Bawangchaji occupying shop spaces there, amongst others.

Having a focus on ramen and yakitori, the yakitori menu was however unavailable when we made our visit there. Found myself going for the Hayashi Dry Ramen — an item that featured elements such as Stewed Pulled Pork, Bean Sprouts, Shredded Nori and Spring Onion. The ramen here also comes tossed with their special sauce, which is infused with truffle oil — the result was a bowl of noodles which was pretty slurpy and sufficiently savoury, with the truffle oil lending its signature fragrance while the noodles carry a good bite. The stewed pulled pork comes tender and juicy; comes with a good mix of fatty and lean parts for a good texture whilst tasting fairly similar to braised pork but with a more controlled saltish-ness which made it easy to have. The “All Toppings” variant also comes with an extra portion of the said meat, flavoured egg which was rather decent with a molten yolk, and black fungus, which felt a tad dry. The only qualm I had with this bowl was how the bean sprouts were served — seemingly raw, which was a little too crunchy with a distinct aftertaste that created a slight distraction to the fragrance provided by the truffle-infused special sauce here. Apart from that, we did also wish that the bowl of noodles do come with a bowl of soup on the side, which can be handy for some.

Given how most of the ramen items here costs below $15 with the “All Toppings” option checked, it does seem that Hayashi is a pretty affordable spot for ramen in the area. A decent spot worth considering to dine at when in this part of the island.