[Review] The Wagyu King Reborn: Mashi No Mashi 2.0 Ditches the Glitz for a Gritty, Glorious Ramen Bar Experience

When WAGYUMAFIA founder Chef Hisato Hamada first launched Mashi No Mashi in Singapore at Guoco Midtown in 2024, it felt like an event. Led by a rockstar chef and known globally for serving the world’s first 100% wagyu ramen, the establishment promised champion-grade cuts and an unparalleled culinary experience in Southeast Asia. The initial store was large, heavily merchandised, and appeared focused on cultivating a community around its brand. It was fresh, different, and certainly captured attention.

Now, Mashi No Mashi has relocated to a new, more intimate space in the CBD, and the concept has undergone a fascinating evolution, transforming from a branded F&B retail experience into a modern, authentic ramen bar by day and izakaya additions by night. This is a smart business move, particularly given its location in the prime Central Business District drinking belt.

Crucially, the culinary focus has sharpened under the direction of new Head Chef Leon Ooi, formerly of Fat Cow. Chef Ooi has made a pivotal decision to slightly tone down the saltiness of the signature ramen broth. This decision was based on a desire to reduce the intense flavour profile, allowing the natural goodness and richness of the premium A5 wagyu to shine more. He has also carefully sourced his wagyu from a different supply chain to ensure consistency and quality across the board. Best of all, they have actually adjusted the prices down instead of up, making that premium wagyu experience more accessible.

We were invited for a dinner tasting last week and sampled a variety of items from both their ramen and izakaya menus.

We started off the meal with the seemingly simple Charcoal Edamame ($4.80), elevated by infusing the peas with wagyu beef fat during grilling for a more intense depth of flavour. This was really good suprisingly and we would come back again just for this.

Next came the stars of the night, the ramen dishes, served in the signature Mashi No Mashi theatrical style whereby the chef will first chant out in Japanese, a jingle inviting you to enjoy the ramen, before adopting a kungfu-like pose to present the dish. This adds to the overall fun of eating at Mashi No Mashi, creating a cultish atmosphere.

The impact of Chef Leon’s refinement is immediately noticeable in the signature Ultra Wagyu Ramen ($18.80). The familiar complexity of the wagyu bone broth remains, but the reduced saltiness is a definite improvement.

What you get now is a clearer, more nuanced beef flavour that complements the A5 Wagyu Chasiu, soft-boiled egg, and thin noodles perfectly. It is richer and better balanced than before.

For those who love a dipping noodle experience, the Wagyu Tsukemen ($25.80) is mandatory.

Served with thick ramen noodles (you can choose Atsumori/hot or Hiyamori/cold), the highlight here is the intense Wagyu Bonito Dipping Sauce. The depth of the wagyu and the umami hit from the bonito make for a satisfyingly heavy dish, paired well with the accompanying A5 Wagyu Chasiu, bamboo shoots, and seaweed.

Beyond the broth, the side dishes leverage the full versatility of A5 beef, featuring an assortment of options. The Wagyu Gyoza ($6.8 for 3PC / $11.8 for 6PC) is a crowd favourite, featuring 100% A5 Wagyu beef pan-fried until crispy, highlighting classic, juicy beef flavours. Served with a sharp pepper vinegar sauce, they are an upgrade to standard gyoza.

For the more adventurous eaters, the Wagyu Horumon ($8.80), featuring stir-fried wagyu innards in a miso garlic sauce with cabbage, offers a deeply savoury and texturally exciting option.

The real genius of this new location is the seamless evening transition into an izakaya. You can easily differentiate the menus by the plate colour, yellow for the ramen bar staples, and other colours for the izakaya offerings. This setup is perfectly positioned to capture the CBD after-work crowd, especially with the fantastic 4-for-3 Izakaya deal (Buy 4 alcoholic drinks, get 3 food items free—1 premium, 2 regular).

We sampled three items from this offer and they were satisfying snacks to enjoy while knocking back drinks.

The A5 Wagyu Diced Steak ($15.80) was tender and satisfying, while the Tori Tsukune ($7.80) (chicken meatball) offered a classic izakaya bite.

A pleasant surprise was the Aburi Shime Saba ($8.80), torched mackerel that provided an acidic break from the richness of the predominantly wagyu dishes.

Paired with refreshingly crisp Suntory Premium Malt Beer (S$12) and Suntory Kaku Highball (S$12), or perhaps a premium Born Junmai Ginjo Tokishirazu (S$26) or Born Junmai Daiginjo Gold Muroka (S$30) sakes for a little splurge, it’s the ideal way to unwind.

We ended the night with a scoop each of their house ice creams, Mr Mashi ($6), made with Banana Sherbet infused Dark Maple, Pecan Nuts, Caramel Bits; and Mrs Mashi ($6), made with Premium Mango and Passionfruit Sorbet, Pineapple Bits. These are supposedly the fruits and nuts that the monkey mascot couple like and follows the theme of the characters.

Made in collaboration with a local artisan ice cream supplier, they provide a delightful end to a comforting dinner.

Overall, the new Mashi No Mashi successfully shed the expansive, slightly corporate feel of its first store and has embraced a more focused, authentic, and frankly, better version of itself. With a more balanced, refined ramen and a clever izakaya concept that maximises the CBD location, Mashi No Mashi 2.0 is ready to welcome serious ramen enthusiasts and casual evening diners.

Address:
3 Pickering St, #01-42
Nankin Row, Singapore 048660

Email:
[email protected]

Tel (WhatsApp Messages only):
+65 8957 8620