Mashi no Mashi Review: Japan-Famous Wagyu Ramen And Beef “Bak Kut Teh” In Bugis

Mashi no Mashi has famous Japanese Wagyu ramen in Bugis

Thrilling news for ramen aficionados: Wagyu ramen joint Mashi no Mashi has opened in Bugis! Expanding their global presence, they’ve opened their first Southeast Asian location in Bugis’ Guoco Midtown, right beside Umai Artisanal Udon Bar. This addition joins their existing outlets in Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and Tokyo.

Founded by Hisato Hamada, the chef-owner of cult favourite Wagyu specialist Wagyumafia, this ramen joint was inspired by his childhood memories, serving what he sees as the ultimate comfort food—ramen. Not just any ramen, but 100% Wagyu ramen, which they claim to be the world’s first.

But does this Wagyu ramen taste as good as it sounds? We dropped by the restaurant to find out.

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Food at Mashi no Mashi

We had to start with the eatery’s take on Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen, the Ultra Wagyu Ramen ($22++). Rather than using pork bones to create a tonkotsu broth, this dish uses Wagyu bones cooked with an elaborate three-stage heating method in order to achieve a similarly rich soup.

When judged on its own merits, I found this soup to be quite good. It had a beefy yet buttery taste—notable characteristics of Wagyu—that was exciting to the palate, and that intertwined well with the piquant red chilli sauce that was added to the bowl. If I’m allowed to compare it with actual tonkotsu ramen, however, then I would say it lacked the depth of flavour and creaminess to take this broth from merely “good” to “great”.

The thin noodles in this bowl of ramen soaked up the flavours of the broth well, and managed to remain springy even after a few minutes of eating.

One undeniable upgrade from tonkotsu ramen here is having Wagyu beef slices over the usual pork chashu. Succulent and melt-in-your-mouth, each piece convinced me there’s hardly a better choice for ramen toppings than this. However, the quality of the beef’s flavour and texture has a time limit—if it remains in the soup for too long, the beef will be overcooked, causing those elements to decline.

Up next was the Wagyu Tsukemen ($30++), which features thick noodles meant for dipping into a 24-hour stewed Wagyu bone broth, along with slices of slow-cooked Ozaki beef and a variety of toppings.

When dipped into the broth, the chewy noodles gained an intense umami and the meaty aroma of Wagyu beef. That rich flavour was certainly intoxicating, but too much of it and the noodles become jelak—I recommend exercising restraint when soaking your noodles in the dark-brown soup.

Once again, the Wagyu slices were a joy to eat. I did find them to be a little tougher than in the previous dish—perhaps that had something to do with the way they were prepared—but they nevertheless were buttery and juicy. The rest of the toppings, such as the bamboo shoots, cabbage, and half an ajitsuke egg, gave the dish some textural variety as well.

Interestingly, the eatery has a Wagyu-fied take on a local dish—the Wagyu Bak Kut Teh ($30++).

While Wagyu bone stock is the basis for this dish, it was still highly reminiscent of the pork-based bak kut teh, especially because of the peppery nature of the soup. Still, I thought it was a pale imitation of the actual dish—it just lacked the robust aroma and hearty flavour that great bak kut teh has. I did, however, like the soft pieces of Wagyu ribs in the soup.

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Ambience at Mashi no Mashi

With its decidedly yellow colour scheme, the eatery’s interiors are certainly eye-catching. The space itself has a decent amount of tables for dining in groups, and there is also a bar counter for those who want that classic over-the-counter ramen experience. When your ramen is delivered to you, you can expect the staff to scream “ITTERASSHAI” at you while striking a pose.

Mashi no Mashi is a five-minute walk from Bugis MRT Station.

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The verdict

Mashi no Mashi will be a novel experience for any ramen fan. While its ramen is far from perfect, the clever use of Wagyu beef in its dishes sets it apart from your average Japanese eatery.

For excellent ramen places in Singapore, read our best Ramen in Singapore guide. For places where you can feast to your heart’s content on Wagyu beef, read our best Wagyu buffets in Singapore guide.

Address: 124 Beach Road, #01-04, Guoco Midtown, Singapore 189771
Opening hours: Mon 11am to 6pm, Tue-Sun 11am to 9:30pm
Website
Mashi no Mashi is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Maisie Chong
This was a media tasting at Mashi no Mashi.