Koryori Hayashi Review: Cheap Japanese Hawker Serving Mentaiko Pasta And Katsu Don In The CBD

After hustling to wrap up year-end projects, I was ecstatic for my family trip to Japan. The amazing food definitely spoilt me, and returning back to Singapore meant limited affordable options for a legit Japanese meal.

When Koryori Hayashi popped up on our radar, I had to check out if it was the real transaction. 10 Amoy Street Food Centre Stalls To Visit When You’re In The CBD Opened in 2017, this humble Japanese hawker stall is run by Samuel Lim and his mother. The silver lining of leaving the stable job was the culinary skills he picked up and applied when setting up Koryori Hayashi.

A standout from the limited options of rice and noodle bowls was the Mentaiko Pasta . For just $7.50 , you get a decent serving of spaghetti tossed in the signature pale pink mentaiko sauce.

The dish is topped with copious amounts of seaweed and a heavy-handed sprinkle of fried whitebait. A bite of the naturally sweet prawns was a nice break from this savoury taste action. This is the most costly dish on the menu, but you get a bang for your buck as this bowl of udon is overflowing with beef slices, shreds of wakame, chopped spring onions, bonito flakes, and an onsen egg.

From the chewy udon to rich soup, this dish is definitely slurp-worthy. Slices of meat soaked up all the tasty soup’s goodness, resulting in tender beef strips packed with a bold, meaty flavour. 飯桶 (rice buckets) out there can satisfy their grains craving with Chicken Katsu Don ($6.50) . This egg-covered rice was accessorized with a crispy chicken cutlet, and the addition of fried pumpkin came as a nice surprise.

The ratio of breading to meat was well balanced, with neither overshadowing the other. Thanks to a tenderising process, each bite of the succulent chicken was bursting with taste. The simmered rice was subtly sweet and savoury, playing a supportive role to the flavour-packed meat.

Koryori Hayashi’s short first day hours definitely cater to the lunch crowd from neighbouring offices. A tip is to visit when they just open, and you’ll get to dine at a more relaxed setting.

The verdict Considering how pricey dining options are in the CBD, Koryori Hayashi is on my list of value-for-money lunch spots. However, this was not the casefor Koryori Hayashi; it is a great place to satisfy a Japanese food craving without causing a dent in your bank account. Since you’re at Amoy Street Food Centre, head over to Craft’B and Kinobe for some delicious beef bowls.

Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #01-11, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 2pm Koryori Hayashi is not a halal-certified eatery.