Best Dishes at Ramen Hayashida

This is Hayashida's flagship dish and the reason the shop earned Michelin Bib Gourmand status. The broth simmers premium Daisen dori (a fatty, flavorful chicken) and duck, creating a balanced richness that sits between light shoyu and heavy tonkotsu. The custom noodles have a subtle wheat content that creates chew and texture. Two types of chashu (fatty pork shoulder and chicken breast) give multiple layers. Reviewers consistently call it the best chicken ramen in Shinjuku - the depth comes from precision sourcing and long simmering, not heavy-handedness.

This is Hayashida's rare offering - a fish-based broth using nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), a premium white fish. Only 60 servings available daily (40 at lunch, 20 at dinner), which means serious fans line up before noon on weekends. The broth is delicate, umami-forward, and distinctly different from the chicken shoyu - lighter but with deeper fish flavor. The custom black naruto (fish cake) is a signature touch. At ¥1,100, it's pricier but considered worth every yen by regulars.

For those wanting a different experience, Hayashida offers tsukemen - a hot broth served in a separate small bowl for dipping al dente noodles. The concentrated broth is richer and more intense when noodles are dipped than eaten in a traditional bowl. This preparation highlights the quality of the broth without the noodles absorbing it evenly. It's a refinement-focused dish that shows the chef's precision.