Although it’s a restaurant by day and a bar/lounge late in the night, Hatchi is the perfect reflection of the time we live in, a melting pot of different cultures, never quite conform to one particular identity.
From its name and the glowing neon signage of the building, Hatchi gives off the impression of being a Japanese establishment. Even so, once in, you would realise they are much more fluid than that. Sure there are an army of Maneki-Neko (Fortune Cats) greeting you near the entrance, including a large unmissable one in neon, but flip through the menu and it reveals the various other influences that forged Hatchi when it comes to the food.
Apart from the Make Your Own (MYO) Ramen menu, where you’re given the authority to customise the bowl of ramen that fits your palate best, the meal at Hatchi covers a handful of cuisines at once. There’s the Chinese bao, meat sandwiched in steamed buns, to start off the meal. For a filling option, go for poke bowl, a popular rice dish topped with raw fish cubes that hailed from Hawaii. And if you’re in the mood for another cuisine, their flatbread, inspired from India’s naan bread, is at your service. It’s like having a mini assembly of United Nation of food on your table.
An offspring of Sangha Group, which also owns H Gourmet & Vibes, Hatchi is, first and foremost, all about the pleasure of unwinding once the sun has long set. Over at the second floor, where the bar is located, you can find yourself grooving to the weekly music sessions while ordering sake or soju instead of the usual cocktails and beer.
Hatchi, in a way, fits those who are fickle-minded. If you’re feeling like having Asian but not quite sure what, then this is the place to go. Also, if you and your friends have time to spare after a long dinner but too lazy to move to somewhere else, just head upstairs and the rest of the evening will be nicely taken care of.