Oishi — Restaurant in Reading

I was excited to see Oishi reopen after two years, as it was once my go-to spot for exceptional ramen. The old Oishi was known for its rich, flavorful recipes and visually stunning presentation. However, the new Oishi feels like a completely different restaurant—and not in a good way.

The ramen recipes have been completely overhauled, with changes to the base and ingredients that made the original so unique. What used to be a standout dish is now average, indistinguishable from what you might find at any other Japanese restaurant in town. For loyal customers like me, this is a big disappointment.

To highlight the difference, I’ve included some photos of the old Oishi ramen. The care and detail in the presentation, from the golden pork katsu rto the vibrant vegetables, were what made it so special. These are the bowls we came back for, time and time again. By contrast, the current ramen lacks both the flavor and the visual appeal that made Oishi a favorite.

For a restaurant reopening after two years, I think it’s crucial to let regular customers know that the recipes have changed entirely. Many of us returned expecting the same exceptional quality, only to find...

We have just ordered a Katsu Curry and Sashimi box to be delivered. The original order says that it would take 1.5 hrs to be delivered but it ended up only taking around 1 hr. Unfortunately the cheap polystyrene container that the Katsu Curry comes in had broken causing the whole thing to leak out into the bag. We called the restaurant to tell them about what had happened to which they offered to send us out a new curry sauce but we would have to wait for the delivery driver to return. Instead of opting to wait potentially another hour and not wanting the chicken and rice to go cold, I decided to go and collect it for myself. This was pointless as by the time I got back, the chicken and rice had gone cold. I'm very disappointed that we had paid £1 for delivery and had to go to the restaurant to collect the curry sauce. It would have been nice to have been offered the delivery fee back or better yet, fresh chicken and rice. The katsu chicken (despite being cold) was nice, the sashimi I felt...

We had a take away from here last night. We don't live in Reading, and having small children, we couldn't make a restaurant. I spotted the restaurant from the bus, and finding out they did take away, we decided to have a try.

And I wasn't disappointed...

We ordered from Just Eat. The order came within 30 mins. The food was fresh. Well presented. And tasted great.

I had a spicy beef ramen. It came in a bowl shaped container plus lid. The soup broth came in a 'flask' and I simply added the broth to the beef, noodles, egg, and greens. It was brilliant. I love ramen dishes and I was impressed with the fact that this was a take out option!

My wife had a bento box. Again, the presentation was great. It had separate compartments Inc Japanese pickles, tofu in teriyaki sauce, veg, steamed rice. The taste was brilliant.

Anyone craving ramen and clean, healthy food this is the place for...