Menya Hassaku (麺屋はっさく) in Kaminaka, Fukui

This is Menya Hassaku, a brand new ramen shop in the Wakasa area, near my town. Their menu consists of chicken-based toripaitan ramen, such as tsukemen dipping-style. They currently have only six counter-top seats, so get in early!

Along with most of the other customers in the shop, I also opted for the Ajitama Shiro Chashu ramen, with egg and extra chashu, for 1230¥ ($11 USD). With only the friendly proprietor running the shop and taking orders, it took a bit of time, but it was nice to be able to watch his process and converse with him a bit. Luckily, it was worth the wait! The smooth, salty, slightly creamy chicken broth complemented the good portion of thin, firm noodles. It was flavorful without being overwhelming.

The soft egg and other ingredients were also quite delicious. My only minor complaint was that the chashu was a bit greasier than I expected.

You can also add an extra noodle portion for 150¥ if you’re still hungry. They also seem to have some rice bowls on the menu… I will definitely be back!

Sing Sing (秦秦 高浜店) in Takahama, Fukui

Sing Sing was one of the first restaurants I posted about on my Instagram back in mid-2017. (Man, has it been that long...!?!) This place is actually a chain restaurant, though I have only been to the Takahama shop all the way down in South Fukui. I said back then this was one of the best ramen spots in all of Fukui when I had only visited a handful of ramen restaurants in my area and I haven’t been back in 2 years, so I recently went back to reaffirm or update my opinion of the shop. It’s extremely likely my experiences at two dozen or more ramen places in Fukui and more all around Japan would have changed my opinions on this place…

Surprisingly, my tastes were pretty spot on back then. This place continues to remain a top in my prefecture, though my feelings on the broth have changed a bit. They have a fairly large menu with the usual variety of ramen, such as miso, tonkotsu, shio… But my usual order is the Gokushiro Aburi Chashu Ramen, a strong, tonkotsu-based broth with deliciously grilled chashu for 1100￥ ($10 USD). As you can see, the highlights are definitely those thick slices of mouth-watering pork. You can hear the chef searing them in the back, the crackle of the meat making me even hungrier in anticipation. They are without a doubt as delicious as they look, soft and fatty, but with just the right crisp and savoriness.

The rest of the ramen is also quite good. The noodles are a good portion, but are a bit underdone for my taste. Also the egg is almost hard-boiled… while it was tasty with flavor, I prefer a softer, creamier consistency.

Of course, they have sides too…

You can also add in extra green onion and sweet pickled radish to taste. If you prefer a spicier noodle, a red version can be had for 60￥ more. A double portion of noodle is only 150￥ more for those really hungry.

I will say this ramen isn’t for everyone. Like all “strong” ramen, it is heavy to the taste, a bit greasy, and leaves you with a very full feeling. As expected, the flavors are also quite salty and umami, so if you’re looking for a light “gourmet” ramen, this isn’t it. (Then again, ramen is rarely gourmet or light!)

But for me, this hits the right spot. I highly recommend this rich, but deeply satisfying ramen.

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E.Y.’s American Restaurant / Hamburger Land (アメリカンレストラン イーワイズ) in Fukui City, Fukui

Every couple months I visit Fukui City, a few of my friends always want to visit E.Y.'s American Restaurant (ie. "Hamburger Land") in search of a good burger. They offer up a variety of burgers and toppings, fries, burger plates, and creamy shakes. Their decor, too, is distinctly American-diner-inspired, with red and white colors, American posters, and music playing in the background.

I'm sure many of my friends will disagree with me here, but unfortunately, I'm not a particular fan of their burgers. While I feel their price point is marginally justified given the freshness and overall quality, the flavor in the meat is sorely lacking. Without the right seasonings, at least even a shot of pepper and salt, the patties do not have the right kick a really good burger joint has. Maybe its also extra char on the grill or grease on the pans, but any burger restaurant I like (fast food exempted) have that little something extra in their beef that really sets it apart.

Even after several visits here, I still mostly feel the same way. With the right toppings like this pineapple, the flavor profile of the burger does get a bit better. Though if I were to be honest, I always have a good time when I come because the company makes it worthwhile.

However, that meat is still missing that special something… sigh.

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Mensho Kaguya (麺匠かぐや) in Tsuruga, Fukui (Revisited)

I actually visited Mensho Kaguya (麺匠かぐや) in Tsuruga, Fukui, a few months ago with my friends, but it was definitely well worth another stop.

With a large menu, they had plenty of options to try outside their monthly limited specials. This time I tried their Jukusei Miso Ramen which features aged miso for a deeper and stronger taste.

It was definitely rich and had a nice, smooth, savory miso flavor in the broth. The aburi chashu was a bit fatty, but the nice, grilled pork taste was fantastic.

The noodles were nice and thin with a medium-firm texture.

The ramen was 980¥ ($9 USD) and the excellent chashu rice was worth the extra 200¥.

Definitely worth another trip!

Europa-ken Tsuruga Shop (敦賀ヨーロッパ軒 中央店) in Tsuruga, Fukui

I visited several times over the years and most recently at their main shop in Fukui City. Since Sauce Katsu is such a famous Fukui dish, we wanted to show a visiting friend the premier example of it at Europa-ken, this time in Tsuruga. I was recommended the ? mince breaded cutlet or the mix bowl this time. Of all the times I’ve been here, I’ve never had anything other than their regular breaded sauce pork cutlet, so I decided to try the sampler bowl that is the Mix Bowl, which has one slice of chicken, fish, and mince for 1100￥ ($10 USD).

I actually like this mixed bowl way better than their regular katsu bowl! Of note, the chicken was surprisingly juicy and the mince was surprisingly soft, with the light, saucy, crunchy breading complementing the softness of the meat. The fish cutlet was also good and gave a nice fishy contrast to the other meatier slices. The rice portion, as always, was plentiful and gave the bowl a decent value. I only wish they provided a side dish of their delicious sauce like when you order the katsu teishoku set since I like mine a little saucier.

While I still say that there may be other pork cutlets I like better elsewhere, their mix bowl by far has me really impressed and I would be more than happy to have it again next time!

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Ramen Niji (らーめん虹) in Mihama, Fukui

This is one of my favorite ramen restaurants in my area, Ramen Niji in Mihama, Fukui. The have a few variants of ramen, but their signature Niji Ramen has an extremely thick tonkotsu broth that is heavy on the richness of pork bone flavor. The thickness is more akin to a stew than a broth… definitely the kind of ramen that I love the most. I always opt for the Chashu Niji Ramen for 1000￥ ($9 USD) which adds a few plentiful slices of pork.

More than just the rich soup, they also grill their chashu to give it a deliciously savory taste that only serves to enhance the meaty umami flavors. While the thin noodles are not exactly my main preference, they have just the right firmness to complement the soup. You can also opt for a larger portion or add kaedama extra noodles for 150￥ more if you want more, but I think the heavy soup makes it feel quite satisfying as it is.

The only drawback for me is that they are nearly a forty-minute drive from my house. I have visited them many times over the years and I will definitely continue to go. I can’t recommend them highly enough!

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Hanako-kun x Princess Cafe (プリンセスカフェ＆ショップ大阪新館) in Osaka

Although I had not yet read any of the manga or watched the anime, I went to the Jibaku Shonen Hanako-kun themed roll ice at the Roll Ice Cream Factory. After that, I also agreed to go to the Hanako-kun themed cafe in Osaka, so I made it a point to get into the manga just a bit so I can at least identify the characters before going. You know what, though? The art is pretty, the characters are cute, and the story is unique, so it’s worth the read.

The Princess Cafe is in Den Den Town (the Osaka version of Akihabara), so there are blocks full of anime and electronic shops nearby. Their collaboration menu is simple with only a few main dishes, four colorful drinks, and a few sweet treats.

I opted for the Tsukasa Omelette Rice Curry for 1300￥ ($12 USD) and the Strawberry Milk for 800￥.

My friends ordered the teishoku set, melon Calpis drinks, and jelly desserts. As with many other cafes, we were also given a coaster for each food item ordered as part of the theme.

The drinks came quickly and they were very cute with the printed edible characters atop each item. The food was simple, but well made and also undeniably cute. I suppose the same could be said about the desserts but I did not personally order one.

While I wouldn’t say this was the most elaborate cafe, especially compared to the Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe, I’d say it was an enjoyable experience for Hanako-kun fans!

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Shougetsu (めん魚房 松月) in Tsuruga, Fukui (Strawberry Ramen)

Last month I went to Shougetsu in Tsuruga, Fukui, and had their seasonal Nishin Ramen (herring), but starting in March they introduced their new Strawberry Ramen… this I had to try! With the exception of their famous Lemon Ramen and other Yuzu citrus ramen, I have never had any fruit-inspired concoctions...

Arriving shortly at our table was this beautifully attractive bowl. I was surprised to say the strawberry tartness actually works pretty well for a ramen dish! There was also a bit of strawberry sauce around the top of the soup which gave the whole broth a bit of a lighter feel. It was definitely a unique taste that I enjoyed!

Unfortunately, I think the thickness of the broth and onions drowned out much of the strawberry flavor… if the broth was a lighter shio soup base, I think it would’ve been just about perfect. For a very reasonable portion at 1000￥ ($9 USD), you too can enjoy this limited seasonal fruit ramen!

Roll Ice Cream Factory (ロールアイスクリームファクトリー) in Nagoya, Aichi

I am not surprised to see the massive, growing popularity of roll ice cream all around Japan. Essentially, it is an ice cream dessert made by super-cooling creamy dairy products over a pan and scraping them off into little rolls. Top off with additional sweet toppings and you have roll ice cream. Simple, very cold, and delicious…

Roll Ice Cream Factory is a growing chain serving these desserts, but the reason we stopped this time was for their new Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun (Jibaku Shonen Hanako-kun) collaboration ice cream and tapioca boba drinks. These treats are patterned after different characters and it actually started on the day we went! Though, unfortunately due to shipping and production issues, the mascot characters shown on the menu were unavailable. Well, we ordered them anyway.

We opted for one roll ice cream of each collab flavor, @lavioli with the Kou Vanilla x Mango, @83castellas with the Hanako-kun Strawberry, and I chose the Nene Chocolate Mint at 900￥ ($8 USD) each. As expected of such a simple treat, they were all sweet and creamy, though I think the mango had the most prominent flavor of the bunch.

We also ordered some tapioca drinks which have really started growing in popularity everywhere <l>. Unfortunately, RICF is known for their ice cream and not their tapioca… the 800￥ drinks were too milky and not flavored enough and the regular black tapioca had no flavor and merely average texture. My strawberry bits and tapioca were a bit better, but a bit too sweet. These drinks are strongly not recommended; I would’ve gladly eaten another ice cream instead.

As part of the collab, we received a coaster with each item order though we got stuck with 3 of Tsukasa... too bad we couldn’t get an even collection of all the featured characters between us three!

 

Ikkoku Sakigakedo (一刻魁堂) in Handa, Aichi

On the way to Aichi to pick up another car, Matsuda-san and I wanted something delicious so he recommended Ikkoku Sakigakedo, a rather large chain of ramen shops all over Honshu I had never heard of before.

They serve up a wide range of ramen options, but they are known for their strong soy sauce taste. I originally wanted to try that, but when I saw the title of Kotteri (rich / heavy) Tonkotsu, I knew I had to order that and a side of their chashu rice bowl.

I’ll admit the presentation is pretty fantastic. While it honestly wasn’t that many chashu slices, the little pile in the center on top of the moyashi bean sprouts really makes it look impressive… and it was! The highlights of the soft and tasty chashu and as-advertised thick tonkotsu soup were satisfyingly delicious. The noodles were a bit soft, just the way I like them, but not much to comment about in terms of texture or taste.

The side of rice, though, is worth noting. The bits of juicy chashu gave it a real satisfying umami taste that I highly recommend as a side.

Now that I know about this restaurant, I can definitely look forward to having some solid ramen next time I’m traveling around!

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Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe (ファイナルファンタジー エオルゼアカフェ) in Osaka

I usually don’t go to themed cafes unless I’m really interested in the theme… the last one I went to was the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo a year and a half ago. The theme and whole setup was super kawaii and perfectly used a “Super Effective!” attack on my wallet. However, while the food was visually appealing, it was a bit average.

So when my friends invited me to the Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe, I was intrigued, but somewhat reserved. The food certainly wouldn’t match the slick theme, could it?

In collaboration with Pasela, a chain of restaurants, resorts, and karaoke rooms across Japan, I am surprisingly pleased to say the food and drinks were great!

Among the four of us, we covered a pretty impressive spread of menu items. I was recommended the Azim plate which had some soft, juicy slices of beef atop some amazingly flavorful rice… it is something that I would order again at any restaurant!

I also ordered the Heaven-on-High, an impressive tower of real, deep-fried onion rings and fried fish.

Advanced reservations are required at 1000￥ ($9 USD) which also includes one drink selection. I opted for their limited Caramel Tea. Everything we ordered also was quite good, but everyone raved about the Minfilia Almond drink which tastes like liquid almond pudding.

There are plenty of yummy themed desserts to satisfy any fan.

Of course, the whole theme and exclusivity meant that nothing else was “cheap,” but the experience is worth going for any Final Fantasy XIV fan!

★★★★★ · Cafe · Dotonbori, 1 Chome−4−27 なんば 道頓堀 店 4F パセラ リゾーツ

The Most Deserted Ramen Bar in the World (世界一暇なラーメン屋) in Osaka

The Most Deserted Ramen Bar in the World is a huge lie. It is most definitely not deserted by any means of the imagination, perhaps unless you define it by relative location. This restaurant in Osaka is located on the second floor of an office tower, nearby other business towers with few other ramen shops directly nearby. But with the long lines forming in front of the shop, no, it is certainly not deserted.

I was glad to get there before the shop opened because the line only got longer and longer afterwards. The shop has six different ramen options, but I chose the Kanko Dori for 900¥ ($8.20 USD) because it was the most unique item on the menu… “No soup citrus soy sauce,” it claims. And you can choose regular or large sizes for the same price. Sounds good to me!

For lunch time, you can also add a few things for a few hundred yen more. I added the Chashu Bowl for 200¥, given I was super hungry at the time having skipped breakfast.

This is definitely a more fashionable restaurant with an upscale modern decor and fancy bowls to match. The tall sides made me worry that I should’ve selected the larger portion of noodles because it looked tiny at the bottom of the cavernous sides. The whole presentation was lovely… but could the taste match?

Absolutely! These house-made noodles were stunningly delicious. The soupless, yet saucy, broth really coated the noodles so thoroughly, the flavor was packed in every bite. The first hit was surprisingly spicy, but it was followed with salty, umami flavors, ending in a light citrus taste. Definitely complex, rich, and flavorful… maybe one of the best I’ve had in a few months! The juicy chicken topping was also quite well-cooked, soft, and delicious.

However, two points brought the experience down. The soft, thinly-sliced chashu looked gorgeous, but they were a bit dry to the taste. The egg was also a bit overdone, though it was still tasty nonetheless.

The Chashu Bowl was probably the best-value add-on in a ramen shop I have ever had for the price. It was extremely meaty and rich with a ton of umami flavor, and it was larger than I expected. Well worth the lunch time occasion!

The back of the menu is quite interesting…

I am definitely leaving this ramen restaurant on my list of places I will come back to. The flavors, complexity, and value really made it an outstanding experience. Highly recommended, even if they lied.

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Steak and Hamburg (ステーキ宮 ステーキ&ハンバーグレストラン) in Tsuruga, Fukui

Steak Miya (aka Steak & Hamburg) is a chain of meat restaurants all over Japan. I never stopped by the Tsuruga, Fukui, shop before, despite passing by hundreds of times. So finally some friends and I decided to check it out to see how it compares to other meat restaurants like Ikinari! Steak or other regular family restaurants like Coco’s or Tomato & Onion.

The whole menu seems a bit pricey, but nonetheless, it’s the norm here in Japan. For example, here is 225g (8 oz) of hamburg steak and 75g (2.6 oz) of grilled steak that go for 1890￥ ($17 USD). Honestly, I was a bit worried because Ikinari is a bit cheaper than that…

But since they also offer a rather cool salad, soup, and drink bar (not alcohol), we thought we’d try it anyway. I ordered ? and the salad and soup bar for ?. The hamburg patty was pretty juicy and the steak was surprisingly succulent, soft, and delicious. Unfortunately, it was tiny. The soup and salad bar had a solid selection of options and everything was fresh. The killers were the sauce options… especially the gravy. We were all surprised at how legitimately tasty and rich it was!

I definitely had a nice meal with my friends there. If this was my only option in town, I’d come back, but unfortunately, there are other choices in Tsuruga that might be better worth the visit.

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Shougetsu (めん魚房 松月) in Tsuruga, Fukui

It’s been awhile since I last visited Shougetsu in Tsuruga, Fukui. This Japanese restaurant has a large varied menu, but to me, the thing I always order is their Lemon Ramen, a light salt broth ramen with a few tart slices of lemon to really lighten the flavor.

This time, however, I opted for a change… their seasonally-limited Nishin Ramen for a very reasonable 830￥ ($7.50 USD). A piece of herring fish in my ramen? Could it really be worth ordering over the usual favorite? I was hesitant at first, but the friendly proprietor assured me that it was delicious.

And it was! The fish was preserved, so it was salty and sweet, reminding me much of a canned fish found in many Chinese dishes. The fish pared decently with the soup, which was lightly savory and creamy, but with a hint of spice. It was definitely an interesting combination I don’t think I have ever tried before at any other ramen shop.

The portion of noodles was quite good so the asking price was well worth it for something this uniquely savory and delicious! The only thing that I would like to see are some additional toppings or maybe even a few slices of their lemon to lighten up the whole taste.

Unfortunately, by the time you read this in March, the limited ramen will already be out of season. Maybe next year he’ll bring it back, but the next seasonal ramen coming up is an Ichigo (Strawberry) Ramen! Look forward to my review soon!

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Nobukou (のぶ幸) in Takahama, Fukui

If I were to choose the best Japanese food restaurant around Obama, I would, without reservation, declare Nobukou to be my favorite. This tiny, family-run restaurant on Route 27 in Takahama, Fukui, is so nondescript, you’d likely pass it several times before you’d notice anything was open for business; there are no large signs and the whole outer facade looks like a typical house. But if you didn’t stop by, you’d be missing a real treasure.

They offer a large menu of delicious Japanese dishes that have very generous portions, all at very reasonable prices. For those less hungry, they also serve more "regular" sizes and plenty of other dishes, so there is probably something you’d like if you enjoy Japanese food.

At the recommendation from my friend, I have been recently ordering their Katsunabe Teishoku set for 1100¥ ($10 USD) which includes a ridiculously large fried pork serving with mixed egg and onion topping, soaked in deliciously savory-sweet mirin and soy sauce.

The crispy breading, the soft-battered egg, and cooked onions create an amazingly rich dish that is simply delicious.

Come down to beautiful southern Fukui and check this place out… it’ll be worth a drive, no matter where you are. This place comes with my highest recommendation.

As a bonus, here are some pictures of their Tonkatsu Teishoku and their Karaage Fried Chicken Teishoku sets I posted on my Instagram a year and some ago. (My photo quality has significantly improved since then.)

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Rairaitei (来来亭 敦賀店) in Tsuruga, Fukui

Previously on Instagram, I reviewed Rairaitei, a chain of ramen shops all around Japan. Having been there several times over the years, but not in a few years, I stopped by the Tsuruga, Fukui, shop with some friends. After the loads of delicious bowls of ramen I’ve consumed in the intervening years, how did it fare?

Honestly, Rairaitei still stands up as a solid ramen restaurant with cheap, but delicious bowls. This most recent time, I opted for a Kotteri (rich, heavy) Ramen for 780￥ ($7 USD) with Wonton dumpling toppings for 110￥ more. While I wasn’t blown away, it was still a great meal, offering good value at a good price.

As a bonus, here are a few photos I’ve taken over the years at some other shops around Japan.

I will definitely come again.

 

Pizzeria Braceria CESARI!! (ピッツェリアブラチェリアチェザリ‼) in Nagoya, Aichi

I’ve been mocked for my reviews and writing style, but I’m just going to own it…

On our second food stop in Nagoya, we went to Pizzeria Braceria CESARI!, an Italian restaurant among a shopping street full of other foreign shops. I was surprised to see this was a Michelin Guide restaurant. My friends definitely made a good choice to come here.

Their lunch special, consisting of an appetizer, main, and dessert, was very reasonable at 1500¥ ($14 USD) although a few alternate options add a bit to the cost.

They first brought us some lovely, freshly baked bread.

My friends ordered the day’s Yellowtail Carpaccio salad and Chezari Oyster appetizers for themselves.

I opted for the Prosciutto Salad with 12-month cured ham and it was absolutely deliciously soft, salty, and divine.

It’s a good thing I liked it because I ordered the Prosciutto pizza for 650¥ more. My friends also decided on the Margherita and Chisato (4 cheese and honey) pizzas. From our cool little outdoor seating, we could see the kitchen staff preparing our hand-tossed pizzas, the delicious smell wafting out from the open door. The Margherita was the first to arrive and it was the “lightest” taste of the three. The other two arrived shortly after. All three pizzas were thin, flavorful, and quite reasonably sized.

After trying all three, I’d say the Margherita pizza was more the appetizer since it had a lighter flavor profile. My savory, salty, rich ham would be more of a main dish with the sweet and salty 4-cheese pizza more akin to a dessert.

I was glad I was hungry because I had to finish the leftovers. Oh, what a shame I had to consume the majority of all this deliciousness!

To top it off, we were offered a range of desserts. My friends ordered the mango and berry gelato and I opted for lemon dessert. Without a doubt, they were extremely delicious and a great finish to our plentiful meal.

I also want to note the extremely pleasant service we got from the staff, particularly our awesome waiter who did his best to speak English to us whenever possible. The whole experience really justifies their inclusion in the coveted Michelin Guide.

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Ramen Yokozuna (ラーメン横綱 刈谷市) in Kariya, Aichi

Ramen Yokozuna is a chain of ramen shops hailing from Kyoto, now spreading primarily around the Chubu and Kansai (roughly central) areas of Japan. They are famous for having a wide variety of ramen and are always open late. I stopped by the Kariya, Aichi, location a few months ago with my friend to have a bite on the way home from picking up a car in Nagoya.

I ordered a Irodori Tonkotsu/Shoyu Ramen for 850￥ ($8 USD) and a side of Tarako Fish Egg and Mayo fried rice for 360￥. The broth was surprisingly rich and flavorful, with a nice pork taste. The noodles, chashu, and egg were also quite good, but otherwise not spectacular.

While I didn’t necessarily love the fried rice and the heavy Japanese mayonnaise topping, it was interesting enough I could order it again.

You can also add garlic, green onion, and other spices to taste. And for hungry eaters, there are also larger sizes for 100￥ more. For the value and convenience, I will definitely be stopping by one of their restaurants again!

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Ichijodani Asakura Roadside Station (道の駅 一乗谷あさくら水の駅) in Abanakajimacho, Fukui

Just recently, I reviewed Europa-ken, the main store that is said to have popularized Sauce Katsudon in Fukui Prefecture. It was certainly amazing, savory, rich, and delicious, but is there another restaurant that could possibly challenge it for taste?

Surprisingly, here is one such restaurant in Abanakajimacho, Fukui, located at the Ichijodani Asakura Roadside Station (Michi-no-Eki). I was recommended it by a friend of mine who leaves nearby.

While it just maybe one small part of the building, it has nice views of the outside and amazing food inside!

I ordered their #3 Katsu Teishoku Set which comes with a small cold soba, sauce katsu, and rice for 1300￥ ($12 USD).

While the soba was merely good, the katsu was outstanding! It was lightly crispy and had a thick crunch, not to mention the thick pork tasted softer and juicier than Europa-ken’s. The sauce, too, was a bit sweeter, coupled with the slice of lime for a hint of tartness.

This was subjectively better for me than most other katsu places I’ve been to and I will definitely keep it bookmarked for when I pass through again!

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Iwamotoya (岩本屋 福井本店) in Fukui City, Fukui

Iwamotoya, a large Reinan chain of ramen shops, offers various limited monthly specials.

This time, I stopped by their Main Store to have their Hotate Soba (Scallop) for 980¥? ($9 USD). As always, regular, large, and extra large noodle portions are all the same price! Before I ordered the Hotate Soba, I asked the friendly shop guy what soup base it was… Salt? Soy sauce?  He was puzzled by my question because he said, “Hotate base.” Well, this I had to try! As with their other ramen, you can customize it a bit to your likingI asked for the strongest soup strength, heaviest oil, and softness noodle... 

And it did not disappoint. The broth had a nice, deep, and rich scallop and seafood flavor. It was creamy, rich, and savory… somewhat reminding me of a Seafood Cup Noodle, but in a good way! The three scallops from Hokkaido on top were small, but they were decently fresh, with a nice, soft and springy texture. The slice of slightly rare chashu, too, is always a treat, though I wished for a bigger piece. For the price, the extra-large portion of noodles was definitely a good value considering it was a no-cost change.

I am glad that my friend and I could enjoy a damn good bowl of ramen, especially during midday on a Saturday, as most ramen shops are closed around 3 to 5:30pm. Iwamotoya is always worth coming back to check out.

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