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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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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