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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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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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!

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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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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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.

 

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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Texas Hands (テキサスハンズ 敦賀店) in Tsuruga, Fukui

Texas Hands is a chain of pizza shops around the Hokuriku region of Japan, including Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyama.

Let’s take a second to look at their store logo…

They offer a range of typical pepperoni pizzas to outlandish toppings like crab, squid, corn, fish egg (tarako)… well, those are pretty normal here in Japan.

Regardless of what you choose, the pizzas and toppings here are delicious… for Japan. They are definitely smaller and more expensive than what you’d typically get stateside in America. Their Large sizes, around 2000￥ ($18 USD), are more akin to a Medium in the U.S. The sauce and cheese also have a lighter profile, more suited for Japanese tastes than the heavy, greasier stuff at many chain pizza restaurants I’m very familiar with.

Do they sell pineapple toppings for their pizza? Not that I know of, so we brought some in! And if you don’t like pineapple on pizza, well…

Regardless, I often visit the Tsuruga, Fukui, location with my friends whenever I’m craving a taste from home.

I’ll neither confirm nor deny my hand is in this photograph…

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Mugiwaraya (麦わら屋) in Fukui City, Fukui

In my continuing quest to eat all the ramen Fukui has to offer, I stopped by Mugiwaraya, a ramen shop near Route 8 in the northeastern part of the city. Stopping on a weekday right before they opened, I was greeted by the owner and given a couple coupons; this is a great way to build customer rapport!

Their menu is extremely simple with only two main options, Shoyu Ramen or Tsukemen dipping-style Ramen. Sub-divided, there are also normal or large sizes and with or without a flavored egg. I opted for normal size ramen with egg for 900￥ ($8.30 USD) and a side of Chashu Rice for 450￥ ($4 USD) more.

The dark broth that arrived made it immediately apparent that the broth would be strong. The strong fish dashi taste was rich, very reminiscent of the tsukemen broth they also serve. The noodles were nice and slightly firm, which goes well with the flavorfully strong soup. The highlight, by far and away, was the absolutely mind-blowingly delicious chashu slice on top. It had just about the perfect amount of fattiness, softness, and with the grilled, crispy edges, the savory umami taste and texture was probably one of the best I’ve had in awhile.

Can I get more of that chashu, please? Holy wow. I might complain that with this much deliciousness, it’d be a crime not to include more.

The Chashu Rice was pricey, I admit, so I set my expectations for it a bit high. Nonetheless, since the aforementioned chashu was so good, chunks of it over some warm, fluffy rice really was a bit of heaven. It was perfectly soft, salty, and delicious.

This ramen restaurant definitely comes recommended if you love strong fish broth shoyu, amazing chashu, and darn good customer service.

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Europa-ken Main Shop (ヨーロッパ軒 総本店) in Fukui City, Fukui

Sauce Katsudon is one of the most famous dishes in Fukui Prefecture. Essentially, it consists of fried, breaded pork cutlets, covered in a sweet, savory Worcestershire-like sauce, over a bed of rice. Simple, satisfying and delicious, what’s not to love?

Every shop in Fukui has a bit of a different take on the food, offering different breading consistencies, thicker or wider pork cutlets, and very different sauces. One can visit the numerous restaurants serving it across the prefecture for a different, unique taste every time.

Europa-ken claims to be the first restaurant to serve it in Fukui, opening in January 1924 on Katamachi Street in Fukui City, Fukui. The main shop is still located there, so I decided to check out the place that made Sauce Katsudon so famous

I actually visited Europa-ken’s many locations in Fukui several times, but this was my first visit to the main store. I was greeted warmly and I saw a very familiar menu. I only needed to say “Katsu…” before the lady confirmed my order as the ever-popular Katsudon Set (1150￥ / $10.60 USD).

The bowl had three slices of finely-breaded katsu and lovely, fluffy rice. While they were already soaked in flavor, for more of that rich sauce, you can dip the katsu in it or pour it over; there is no wrong way to enjoy it. Either way, the set was well worth the price for tasting the original Sauce Katsudon.

Now, would I say this is the best Sauce Katsudon in all of Fukui? While it certainly is a contender, there are other amazing shops all around. Look forward to more of my saucy reviews soon!

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Tsukemen Honmaru (つけ麺本丸 柳津店) in Hongu, Gifu

Tsukemen Honmaru is a chain of ramen shops from Aichi Prefecture, serving up mainly tsukemen dipping-style noodles, as their name suggests. I stopped by their Hongu, Gifu, shop with my friend for a late dinner.

They have a few unique varieties, such as seafood, chicken and yuzu, spicy, and miso.

Of those four, I opted for their large Special Miso Tsukemen for 800￥ ($7.30 USD). For added value, normal and extra large sizes are also the same price.

The set that arrived on my table shortly thereafter was highly impressive, with the miso dipping broth still bubbling in the pot.

The portion size was more than adequate, the noodles soft and thick like good tsukemen should be. This was the first time I tried a miso-based tsukemen, as they all typically have a pork and fish (usually niboshi) base. I’ll say it was definitely a unique taste!

I don’t know how I managed to take such a blurry selfie…

I’m looking forward to coming back again and trying another of their varieties for the value alone!

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Chuka Soba Ryo (中華そばRyo) in Sabae, Fukui

Chuka Soba Ryo is a popular ramen restaurant in Sabae, Fukui known for their chicken-based ramen. Their main options all have some chicken in the broth as opposed to the more frequent pork used in other shops.

They offer shoyu soy-sauce, salt with niboshi (baby sardines), toripaitan (creamy chicken), and spicy maze mix soba. Of the four, I was recommended the salt or creamy variants by the waitstaff, so I opted for the Nibo Salt Chicken Soba for 780￥ ($7 USD), large-sized for 130￥ more, and a side of Chicken Chashu Rice Bowl for 350￥ more.

The light clear broth was quite lovely, imparting lots of fish and chicken flavors, while having a really clean and light finish. I’ve had soups before that end up oily due to the chicken and fish used, but this was not the case here. The noodles were also quite chewy and soft, portioned well at the large size. The chicken toppings were also delicious, with a perfect texture that had a great balance of softness and firmness.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the chicken bowl. While it was deliciously light and refreshing, it was not quite worth the extra yen unless you’re really hungry. I’d recommend just going with a larger side or extra helping of noodles.

Definitely a good restaurant if you’re looking for nice, unique bowls of chicken ramen that are becoming more popular, especially in the Kansai area of Japan.

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Menya Trip (麺屋 鶏っぷ) in Echizen, Fukui

My co-worker and I have both actually visited Trip in Echizen, Fukui, a few months prior to this most recent visit, but since it was so good and we were already nearby, we decided to go there again. This time, I opted for their monthly variant, called Butappu, which is a play on their store name and main ramen, Torippu. This ramen is a pork and shoyu-based ramen with some veggies on top and a thicker noodle for 830￥ ($8 USD).

The broth was a great deal thicker and heavier than their usual chicken-based soup, but it was almost too heavy with a strong, salty taste. However, the veggies on top did lighten up the bowl a bit to offset the heavier taste. I also liked their thick and soft noodles, which were quite a nice, satisfying portion.

As a bonus, here is a picture of my last meal last year here. This is more their typical fare, with the  chicken broth and thin noodles. When I come back again, it will be for one of these bowls and their deliciously rich chicken toppings.

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