駅前ラーメン ビッグワン

🍜 Ekimae Ramen Big One
📍 Saga Prefecture, Saga City, Ekimae Chuo
🕚 Business Hours: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Closed on Sundays)
💴 Cash only

As soon as you step inside the shop, the strong aroma of tonkotsu (pork bone) hits you; the flavor is quite rich. We waited outside before the shop opened, and shortly after we ordered, the place was fully booked, so it seems to be quite popular🔥

I ordered the special ramen (¥950), which was piled high with chashu (braised pork) and topped with a raw egg yolk. It looked impressive, but the broth was a bit too salty, making it a little heavy to drink towards the end. The chashu was on the lean side and a bit dry, not really my preferred style.

The gyoza (¥300) were nicely pan-fried, with a crispy skin and a non-greasy filling, which paired perfectly with a glass of draft beer🍺. The tofu skin sushi (¥140) was actually the most surprising dish of the day; the vinegared rice was seasoned just right, paired with slightly sweet tofu skin, making it refreshing and light😌.

Overall, it’s an old-school ramen shop located just outside Saga Station, very convenient for transportation🚉. Although the flavors aren’t particularly stunning, experiencing the local daily life is quite an interesting experience👌.