Probably the worst restaurant I tried in Hokkaido. Soba soup 🫲 Charmen 👎 Looked good when it first arrived but it was a thick starchy mess. Salty and overwhelming use of ginger. Grilled mackerel 👎 Tasted more like steamed instead of grilled. Weak seasoning.

+2

I had to try Cha-men, so after my visit to Karafuto memorial, I went to this restaurant as it was recommended to get sizzling ‘Cha-men. ¥1400. Delicious! Savory, sizzling hot, perfect for drizzly day. It’s kinda like Ankake Yakisoba, with a local twist. Wakkanai soul food. Oh, it is located at the far end of Omiyage (local souvenir) shop, which maybe bit hard to find.

Great food, generous portion, lot of locals here, no english menu, very very reasonable price

The nearest station is Wakkanai Station on the JR Soya Main Line. The restaurant is inside Wakkanai Fukuko Market, about 4 minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot from the station. I visited at lunchtime specifically for Chamen, a Wakkanai specialty! ◆Order Shio Chamen　1,400円 Uni Gunkan (one piece)　1,000円 Chamen is an exceptional local dish, like the toppings of gomoku ramen turned into a thick sauce. The umami-packed sauce coats fragrantly seared noodles♪ It arrives on a piping-hot iron plate, so you can enjoy it hot right to the end! The Uni Gunkan I had alongside it was also very fresh and sweet, making for a lovely lunch. A restaurant I would definitely recommend when you visit Wakkanai Fukuko Market!

+2

I visited for lunch on a weekday and ordered the Teppan Chamen I had been looking forward to. The piping-hot iron-plate presentation is fun in itself, and the fragrant aroma of the sauce rises as soon as it arrives, whetting your appetite. The noodles are chewy with a crisp, seared surface and plenty of that distinctive iron-plate aroma. There are lots of vegetables too, and the sweetness of the cabbage and savoriness of the pork blend well with the sauce, keeping every bite enjoyable to the end. The seasoning is not too strong, with a balance that retains the area's unpretentious character, which I liked. The residual heat of the plate also makes some parts crisp like scorched rice, and those are delicious too. There is plenty of seafood and the portion is substantial, making this a very satisfying lunch between sightseeing stops. The interior has a homey, unpretentious atmosphere. I think both locals and tourists would feel comfortable dropping in. Recommended when you want an easy meal of noodles with a local flavor in Wakkanai.

+3