A shop that opened in front of Settsu-Tonda Station in April 2026. The owner runs "Nikaku Shokudo" in Kitahama, was captivated by the depth of Niigata and Aomori niboshi chuka soba, and apparently opened this place in Settsu-Tonda to offer a new bowl that takes on niboshi. A small, counter-only interior. There's a ticket machine right as you enter. The staff are foreigners. Places with this style have been increasing lately. "Niigata Seabura Niboshi Chuka Soba" A mellow soup in which the well-extracted umami of niboshi is joined by the sweetness of backfat and onions. No off-flavors, but it doesn't come across as flat either — it's easy to understand, clearly asserting what it wants to assert. It's said to be adjusted to Kansai tastes, which makes me curious what the full-on Niigata version would be like. The chewy, hearty curly noodles are satisfying too. They also make a strong statement but without going wild or causing chaos — honor-student noodles that do their job properly. This spot has seen a lot of tenant turnover in recent years, but I hope this one lasts a long time.

+3

In Settsu-Tonda, near Hankyu Tonda, at a location with heavy tenant turnover, an affiliate of Kitahama's Nikaku Shokudo has opened. A Niigata backfat niboshi soba shop, a genre not often found around here. The signature Tokaku Soba is a niboshi-scented shoyu soup with plenty of backfat floating on top, loaded with large chashu, chopped chashu, onions, and bara nori. The niboshi isn't a punch-in-the-face type; it's a soup with a very refined aroma. There's the richness of backfat and the depth of shoyu, which pair well with the hearty, thick-ish curly noodles — delicious. Taking bites of onion or nori in between adds a nice accent. I felt the chashu's flavor didn't really blend in with the soup. The noodles were nicely springy and filling, so even the regular portion was satisfying enough.

+3

I had the Niigata Seabura Niboshi Chuka Soba (900 yen). It's topped with chashu, nori, onions, and naruto. This is Tsubame-Sanjo's local ramen. The extra-thick flat curly noodles are 170g, plenty of volume. The noodles are enjoyable on their own, but the flavor of the clinging backfat niboshi shoyu soup brings out their deliciousness even more. Slurping the noodles together with the soup-soaked nori gives a different taste. Adding the onions brings a slight bitterness for yet another twist. My first Niigata ramen in a while, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The abura soba, chuka soba, and tsuke soba all look tasty too, but the "negi soba" intrigues me. It's apparently chuka soba-based, but I'm curious about its texture and flavor. I love green onions, so I must try it at least once! Karaage and rice dishes are on standby as side menus, with discount prices depending on the combination. Among them is an all-you-can-eat rice category! And there's furikake on the table! My coworker ordered it, and one bowl of rice is quite a lot (lol). There are also "Okan no Kimagure Don," "Hinomaru Don," and more — the relief pitchers for managing a little hunger are well stocked too. It's great fun being able to build all kinds of combos depending on how hungry you are.

+2

The toppings are good value and not bad, but the richness of the niboshi soup and the sharpness of the onions are too strong — with some tweak like sautéing them, it could really transform. If it became a generic Hakkaisan, I'd be a regular.

+3

I'd been a little curious for a while, so I came to eat abura soba. Honestly I went in without expecting much... but it was super delicious! It's number 1 in my abura soba ranking! I haven't tried the other ramen yet, but it's a place that makes me think I definitely want to come back. Since I came in late, and I ordered rice, customers who came after me found it sold out, but I just barely made it and could even do oimeshi, so I was very satisfied. The only thing is there's no toilet? or at least no sign for one, so that was the only letdown.