I wandered through Kuromon Ichiba Market, but nothing really caught my eye to eat, so I decided to try Next Shikaku. I can’t remember how I first heard about it, but it had been on my Osaka “to-eat” list from my last trip. Coincidentally, it’s in the same alleyway where I bought my Japanese knife.

Before going inside, I placed my order at their self-serve kiosk: the slow-cooked oyster broth ramen and a side of karaage chicken. After that, I queued up and only waited about five minutes before being shown in. The interior is quite dark, but there’s a giant screen projecting moving artwork, which looks very cool—almost like something you’d see at TeamLab.

My food arrived in about the same amount of time I had waited for a seat. One sip of the broth and the oyster flavour immediately stood out. It was rich, layered, and genuinely impressive. The ramen bowl came with thinly sliced pork char siu, fungus, nori sheets, an egg, a thin slice of lime, finely diced raw onion, fresh sage, and springy noodles. The char siu, on its own, was a bit salty, but when paired with the noodles, it provided a nice contrast.

The karaage was good—nicely cooked, and I liked the squeeze of lemon on top—but it wasn’t my favourite.

Overall, it was an excellent bowl of ramen with exceptional service. I love how staff in Japan acknowledge you both when you enter and when you leave; they truly appreciate their customers. I’d definitely return to try their other ramen options, especially the one with the thick, wide noodles that you dip into the broth.

Instagram: Next Shikaku

Address: 9-12 Nanbasennichimae, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0075

Map and Directions