Here’s to the people who are always hungry, who devour a whole meal and hunger for more, whose thoughts revolve around what they just ate and what they’re about to eat for their next meal. Here’s to theย realย food-lovers.
If the above sounds nothing like you, then click away. Because this prized list is only for the eyes of the worthy; for the brave champions who face each day ready to eat a sh*tload of food.
Here’s a list ofย 8 fantastic Japanese restaurants that offer a free upsize to fill the mightily hungry!
1. Menya Musashi
Atย Menya Musashi,ย you don’t only get great bowls of deliciousย ramen,ย you get them in up toย five timesย the size of a regularย ramenย bowl. I know, it sounds absurd, and truly it is, but I assure you I am not kidding.
I don’t think I’ve ever been hungry enough to wantย fiveย servings ofย ramen, but I can’t deny that this is an incredible deal. It’s basically equivalent toย five bowls of ramen, for the price of one.
Menya Musashi prides itself on its exceptionally creamy broth. It comes in three flavours:ย white, red and black. The white is aย tonkotsuย broth that’s simmered for hours to produce anย umami-rich broth. The red, as you can probably guess, is the spicy flavour, while the black features an aromatic garlic flavour.
Out of all the restaurants on this list, Menya Musashi’s free upsize has got to be the greatest deal. Try it out, and see if you can finish five servings!
Expected damage: $15 – $20 per pax
Menya Musashi: Various Outlets | Website | Facebook
2. Men-ichiย Sapporo Ramen
Men-ichiย Sapporoย Ramenย may not be as much of a household name as Menya Musashi, but itsย ramenย is undoubtedly top-notch.
At this restaurant,ย ramen options are aplentyย โ you can choose from a wide variety of broths, ranging fromย miso (fermented bean paste) toย tonkotsuย (pork bone broth)ย toย shioย (salt-based broth).
There’s also a choice between thick or thin noodles. The recommendation is to pair thick noodles with richer broths, and thin noodles with lighter broths. And rejoice, as allย ramenย dishes are available for a free upsize!
Theย Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen ($13.90)ย features a rich pork bone and chicken broth,ย chashu, tamago,ย red ginger strips, spring onion and seaweed.
With a robustย tonkotsuย base, the broth was as rich andย umami-filled as any other. A subtle sweetness peeked in at the end of each bite, providing for a more complex and satisfying flavour.
Expected damage: $13 – $20 per pax
Men-ichiย Sapporoย Ramen: Various Outlets | Website | Facebookย
3. Kaneta Shoten
Located in ChinaTown Point,ย Kaneta Shotenย is a smallย ramenย joint that serves mouth-watering bowls ofย ramen.ย Unlike the previous two restaurants, Kaneta Shoten only offers free upsizes for a selected number ofย ramenย dishes, and not its entire menu.
These dishes include their signatureย Kaneta Mazesoba ($13.90)ย andย Spicy Mazesoba ($14.90).ย Infused with truffle, theย Kaneta Mazesobaย is truly one-of-a-kind.
It is served with a generous serving of sweet, aromaticย chashu, some mushrooms, seaweed and a perfectย onsenย egg.
The upsized version will award you with an extra 50g of noodles, making for oneย hugeย bowl of noodles. You’ll try your hardest to finish thisย mazesoba, because each bite is a delightful combination of flavour and texture.
The chewy noodles are coated with a rich, savoury sauce accompanied with aromatic hints of truffle, providing for a complex yet delicious flavour.
Theย Spicy Mazesobaย is also an excellent choice. A heap of spicy minced meat will greet you instead ofย chashu. This injected a fiery excitement to the dish, making for an incredibly addictive bowl of noodles!
Expected damage: $14 – $15 per pax
Kaneta Shoten:ย 133 New Bridge Road, #B1-44/45 ChinaTown Point, Singapore 059413 | Opening Hours: 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 10pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 6443 8366 | Facebook
4. Ramen Matsuri
Ramen Matsuriย specialises in chicken-basedย ramen, as well asย mazesoba.ย Here, there’s a free upsize that’ll get youย 1.5 timesย the size of a regular bowl ofย ramen.ย And yes, a free upsize is available forย allย theย ramenย on the menu!
I know some people sneer at the mention of chicken-based broth, and it’s understandableย โ chicken-based broths tend to be less full-bodied than pork bone broths.
Ramen Matsuri’s chicken broth, however, is as rich and powerful as any pork bone broth. Whole chickens are boiled for over six hours to produce a thick, creamy broth with notes of sweetness.
Theย Torikoku Ramen ($13.50)ย comes with springy, thinย ramenย noodles, as well as three thick slices of chickenย chashu.ย The broth had a unique flavour, a combination of sweet and salty that truly tickled my fancy.
Expected damage: $11 – $20 per pax
Ramen Matsuri:ย 7 North Canal Road, Singapore 048820 | Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm (Mon – Thurs & Sat), 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 11pm (Fri), Closed on Sundays | Tel: +65 6533 0845 | Website | Facebook
5. Kajiken
Atย Kajiken, you’ll not only get a free upsize (1.5 times), you can also ask for a serving of rice at the end of your meal.
Kajiken’s signatureย Mazesoba Nagoya Style ($12.80)ย comes with a heaping amount of spicy minced pork, chives, seaweed, and a wobblyย onsenย eggย โ all of which can be mixed with rice, once you’ve finished the springy noodles.
Other options include theย Mazesoba With All Toppings ($15.80),ย which is packed withย chashu, braised pork, deep fried chicken, anย onsenย egg, bamboo shoots andย seaweed. With so much in one bowl, this is undoubtedly a great deal. Opt for the free upsize, and you’ll have yourself an incredible steal!
Read our full review of Kajiken.
Expected damage:ย $12.80 โ $15.80 per pax
Kajiken Singapore: 101 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088522ย | Opening Hours: 11.30am โ 3pm, 6pm โ 9.30pm, (Mon โ Fri), 11.30am โ 9.30pmย (Sat & Sun) | Tel:ย +65 8226 0199 |ย Websiteย |ย Facebook
6. Hokkaido Izakaya
Hokkaido Izakaya prides itself on its high-quality soba noodles that are made fresh every day, with buckwheat flour imported from Hokkaido.
Yet, the best part about theย sobaย is that you can get up toย three regular servingsย in one bowl. Depending on how hungry you are, you can order 100g, 200g, or 300g of noodles.
Try theirย Maze Niku Soba ($15), which features coldย sobaย mixed in a signature sesame sauce, along with thin slices of beef. This aromatic bowl of noodles is sure to whet your appetite, and I don’t think just 100g of noodles will be enough for anyone.
For those who prefer theirย sobaย steaming hot, perhaps order theย Kakiage Tempura Soba (Hot) ($12), or theย Wagyu Beef Shabu Shabu Soba ($15).ย Both are excellent choices which are sure to warm you through and through!
Do note that the two branchesย โย Tanjong Pagarย andย Wisma Atriaย โ offer different set menus, so do check out the website for more information.
Expected damage: $10 – $30 per pax
Hokkaido Izakaya: Various Outlets | Website | Facebookย
7. Osaka Ohsho (Junction 8)
Osaka Ohshoย boasts numerous branches all over the island, but you’ll want to visit theย Junction 8ย outlet for its free upsize that will get you aย bowl ofย mazesobaย three timesย the size of a regular one.
Theย Pork Shabu Maze Soba ($9.90)ย features aromaticย sobaย with thin slices of tender porkย shabu.ย For justย $9.90, and a free upsize of up to three times, this is no doubt an incredible deal. Where else are you going to get an enormous bowl ofย ramenย for literally less thanย $10?
Expected damage: $10 – $11 per pax
Osaka Ohsho (Junction 8):ย #02-34/35/35A, Junction 8, 9 Bishan Place, Singapore 579837 | Website | Facebookย
8. Takagi Ramen
At Takagi Ramen, you’ll not only get restaurant-gradeย ramenย for a third of the price, but also free noodle refills! That’s simply amazing, isn’t it?
The signatureย Takagi Ramenย goes for onlyย $5.50ย and is a traditionalย tonkotsu ramenย topped with slices ofย chashu.ย You can opt to add a flavoured egg forย $1!
Expected damage: $6 – $7 per pax
Takagi Ramen:ย Various Outlets | Website | Facebook