The other day, I visited Hidakaya for the first time in a while, so I decided to write a blog about my experience.
There wasn’t any particular reason, but I had unintentionally stayed away for quite some time. One day, while thinking about what to have for lunch, I suddenly thought, "I haven't been there in a while," and decided to go. Since Hidakaya doesn’t release new menu items frequently, I rarely come across articles about it online, and before I knew it, I had stopped going.
During my long-awaited visit, I had a hard time deciding what to eat, but I ended up ordering the "Tonkotsu Ramen + Yakitori Rice Bowl" set, which I had never tried before. It was 10 yen cheaper than ordering them separately, totaling 820 yen including tax. Nowadays, it's common for a single bowl of ramen to cost over 800 yen, but Hidakaya’s great cost-performance remains unchanged.
Recently, I’ve noticed that Hidakaya attracts a wider range of customers, perhaps due to rising prices. Before the pandemic, my impression was that the majority of customers were salarymen, but on this day, I saw people of all ages and backgrounds dining there.
Taste Review
Here is the set I ordered. The portion size is impressive for just 820 yen including tax. I don’t recall ever having Hidakaya’s tonkotsu ramen before, so I was excited to see how it tasted. As for the yakitori rice bowl, it looked just like the menu photo, with a generous amount of yakitori on top. Considering it comes with half a serving of rice, the balance seemed just right.
Tonkotsu Ramen
First, I started with the ramen before the noodles could get too soft.
The broth wasn’t overly rich but had a deep tonkotsu flavor, making it delicious. Hidakaya’s noodles seem to be the same as those used in other menu items, so they weren’t the thin noodles typical of Fukuoka-style tonkotsu ramen. However, they blended well with the soup, and I had no problem enjoying them. The toppings were simple—chashu (braised pork), menma (bamboo shoots), and nori (seaweed)—but the taste was solid, proving that it’s far from a "cheap and low-quality" meal. It had been a while since I last had tonkotsu ramen, but I was glad I ordered it.
Yakitori Rice Bowl
After finishing the noodles, I moved on to the yakitori rice bowl.
The yakitori was tender with a subtle sweetness, making it easy to eat. On top of that, the sauce drizzled over the rice was so delicious that I could have enjoyed it even without the yakitori. Alternating bites with the tonkotsu soup, I finished the meal in no time.
Overall Review
For just 820 yen including tax, this set offers outstanding cost performance. The taste is great, and the portion size is more than enough to satisfy even an adult male. It’s no surprise that Hidakaya remains popular in this era of rising prices. I also made some new discoveries, so I’d love to come back and try other menu items I haven’t had yet.
If you’re interested, be sure to give this set a try!