Next shikaku ramen
A recommendation I found on Instagram, this restaurant specialises in oysters which are used in all their ramen broths and in their side dishes. We tried a range of ramen from the menu including ‘ikasu’ oyster soy sauce soup ramen, ‘koeru’ pork broth and oyster soup ramen, and ‘asobu’ dipping oyster noodle. We also got sides of beef sushi and deep fried oysters. Every single dish that arrived was insanely good. What was most impressive of all, is that every bowl of ramen is so thoughtful and fully held its own unique character.
We went for a super late lunch around 3pm and to our surprise, there was still a small queue. As we queued, we were take to a screen to order and pay which was really efficient and in the end, waiting time was around 20 minutes, with food arriving swiftly once we sat down.
So another oyster broth ramen has sprung up (B1-28 Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive Mall, tel : +65 6592 5060). Next Shikaku from Osaka. The place looked a lot like a local bar/karaoke/watering hole than a ramen-ya. They claim that they specialise in using the freshest oysters in their ramen broth and I'm of the opinion that superlativity smells like rats.
They've been hyped as the first experiential oyster ramen store here. What in the world does that even mean? 🤔
This was their koeru bowl. Broth's creamy, smooth and has oyster flavour. Umami is a good word. But if one is looking for oyster-ly, this has nothing on the bowl from the defunct Keisuke Plus. It's actually less oyster-ly than the paitan bowl from Konjiki Hototogisu which I thought was decent until Keisuke Plus opened my eyes.
With expectations laid from a place that claims to be an oyster broth ramen specialist, this was kinda underwhelming. Not a bad bowl of noodles though. Just wished that there was more than a lonely sad oyster in there.
I liked their asobu tsukemen better. Noodles were wide like pappardelle and had a nice firm bite to them. They were served in chilled wate
Next Shikaku Osaka
Next Shikaku Osaka is a pretty eye-catching restaurant located along the crowded Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street (千日前道具屋筋商店街, Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai), the shop features a beautifully minimalist exterior with a bright light-show-covered interior that really feels like a cross between a digital art exhibition and a restaurant. Oyster-broth ramen is pretty uncommon overseas and so it's a rather unique dish for foreigners to try, and something different from the usual ramen fare.
While Next Shikaku makes bold claims about how much oyster taste they infuse into their ramen, we're not quite sure that the dish itself achieves that lofty claim. In particular, one of our favourite ramen shops is Kuramu (貝出汁中華そば くらむ, Kai Dashi Chūka Soba Kuramu) in Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō), which is also an oyster broth ramen shop, and so when we compare the two, there is really no battle between them. We tried the Ikasu ramen and felt fancy the taste was a bit too light on the palate for us. It's not a bad bowl of oyster ramen, we've just really had way better at Kuramu, and so it fell short for us.
In general, Next Shikaku Osaka serves up a pretty decent
NEXT Shikaku（NEXT Shikaku）
06-6643-7787
Reservations unavailable
大阪府大阪市中央区難波千日前9-12 道具屋筋商店街
2 minutes walk from Namba Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line
6 minutes walk from Kintetsu Nihonbashi Station on the Kintetsu Namba/Nara Line
8 minutes walk from Osaka-Namba Station on the Kintetsu Namba and Nara Lines
173 meters from Namba.
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
Sat, Sun, Public Holiday
- ■Business hours
We warmly welcome you even if you arrive just before closing time!
■Closed on
Open year-round
JPY 1,000 - JPY 1,999JPY 1,000 - JPY 1,999
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Credit card accepted
（VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX）
Electronic money accepted
（Transportation IC cards (e.g., Suica), Rakuten-Edy, nanaco, WAON, iD）
QR code payments accepted
(PayPay, Rakuten Pay)
WHAT WE ATE
- Slow-cooked oyster broth (koeru), 95/100 (18 Apr 2025, West Gate)
Tucked away in the basement of Westgate Mall, Next Shikaku brings a bold and unexpected twist to Singapore’s ramen scene. Hailing from Osaka, this ramen concept is all about oysters – from rich, umami-packed broths to lighter, clear soups and even tsukemen. But it’s not just the menu that stands out. The space is a full sensory experience, with digital projections and moody lighting that make slurping noodles here feel a little more like stepping into a sci-fi anime. If you’re looking for ramen that’s a bit out of the ordinary, this spot deserves a place on your radar.
Slow-cooked Oyster Broth (Koeru): 95/100
Noodle: 30/35
Medium-thick, wavy, and slightly flat – these noodles have a firm, chewy, tacky bite that clings satisfyingly to your teeth. The earthy wheat flavour is also nicely pronounced.
Apparently, these are hand-kneaded, low-hydration noodles. Which is curious, because low hydration dough is usually hard to knead by hand – Hakata-style dough, for example, is so dry it needs machines. So either they found some technique magic here, or it’s low hydratio