Tokyo noodle specialist Udon Shin opens on Nov 13 at Takashimaya Shopping Centre

SINGAPORE – Udon fans, the wait is over. Tokyo’s famed udon specialist restaurant Udon Shin makes its overseas debut on Nov 13 at Takashimaya Shopping Centre.

Established in 2011 in Yoyogi, Shibuya, it is known to draw long queues of diners – who wait up to three hours – for its housemade thick and chewy udon, topped with a raw or onsen egg and served cold or warm with dashi.

Ahead of the opening, The Straits Times had a preview on Nov 12 of selected dishes from the menu at the 60-seat restaurant.  

The thick noodles are cut on-site and cooked for 16 minutes before the long strands get their signature swirl into the bowl. 

Prices start at $10 for a bowl of plain udon (cold or hot). 

Udon Shin’s most unique option is Carbonara Udon ($24) with bacon tempura, parmesan cheese, butter and pepper. 

The other dishes ST tried were Tempura Zaru Udon ($28) and Tempura Kaka Udon ($29), where the accompanying assorted tempura is no afterthought. 

Also made fresh to order, the light, golden batter forms a crisp crust around ingredients such as prawn, pumpkin, mushroom and lotus root. 

Other highlights include Spicy Beef Shoyu Udon ($24), with thinly sliced beef short plate and numbing housemade mala paste made with Sichuan pepper and chilli oil; and Butter Shoyu Udon with Tempura ($26) – paired with chashu and cheese tempura.

If you are looking to splash out, the most premium option is the Yuzu Wagyu Udon ($42) with wagyu sirloin – with hot or cold dashi-based broth.

Pair the udon with drinks such as Red Rice Magic Junmai Ginjo ($40 for 300ml), a sparkling sake; or premium sakes such as Gold Ninki Junmai Dai Ginjyo ($51 for 300ml) and Junmai Ginjo Nigori ($43 for 300ml). 

Non-alcoholic options are also available, such as the housemade Udon Shin Honey Lemonade ($8).

“I started Udon Shin in Tokyo out of a deep love for noodles and the joy they bring when made right. Our udon is not just food, it is also a reflection of time, care and tradition of this timeless craft,” says Udon Shin’s Japanese chef-owner Narahara Shinji, 41, who was in town in preparation for the opening.

The brand’s entry here is via food and beverage company Gaia Lifestyle Group, which most recently launched

fine-dining restaurant Loca Niru

at the newly restored House of Tan Yeok Nee in Penang Road on Nov 6. 

Other concepts under the group include Gyutan-Tan Izakaya, which specialises in ox tongue, and Koko Patisserie, known for Japanese cakes and pastries, both in Tras Street; and Cantonese fine-dining restaurant The Black Pearl at Odeon 333 in City Hall. 

Ms Chai Karim, principal of the Gaia Lifestyle Group, says: “The craftsmanship behind every dish reflects both Japanese heritage and a modern-day obsession with flavour and quality. We believe the Singapore market, with its discerning diners and deep appreciation for authentic, high-quality Japanese cuisine, is the perfect place for Udon Shin’s first overseas expansion.”

Following the Singapore opening, Udon Shin will open its second franchise in the United States in the first quarter of 2026.