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On the northern shore of Kyushu,  an island of five million, Fukuoka  is famed for its hakata ramen  (thin ramen noodles  in a pork broth). The Japanese city - closer to the Korean peninsula and China than to Tokyo - comes alive at night with hundreds of stalls serving   street food.

Seala Restaurant

JAL Resort Seahawk Hotel

2-2-3 Jigyohama, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi  (hawkstown.com/hotel)

Seala (right) offers  Japanese cuisine  buffet-style and features  local standards such as tofu, noodles  and grilled fish.  It boasts a so-called fruit and vegetable 'sommelier',  or produce specialist, who selects the  best in season. The lunch buffet starts at  3,000 yen(HK$193).

Nagahama Ramen

Hamanomachi Koen Mai

Nagahama  is a row of yatai, or street-food stalls,  near the docks. Street food is of a high standard  in Japan, so pull up a rickety stool  and start slurping. A bowl of steaming noodles costs 500 yen and  a bottle of beer 400 yen.

Bagel & Bagel

Tenjin H, 2-1-14 Daimyo, Chuo-ku

Brace yourself for the likes of chicken teriyaki  (580 yen) and white chocolate bagels - enough to bring  a tear to the eyes of a New Yorker.   There's also more traditional fare such as blueberry and walnut cream cheese bagels  - albeit smothered with maple syrup.

Bistro Bar Crescent

2/F, 2-1-25 Susenji, Nishi-ku

Fukuoka's only Moroccan restaurant  serves tasty and authentic tagines (Y2,500) prepared in   conical clay pots. Other North African specialities include couscous and kebabs,  best accompanied by  fresh mint tea. Bar Crescent is a taxi ride from the centre of Fukuoka, but the  food makes the journey worthwhile.

Motsuhiro

2-16-14 Yakuin, Chuo-ku

Suigyoza (steamed dumplings, 400 yen),  go well with Motsuhiro's  selection of shochu or sake,  but motsunabe (850 yen per person) is the house speciality. This hotpot dish contains all manner of ingredients, including beef offal.  Slurp loudly  to fit in with the locals.



Fukuoka