No need to wait in line for Michelin-starred ramen – Tokyo restaurant starts reservation system

The final rule of thumb with ramen eating places in Japan is the longer the road of shoppers exterior, the higher the ramen. So if you end up strolling previous Ginza Hachigou and see there isn’t anybody standing round and ready to get in, you would possibly assume their meals’s not superb.

Nonetheless, Hachigou’s followers would strongly disagree with you, and people followers embody the world-class evaluators of the Michelin restaurant information for Tokyo, who’ve given Hachigou a star two years in a row, in 2022 and 2023.

So why no line exterior? As a result of now you can make reservations to eat at Hachigou.

▼ Hachigou as you’re more likely to see it, with no line out entrance

Picture: PR Occasions

Standard reservation programs, the place you reserve a seat a day or extra prematurely, are uncommon for ramen eating places in Japan. A part of that possible has to do with the informal environment of most ramen eating places, in addition to the truth that lots of them are run by a small worker crew, usually with prospects shopping for meal tickets from a merchandising machine since there’s no cashier/greeter on the workers. In regards to the closest factor to a ramen restaurant reservation system you’ll discover are seiri-ken, strips of paper that some ramen eating places hand out once they know they’re going to be full that offer you time block to come back again and line up at later in the identical day.

After all, there are solely so many seiri-ken to go round, so snagging one usually requires attending to the restaurant earlier than it opens, and even then you definitely gained’t know what time block you’ll be capable to eat in till you’ve got the ticket in your hand. In different phrases, at widespread ramen eating places, the seiri-ken system often includes ready in at the least one line, then, assuming you bought in that first line early sufficient (i.e. spent sufficient time ready in line), you’ll get a ticket to come back again and wait in line once more, which can or will not be for a time while you’d often wish to be consuming.

So Ginza Hachigou (which, as its identify implies, is positioned in downtown Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood) introducing a standard reservation system, the place you’ll be able to decide a date and time from the consolation of your private home after which simply present up on the restaurant when it’s time to eat, is a giant time-saver.

As for what makes Ginza Hachigou’s ramen particular, previous to getting into the ramen subject proprietor Koji Matsumura was the pinnacle chef on the luxurious ANA Crowne Plaza resort in Kyoto, the place he labored for 36 years making ready high-end French delicacies. Wanting to offer scrumptious meals to a wider clientele, he’s now opened three ramen eating places in Tokyo. Ginza Hachigou’s defining attribute is its broth made with uncured ham for a salty, savory taste.

Reservations may be made via reservation web site TableCheck right here, with reservations for the next week opening at 9 a.m. each Saturday (the restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays) and a most measurement of six individuals per celebration. Selectable seating occasions are 12:30, 1, 1:30, 2, and a pair of:30 p.m. As for why there aren’t any dinner reservations, like another top-tier ramen eating places, Ginza Hachigou stays open till they run out of elements for the day, and it’s such a daily prevalence that it’s greatest to think about it as a lunch-only place (the Ginza Hachigou web site doesn’t even record an official closing time).

Two different issues to recollect when making a reservation: First, you solely have your seat for half-hour, so don’t plan on lingering for too lengthy over your noodles. Second, there’s a 500-yen service charge charged per individual (not per celebration), which isn’t relevant to the worth of the meals you order. That successfully raised the worth for the least costly bowl of Ginza Hachigou ramen from 1,200 yen to 1,700, which is fairly steep for ramen, however, however, nonetheless quite inexpensive for a Michelin-starred meal.

Ginza Hachigou isn’t going reservations-only, although. The rationale you’ll be able to’t make a reservation for midday is as a result of from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. seating continues to be for walk-up/line-up prospects, with roughly 30 bowls of ramen completely for them every day. So in the event you balk on the concept of a reservation service charge, or in the event you’ve come to understand the time ready in line as a part of the whole ramen eating expertise, that choice continues to be open.

Restaurant info

Ginza Hachigou / 銀座 八五

Tackle: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-14-2

東京都中央区銀座3丁目14-2

第一はなぶさビル1階

Open from 11 a.m. till broth runs out

Web site

Supply: PR Occasions

Learn extra tales from SoraNews24.

— Toxic blowfish ramen restaurant in Tokyo is death-defyingly scrumptious【Style take a look at】

— Ichiran Ramen to open high-class and expensive “Ginza Ichiran” this month

— This Tokyo ramen restaurant is the primary to ever obtain a Michelin eating information star

• Exterior Hyperlink
• 
  https://soranews24.com/2023/11/04/no-need-to-wait-in-line-for-michelin-starred-ramen-tokyo-restaurant-starts-reservation-system/

© SoraNews24