In the city where queuing seems to be a way of life, Tokyo has a vast array of restaurants where there is a queue nearly all day long, and of which Harajuku Gyoza Lou is one. Known for its gyoza (Japanese dumplings), and not much else due to their small menu, be prepared to wait. A while. I waited for close to an hour for a table. Outside. In the snow. Many would say that is madness and wouldn’t even think about it, but the sheer fact I had to wait that long implies that others in front and behind me were also waiting that long. The whole time I was thinking “I really hope this is worth it” and I was not disappointed.
The food menu is simple, original or original with garlic and leek dumplings available pan-fried or steamed. There are also a couple of soups as well.
Seating is arranged in a bar fashion, wrapping around the centred open kitchen giving a full view of the methodical mass cooking that is on dis. There are a handful of booths along one wall also.
I decided to try as much as I could in one sitting due to the mad wait that I just partook in and so I ordered six original pan-fried and six original with garlic and leek steamed, and a beer. Side note, beer seems quite normal to have with lunch in Japan.
Food came out rather quickly, roughly 5-10 mins. The gyoza were perfection. Thin enough skin without compromising the structure, slightly juicy filling and just the right amount of crisp on the pan-fried. The garlic and leek addition added only a little extra flavour so I’m not sure on the choice offered.
Service was on the somewhat rushed side and I’m sure in an establishment of this nature all the staff want to do is get people in and out. Having a customer base that is a certain proportion of English speaking foreigners also probably doesn’t help the sauce, at least there’s an English menu.
It’s hard to say whether I’d spend an hour in a queue waiting for dumplings again, but I certainly have no regrets and if you are willing to wait, or strike lucky and visit during a quiet time if it exists, Harajuku Gyoza Lou is hard to beat.
(at Harajuku Gyoza Lou)