Customers wait for their names to be called outside Hakata Gensuke on Victoria Park’s café strip.
By Mansour Araghi
ON Victoria Park’s bustling strip of about 150 restaurants, cafes and bars, it’s a stand-out sight.
Hundreds of customers are queuing daily – some for an hour – to secure a seat at new Japanese seafood and noodle house Hakata Gensuke. But it’s the price, as well as the menu, that is drawing locals in.
The “ramen professionals” are offering fresh Japanese seafood and noodle delights at half price for the first two months of trading. Among the most popular choices on the menu is Gensuke’s original Black Tonkotsu, made of black garlic and sesame oil, and served with homemade noodles and tender pork – a bargain at the reduced price of $14.90.
Restaurant supervisor Yoshihide Esaki says customers have been happily queuing to have their names called for a chance to tuck into authentic imported favourites.
“People stand in the queue because they know we are different. We consume Japanese ingredients which are being imported from Japan,” he said.
“We are trying to expand our space in order to fit more people in and reduce numbers of people in the queue.
“Every day we are expecting around 500 to 700 people, therefore it is good to book a table at least a day before arrival.”
The restaurant is the only one of its kind in WA, but there is a chain of five across the country.
Customer John Liu summed it up: “Many customers are being put off by the line outside but this place is excellent at getting you seated and served.”