Halal Ramen & Dining Honolu Ebisu
Supervisor / Recommender
General Incorporated Association Japan Halal Business Association Secretariat Public Relations / Director
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I am currently working as an editor. However, I experienced working as a cook in restrunts, hospitals, and catering industry. Looking back now, I was connected to the Idea of Hala, since then.
At one point, few decades ago, I worked in a cafeteria at an auction site. More than 60% of the visitors to the venue were foreigners, including many Muslims (There were mosque in the venue as well). I remember many people asked me about the food we serve, the types of meat and whether they are Hala qualified.
At a certain time, the cafeteria becomes lively like a festival. Because the Indian restaurant next door to the venue served food for free. Indian dish, such as biryani, curry and sweet drinks were served to the visitors. Over 100 foreigners dressed in red turbans, garabayas and folk costumes gathered in the cafeteria, and everyone had a great time surrounding the same table. Now I learned about Muslim culture, it was a fast-starting Iftar.
Also, I remember that many participants were only eating curry from the Indian restrunt, eventhough there were choices of other food. As I study about Halal, I learned that they did not chose to eat curry, but they did not have a choise. I personally think that they wanted to try some of the Japanese food, if they had a chose. I still regret that moment, when I could not do anything because of the lack of information. “Inconvenience” of food is quite different based on their cultural background, and therefore, I understand now, that it is crucial to create an environment where all people can enjoy delicious meal, regardless of their backgrounds.
In Japan, Halal food is still a minority. Many people from Muslim background visit Japan, but they fell enconvininet about it. Japan Halal Business Association advocates in the halal business: HAVO (Halal, Organic, Vegetarian, Allergy).
The idea is to aim to create products and services that many people can eat and use, regardless of their religion and various backgrounds.
Seeking for delicious, safe and secure meal is commonly shared through the nations. The time demand us to find new ways of living that transcend borders and religions. We hope that Halal will help eliminate food inconvenience and contribute to the harmony of the world where you can respect, coexist, and co-prosper with a more liberal idea to eating and enjoying food.
Won the first place in the popularity ranking @Halal Navi! (for 2 consecutive years) Halal Ramen & Dining Honolu, also have a branch in Jakarta
The soup is slow-cooked chicken broth (the chicken version of tonkotsu broth) that is cooked chicken from Kagoshima Satsuma, for more than 6 hours (it is Halal qualified chicken). Fine noodles are often entangled with a soup rich in collagen.
In addition to the standard menu such as slow-cooked chicken broth noodles, you can enjoy different menus at each store.
The most popular menu at Ebisu store is “Spicy Fried-Chicken Ramen.”
It is a harmony when noodles and a spicy fried-chicken sauce are entangled. It is an inevitable addictive ramen. Careful! The red fried chicken covered with sauce is delicious but spicy! This is a spicy standard of Southeast Asia (like Thai food or Indonesian food).
At first, you can taste chicken and gradually add spiciness to the ramen to enjoy the taste twice. According to the owner, Indonesian and Malaysian tourists almost always order this ramen.
Gyoza served in the store is also Halal! Most Gyoza is made from pork meat, but this Gyoza is made from chicken.
A unique and spicy seasoning taste of Southeast Asia that attracts Muslims
The name “Dining Honolu” was derived from “Honolulu,” dreamed to open a store in Hawaii. Hawaii is a place where people from all over the world come together. Therefore, there is a desire to spread Japanese ramen to a variety of people.
For this reason, not only each menu item, but also the ingredients are not compromised and there are special ideas and challenges.
In particular, “Spicy to Fried-Chicken Ramen” topped with fried chicken is the most popular, blockbuster menu.
According to the owner, Indonesian and Malaysian tourists almost always order this ramen, because the spiciness is more adjusted to their level.
The opening triggered by the event at Kobe Mosque
Mr. Shimai, owner of “Halal Ramen & Dining Honolu” and the representative of Asset Frontier Co. Ltd., met a Muslim at the Kobe Mosque in 2015. There, he learned how Muslims are having difficult time eating in Japan.
Until then, the company was running several restaurants, including Italian and ramen shops. Mr. Shimai decided to open a halal-friendly ramen shop, with the desire to make a comfortable place for Muslims and to share Japanese Ramen to the world.
Honoru currently has Nishi-Shimbashi and Hamamatsucho stores, which serve pork bone ramen, and Ebisu, Osaka Namba, and Express Otsuka stores that have acquired Halal certification. There is also a branch in Jakarta. Ebisu store has prayer room for Muslims.
According to Mr. Shimai, “Ramen is a B-class gourmet, but the quality is called an art, with a full course in the bowl. The Japanese food culture and inseparable ramen are offered to people all over the world. However, there are not many halal-friendly ramen stores in Japan. So by all means, I would like people to enjoy ramen at Dining Honolu and have a lot of fun in Japan.”
In the future, the company will focus on halal business for group lunches, such as at schools and college cafeterias and employee cafeterias.
Mr. Shimai thinks Japan is still uncomfortable for Muslims to find a place to eat. His challenge still continues.
「 Halal Ramen & Dining Honolu Ebisu」Basic information
Store name | Halal Ramen & Dining Honolu Ebisu |
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Tel | 03-6721-5730 |
Address | 1-23-1 Ebisu Minami, Shibuya-ku Ame-Rikabashi Building 1F |
Business hours | 11:30~14:30 17:00~22:00(L.O.21:30) |
Holiday | Monday |
Budget | ¥1,000~¥2,000 |
Payment method | |
Parking Lot | N/A |
Language | |
Advance reservation | |
Cooking description | Halal Ramen w/Thick-type chicken base soup @Ebisu |
Note | 12 seats, Prayer space available |
Store HP |