Thursday, December 4, 2014

Gaijin Gourmet: My Favorite Robot (Sushi) - Hamazushi


There's a great restaurant near my house. It's a "Robot Sushi" restaurant. The food is delicious and it is super cheap. The signs below say, "Sushi train ¥100 a plate," (about $0.84 USD) but on weekdays, during lunch time, the plates are ¥90 each (about $0.75 USD).



The place is called, "Hamazushi" and this place rocks! It's the best sushi for the price in the entire world, I reckon. The restaurants are immaculately clean and the service is fantastic. Of course the service is fantastic; this place is basically run by robots!



This particular Hamazushi has about 80 tables. It is packed every weekend. So I came during the week this time, but still they are doing a brisk business.... Notice the waitress in the above photo? No? Why is that, I wonder?

Oh! I see. We don't need a waitress. This is our table, number 42. Right by the number 42 at the middle top, you can see our touchscreen menu. That's our waitress for today. She takes the orders and delivers most things to the table.

Let's see how it works!


Don't be shy! This touchscreen menu is bilingual and can do Japanese or English. And she never messes up my order!


After I enter my order, then Ms. Touchscreen Waitress takes the order and all of them are delivered to me on our trusty and reliable old friend, Mr. Conveyor!



But, wait a minute! If the orders come down the conveyor, what's to stop other people from taking my order? Ah? Ms. Touchscreen places my order on a special red tray and when my orders approaches my table (table 42) our beautiful and sexy voiced Ms. Touchscreen waitress says, "Now arriving at gate 42, your order of Maguro (or whatever) sushi!"
The bells ring and you know the order has arrived... Did I mention that kids just GO CRAZY over this restaurant? They love to press the touchscreen and make the orders. They love how our bilingual waitress informs us of our orders approaching... Kids have so much fun! Especially when ice cream or cake is ordered and arrives! 

Of course, Ms. Touchscreen Waitress plays funny bells and whistles for the kids when their desserts arrive! Genius!


Different plates of sushi. My wife loves Ankimo.... It's a seasonal dish kind of like Foie Gras. Of course Hamazushi evens has these delicious offerings.


Tuna! Who doesn't love tuna? Especially when the fish is freash and delicious and it only costs ¥100 (about $0.84 per dish!) Incredibly good!


My favorite is sashimi. Yep! They have that too! Same food quality and safety; same delicious freshness... Same low price!

Sushi heaven!


Ah? There is a human here (someone has to clean the tables and take special orders!) Great quick service too at Hamazushi. 

If you like sushi, and I do, you'll love Hamazushi... Especially if you are on a budget and/or have kids! 


You just cannot beat the quality, food safety, freshness and service of Hamazushi! If you go there, tell them "Mike sent me!" (Oh, but you'll have to press the "English" button on the touchscreen or she won't understand what you are saying!

Hamazushi! For price and quality (and fun for the kids) 5 stars! There are Hamazushi restaurants all over Tokyo. See their webpage (Sorry, Japanese only!) http://www.hamazushi.com/

Most Hamazushi restaurants are open from 11:00 until 11 pm. 

2 comments:

  1. This is the best article here in a long time. Hiragana readers, note the flat wasabi (horseradish) packet. When one hears robot,does anyone think of 'Lost in Space' TV fiction? The economics raises many questions in my mind.

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  2. Love this blog. Keeps you up with current events. Had me watching several videos and reading articles on this company. I even get to learn Mike's wife's dish is made out of monkfish organ. Makes me wonder how you pay? Other conveyor-sushi shops come around and tally up your plates. I notice the desserts, shiru soups,ramens and udons have naturally higher prices. Color coded bowls? Do you slip in bills in a machine to pay?

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Comments must be succinct & relevant to the story. Comments are checked frequently and abusive, rude or profane comments will be deleted. I’m just one of many bloggers who answer questions online and sometimes for the press. I usually handle questions about Japan, marketing or the economy, so in those areas I’m more likely to make sense and less likely to say something really stupid. If I post something here that you find helpful or interesting, that’s wonderful. This is my personal blog. If you don't like what you have read here then, just like when you go into a restaurant or bar that allows smoking, if you don't like it, there's something at the front that has hinges on it and it is called a "door."