The story
Konjiki Hototogisu began in 2006 with just eight seats in a quiet Shibuya alley. Founder Atsushi Yamamoto sold only five bowls a day at first. He slept on chairs in his shop, experimenting with ingredients from early morning until midnight. “I was constantly thinking about how to get customers to come in,” he says. After three years he reached 40 bowls daily, but it took five more to create a flavour that truly satisfied him. In the seventh year, a Japanese ramen magazine ranked him first. By 2015, the Tokyo location earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and from 2019 to 2023 it held a Michelin star.
Today, Konjiki Hototogisu brings that same dedication to Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates. It has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024, 2025, and 2026—proof that Chef Yamamoto’s relentless pursuit of taste travels well.
The menu centres on ramen, each bowl built from scratch. No ready-made noodles, sauces, or soup stocks are used. The signature Shio Ramen combines a salt and clam tare with Japanese dashi, white truffle oil, and a special date tomato sauce in chicken broth, topped with beef chashu. The Shoyu Ramen swaps in a soy and clam tare with black truffle and porcini oil. There is also a vegetarian ramen with a plant-based dashi, and a dipping sauce version with freshly made noodles. Beyond ramen, the izakaya section offers dishes like honey chicken karaage, beef tataki, and charred cauliflower with shisho butter.
Konjiki Hototogisu’s award history is unusual for a ramen shop. It has been named first in Japan by ramen critics five times, and its Michelin recognition spans both Tokyo and Dubai. Chef Yamamoto says his goal is “creating a unique taste that no one can imitate.” He uses local ingredients and omits chemical additives, aiming for a broth that is gentle on the body. The result is Japanese cuisine that feels both authentic and personal—a bowl born from years of stubborn refinement.
Recognition
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