Tradition meets Innovation at WakuWaku Ramen + Saké –
A phoenix is rising from the dust of the old Suishaya restaurant in Chinatown. Closing in March due to the pandemic, Suishaya was in many locals’ Chinatown rotation for Korean staples and sushi. Henry Wong, owner of Hong Kong Eatery, took the opportunity to reimagine what this space could be.
The new ramen and sake restaurant is in its “soft opening” phase, giving the manager, Dixon Leung, the opportunity to hire and train staff to run the sleek new concept. From the start, Dixon and Henry wanted to create something exciting and different, something they are expecting to build and expand upon. Their plan is for this to be the first of many, which they will franchise as they expand.
The bones of the eatery remain the same, but the old sushi bar is gone, giving the place a more spacious feel. Sleek black and red décor, accented by Japanese-style murals create a mix of old and new. While the décor looks quite chic and modern, the heart of the restaurant is based on traditional techniques like an authentic 16-hour broth. Leung says they’re using no MSG and are striving for authenticity with a few modern twists, keeping up with contemporary tastes while not straying too far from traditional origins and techniques. The pork belly is rolled, tied, and hand-sliced to order. Their noodles are a specialty product, custom made for the restaurant (but at the time of our interview, the last batch was gone). Ordering and shipping delays are a challenge, a pandemic holdover. This echoes what Yunnan Shi Miaodao owner, Vicky Chen, mentioned.
Sake is part of the Waku-Waku brand, and several are on offer. The sake list doesn’t appear on the website menu yet as it is still being fleshed out. We will likely see pairing recommendations in the near future. The house sake is quite good, served in a teapot, chilled perfectly.
Leung’s goal for opening month? “Line out the door!” So far, word of mouth is their main marketing vehicle. They plan on having the full menu available for takeout in July. Slowly, office workers and a handful of tourists are returning, but staffing is still a challenge. With an optimistic attitude, Leung notes, “From the pandemic, people are struggling to catch up – everyone (is). We just have to keep our head down; work, day by day to rebuild business in Chinatown.” He notes, “Our customers have been great!”
His next milestone? “When we need more tables!” As hard as opening under these conditions has been, Leung is fueled by curiosity and always striving to learn – one new ramen a month (how many can you name)? He exudes positivity.
It is hard not to feel optimistic for Leung and his crew. Waku-Waku, after all, means excitement in Japanese!
Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Church