food

bills 'best breakfast in the world' restaurant opens in Omotesando/Harajuku

20 Comments
By Kiyoshi Ikeda

Okay, we admit it, we are seriously thrilled about the restaurant bills opening in central Tokyo. The Australian restaurant based in Sydney is known to serve the “best breakfast in the world”, and apparently their food is so good that celebrities from around the world who visit Sydney have a meal there. So, naturally we had to have one of our reporters check the new restaurant – and our verdict? Their amazing soft scrambled eggs are to die for!

The restaurant is located on the 7th floor of the brand new shopping complex Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku that opened on April 18. This is actually the fourth bills restaurant to open in Japan, but the first one located in central Tokyo.

Our reporter had previously been to the bills restaurant in the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building (known as the Aka Renga Soko in Japanese) and also the one in the shopping and entertainment facility Decks Tokyo Beach in the Odaiba area and had found the food delightful and unforgettable, but both locations had been somewhat far from central Tokyo. As such, our reporter is extremely happy that bills has opened a shop in a more convenient location in the Omotesasndo/Harajuku area, and with many people probably feeling the same way, the restaurant is sure to attract a lot of attention and customers in the coming months.

Bills is actually famous for their ricotta pancakes – a dish hailed by many as worthy of being called the best breakfast in the world. But there is another dish at bills which seems to be just as or even more popular – their heavenly scrambled eggs (priced at 1,200 yen with bread). Well, they’re called scrambled eggs, but at bills, they only stir the eggs lightly 2 to 3 times while cooking, so the finished eggs are not really “scrambled” but very soft and smooth like an omelette.

Naturally, our reporter wanted to have both the scrambled eggs and the ricotta pancakes, and yes, we did order both incredible dishes, but our report in this post will focus on the scrambled eggs. The standard plate of scrambled eggs at bills comes with bread, but it’s quite a big serving (especially if you want to have the ricotta pancakes as well), so we were very glad when we found out that we could order scrambled eggs without the bread for 200 yen less, and that’s exactly what we did.

Okay, and now for our comments on how the eggs tasted. Actually, even before we tasted the eggs, we were impressed by how they looked. The scrambled eggs were shiny and glowing a soft and gorgeous pale yellow, the fine texture visibly apparent. Just the appearance of the eggs was enough to convince us that the dish showcased the flavor and essence of the eggs to perfection.

We took a bite of the eggs, and they felt incredibly creamy and smooth while still retaining a fresh firmness. In fact, the texture was so unbelievably refined that it nearly brought tears to our eyes.

And the taste? The fresh eggs, rich butter and cream all combined to create an exquisite flavor in the mouth. It was pure bliss! The restaurant staff told us that they keep the basic flavoring quite light and that we should add salt as desired, but there was no need for additional seasoning at all. The taste as the chef cooked it, simple and mild, and the sublime texture of the eggs were enough to send our senses into overdrive – it was practically addictive!

As wonderful as the food was, however, we did have one concern about this new restaurant. Naturally, there are many fans of the restaurant, which means a huge number of people wanting to dine there. Our reporter went to to the restaurant on a weekday afternoon a little before 2 p.m. and we were told that seating would not become available until 3:45 p.m. This meant that we had to wait close to 2 hours at the Starbucks on the floor below before we were called to our seats. We knew the restaurant would be popular, but this was way beyond what we expected.

By the way, bills doesn’t take reservations for lunch, so you have to actually go there to get your name on the waiting list. If the long wait doesn’t daunt you and you really want to have a meal there, we suggest that upon arriving at Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku, you first leave your name at the restaurant, then enjoy a bit of shopping; that way, your seat will be ready around the time you get tired from looking through all the shops. You may want to remeber this if you have plans to go to bills anytime soon. In any case, we hope you have the chance to try the amazing food that completely blew our reporter away.

bills Omotesando Address: 4-30-3 Jinugu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 7F Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku Business Hours: 8:30 ~ 23:00 Access: 4-minute walk from JR Yamanote Line Harajuku Station or 1-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line/Fukutoshin Line Meiji Jingu Mae Station.

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20 Comments
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I wish we had this where I live! Breakfasts suck in Japan. Eggs and toast. Waffles are sugar laden crap. No eggs bene, no fruit salads, few places do eggs any other way besides fried, home fries.... I nearly cried when I went to Denny's here! If you want a decent western breakfast, you have to head to one of the expensive hotels which well, isn't always possible.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

why not just cook at home? waiting 2 hours to pay someone to scramble your eggs is just daft.

3 ( +6 / -4 )

Great. More mindless human traffic for mediocre breakfast just because some fools don't know how to make pancakes, eggs, n bacon themselves. Seriously contemplating opening up a pancake house here in Japan. I'll make a killing!

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

"their amazing soft scrambled eggs"

I'll bet they're not any more amazing than mine, and mine only cost about 70 yen including 3 eggs.

I know an American-style restaurant that serves amazing Eggs Benedict, but I'm afraid to tell others about it because if I do, they'd be swamped even more than they are now, and I don't want to have to wait even longer for a table!

Why don't I make my own? Eggs Benedict is tricky! I haven't quite mastered that one - yet!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

If that's made of eggs and that looks like an omelet, that should be called an omelet. Anyway, if you want me to pay 1200 yen for 2 eggs, tell me they are caviar, or that they come with truffles.

Breakfasts suck in Japan.

They don't make your brand of kellogs at the costco maybe ?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

How many times did the writer shout oishi while dining?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's just breakfast, people. Hardly the stuff of gourmets and outlandish ingredients. Scrambling decent eggs isn't difficult, just requires a deft touch. Finding decent bacon that crisps up nicely can be a bit of a challenge, but once you have it, game on. Making pancakes is literally child's play.

Use fresh real ingredients and you can make a good meal that is far superior to anything in a restaurant. Anyone who pays 1200 yen (!) for scrambled eggs and bread, after waiting 2 hours for the privilege, deserves to be ripped off.

It's just breakfast. Eggs and toast, with bacon/sausage on the side. This bloody restaurant charges 700 yen for breakfast tea! I can only imagine the orgasmic squeals if some TV show talento ever ventures in with a camera at her back.

It's just breakfast.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

why not just cook at home? waiting 2 hours to pay someone to scramble your eggs is just daft.

Same reason why people go out for lunch, dinner, drinks, coffee... Sometimes it is nice to not have to shop for it, cook it, and clean up. I'm not talking a plate of eggs and toast. I'm talking abotu fruit salad (would cost an arm and a leg to make with buying everything), eggs bene (which is a pain in the butt to make), fresh squeezed orange juice, nice brown bread...

No Costco where I live and I don't eat corn flakes....

Though two hours? No thanks.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I agree with tmarie on her last comment. If it's something complex like eggs benedict or expensive and uneconomical to make for just one or two people, like a quality fruit salad with all the bells n whistles, then eating out for breakfast makes sense. But Bills has pretty simple stuff you can easily and cheaply make at home. Hardly worth the wait at all. I didn't even bother with the line up at Eggs n Things. Can somebody kindly enlighten me as to what their offerings are that create such a fuss? Other than your basic pancakes, bacon, sausages and eggs?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Having ate at Bills at the odaiba store last year I just don't understand its popularity. Its not good food people....

For weekends I feel too lazy to cook and willing to overpay for my breakfast I rather make reservations at either Beacon or Lauderdale. The former is probably more expensive than Bills however but worth it.

Ted: Eggs N Things is pretty good value (at least by TKO standards). Portions are big and prices reasonable.. love the macademia nut pancakes. I luckily went once when the lineup was only 30 mins.. haven't been back ever since given the lineup usually wraps around the corner on the weekends.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Japan does not do breakfast well at all, very dissappointed in the choices for cooked breakfast here when you want to eat out.

It is the most important meal of the day and should be treated as such, bacon here is usually only shown to the frying pan and not cooked properly, cripsy bacon is not common and needs to be hunted down but can be found if you know where to look.

Only ever found one place that does eggs benny and dennys, jonathans etc are a complete joke for breaky. Even most hotels have no clue and treat breakfast as a snack rather than a proper meal. Cook at home for breakfast is about the only option.

Would love to open a restaurant that does hearty all day breakfasts, there is surely a large gapping gap in the market.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Bills is overrated for sure. Wasnt impressed with the scrambled eggs or ricotta pancakes. Waited 2 hours at their spot in Shonan. Beacon is better than Lauderdale. Lauderdale is another overrated place.

Best brunch place i ever went to in Tokyo was Cabana in Ebisu, although that place closed down. Their eggs benedict still are unmatched here in Tokyo.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

way overated. watch guy on the foodnetwork he'll show u where to get real breakfast. and its definately not in japan or down under

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This whole conversation reminds me of the glories of a place in Berkeley that was justly famous for its breakfasts. Sorry that I can't remember its humble name...Freddies...something like that. They really had a great breakfast scene. Huge grills for potatoe mashes, eggs. Oh, it was heavenly. If this new place has some of that ambience and good, satisfying food, I wish them the best!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Smokey's" was the name of that great Berkeley, California breakfast shack. Wonder if it is still around. It was classic.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Eating out for breakfast is about eating the kind of food you'd love to make yourself, but couldn't be bothered to on a Sunday morning. And getting to choose. And getting to be in an open and cozy environment with friendly people.

bill's is "professionally handled", but it didn't satisfy me. What's the fun in going out for breakfast and overpaying for elegant but unexciting food in an environment that makes you feel that you're an unworthy guest in a VIP room?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I love eggs, potatoes, and all the fixings for breakfast, and I look forward to the event. I can cook a fine breakfast., but not as well as the rest of you, I am sure. But for sure the best event for me, is going out for breakfast, not lunch or dinner, in the mountains of Colorado.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

and with many people probably feeling the same way,

no, cause like most of this country, I don't live anywhere near central Tokyo

0 ( +0 / -0 )

600 Yen for two slices of bread (ok, it was good. But it's BREAD! Nothing special!), butter and honey (of unknown origin). OMFG. Just have that at home? My friends bought eggs, pancakes and so on... but the prices were overpriced! No a side-drink included (500 Yen for an espresso?!?! I found it ridiculous)! Are we kidding?! Yeah, it's a fashionable place, but too crowded and noisy. Not the best one if you want to eat your brunch or breakfast in a sunny autumn morning.

Oh, I was forgetting. 2 hours waiting. OMFG.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It does not take long to figure out pretty much all foreign food in Japan sucks if you want it to be authentic. If you just think of it as your eating Japanese food it is ok, but really if you want good authentic foreign food in Japan you must cook it and if you can't cook well your screwed. I agree with other comment that only good place for western breakfast is at a hotel. BTW 1200 yen for a little plate of eggs and bread is not anything to get all hot and bothered about. Kind of an insult to eggs and western breakfast.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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