Enjoying Our Kusatsu, Shiga Gyoza with Peace of Mind: Our Commitment to Allergen Safety

Kusatsu, located in the heart of Shiga Prefecture, is a charming city brimming with history and nature. Here in Kusatsu, our restaurant, beloved by many for its Shiga Kusatsu gyoza, is driven by a strong desire to deliver not just deliciousness, but also peace of mind. For customers with food allergies in particular, dining out can be a source of great anxiety. We are sincerely committed to our allergen management policies to alleviate this anxiety and provide a time when all our customers can truly smile.

We strive to provide meticulous care so that you can brighten your precious moments with family, colleagues, and friends visiting Kusatsu with our signature Shiga Kusatsu gyoza and authentic Kusatsu Chinese cuisine. Many customers also come from neighboring areas like Ritto, Moriyama, and Otsu in search of delicious gyoza. We believe it is our mission to create an environment where everyone can enjoy food with confidence.

The Anxiety of Dining Out with Allergies: Listening to Our Customers' Voices

Does this dish contain any ingredients that could cause my allergy? Will I be able to communicate my needs clearly to the staff? What if I accidentally consume an allergen? These are the earnest concerns of customers with food allergies when dining out. The joy of a meal is often diminished when people have to give up on dining out or find their menu choices severely limited.

While the number of restaurants claiming to be allergen-friendly is increasing, we also hear questions like, Can I really trust them? It seems that in some cases, insufficient information or poor communication among staff can cause even more anxiety for customers. We take this anxiety seriously and are constantly seeking ways to provide our customers with genuine peace of mind. As a Kusatsu Chinese izakaya known for its Shiga Kusatsu gyoza, we believe that protecting the food safety of each and every customer is our most important responsibility.

The Food Safety Our Shiga Kusatsu Gyoza Promises: Our Concrete Allergen Management Measures

At our restaurant, we have implemented the following specific allergen management measures to ensure that our customers can enjoy our Shiga Kusatsu gyoza and various Chinese dishes with confidence. Through these efforts, we aim to offer the joy of dining equally to all our customers.

Transparency in Allergen Information Disclosure

• Detailed Allergen Labeling: Our menus provide as much detail as possible on the 7 specified raw materials (egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab) and the 21 items準ずる to specified raw materials.
• Sharing the Latest Information: As menu items and ingredients may change periodically, we manage our information thoroughly to always provide customers with the latest allergen details.
• Courteous Responses to Questions: If you have questions about allergens not listed on the menu or require more detailed information, our knowledgeable staff will be happy to explain.

An Individual Consultation System to Support Each Customer

To ensure all customers can dine with us safely, we provide careful individual consultations. From pre-visit inquiries to detailed discussions upon your arrival, we strive to resolve any concerns you may have.

• Consultation When Booking: If you inform us of your allergy in advance, we can prepare ahead of time by suggesting menu items for the day or making special considerations in the kitchen. Please feel free to consult us when booking by phone or online.
• In-Store Confirmation: After you are seated, we will confirm your allergy and specific allergens again, ensuring clear communication between you and our staff. This helps prevent misunderstandings and leads to a more reliable service.
• Proposing Alternative Menus: We strive to be flexible by suggesting dishes that do not contain the allergen, changing ingredients where possible, or considering cooking methods that eliminate the allergen. For instance, we will coordinate with our kitchen staff to determine if it's possible to remove specific ingredients from our popular Shiga Kusatsu gyoza.

Thorough Efforts to Prevent Cross-Contamination in the Kitchen

One of the most critical challenges in allergen management is preventing cross-contamination during the cooking process. We implement the following thorough measures so you can enjoy our Shiga Kusatsu gyoza with complete peace of mind.

1. Use of Dedicated Cooking Utensils: Whenever possible, we use different utensils and dishes when preparing foods with and without allergens to reduce the risk of contamination.
2. Clear Demarcation of Work Areas: Within the kitchen, we clearly separate areas for handling allergenic ingredients from other areas to prevent the spread or contact of allergens during cooking.
3. Thorough Cleaning and Disinfection: We are diligent about hand washing before and after cooking, as well as cleaning and disinfecting utensils and work surfaces, to remove even unseen allergens.
4. Unified Staff Awareness: All kitchen staff deeply understand the importance of allergen management and are trained to cook with the utmost care through regular training and information sharing.

Developing Allergen-Considerate Menus

Based on our belief that no one should have to give up on delicious food, we are actively developing allergen-considerate menus. We devise creative ways for all customers to share the joy of dining together.

• Offering Menus Free of Specific Allergens: We provide several dishes prepared without specific allergens to broaden your choices, allowing customers with allergies to select from the menu with greater confidence.
• Active Use of Alternative Ingredients: By using safe and flavorful alternative ingredients in place of allergens, we creatively offer delicious dishes without compromising on taste. We are exploring various possibilities, such as using rice flour instead of wheat for noodles or making dairy-free sauces.
• Regular Menu Review and Improvement: We constantly strive for improvement by regularly reviewing our menu based on customer feedback and the latest knowledge on allergies, ensuring we provide safer and more delicious food.

Staff Knowledge Improvement and Emergency Response

Allergen management relies not only on the kitchen but also heavily on the knowledge and responsiveness of our front-of-house staff who interact directly with customers. We provide peace of mind through the following initiatives.

• Conducting Allergy Training: All staff receive regular training on the basics of food allergies, how to check for specified raw materials, and appropriate customer service methods.
• Thorough Information Sharing: We have a system in place to ensure that allergy information received from customers is shared quickly and accurately with all relevant staff, including the kitchen team.
• Emergency Response Manual: In the unlikely event of an allergic reaction, we have an emergency response manual to ensure a prompt and appropriate response, and all staff are familiar with its contents.

Practical Steps to Enjoy a Worry-Free Time with Our Shiga Kusatsu Gyoza

Here are the specific steps for customers with allergies to enjoy a meal at our restaurant with confidence. Please use this as a guide, from pre-visit preparations to precautions during your meal.

Before Your Visit

1. Advance Booking and Information Sharing: Please provide detailed information about your allergy when booking by phone or online. This allows us to prepare in advance and ensure a smoother service.
2. Organize Your Allergy Information: We recommend clearly summarizing your allergens, symptoms, and acceptable substitutes. This makes it easier to explain to our staff and ensures more accurate information sharing.

When You Arrive

1. Reconfirm Your Allergies: When ordering after being seated, please inform the staff about your allergy again. It's also a good idea to ensure the information is conveyed accurately by showing them a written note in addition to telling them verbally.
2. Check the Menu: Feel free to ask any questions you have about the allergen information provided by our staff or recommended dishes, and place your order only after you are satisfied.

During Your Meal

1. If You Feel Unwell: If you feel unwell or notice anything unusual about your food during your meal, please notify a staff member immediately. We will respond promptly.
2. Ask If You're Unsure: If you have any concerns when placing additional orders or using condiments, please check with the staff each time.

Through these steps, we will do our utmost to ensure that you can savor our restaurant's dishes, including our Shiga Kusatsu gyoza, to your heart's content. Customers visiting from the Ritto, Moriyama, and Otsu areas should also feel free to consult with us.

The Joy of Food Our Shiga Kusatsu Gyoza Brings: A Smile for Everyone

Our restaurant not only pursues the deliciousness of Shiga Kusatsu gyoza but also cherishes the philosophy of making customers smile through food. While food allergies can sometimes take away the joy of dining, we believe this barrier can be overcome with appropriate measures and close communication with our customers.

The allergen management initiatives we have introduced today are our pledge to ensure that all customers can enjoy our Shiga Kusatsu gyoza and Kusatsu Chinese cuisine with confidence. We hope that those visiting from neighboring areas like Ritto, Moriyama, and Otsu will also have an unforgettable, delicious time at our Kusatsu Chinese izakaya.

To continue being a place where everyone, with or without allergies, can gather around the same table and enjoy a meal with a smile, we will continue to improve our allergen management and listen to the voice of each customer. Please come and enjoy our Shiga Kusatsu gyoza with peace of mind. We sincerely look forward to your visit.