Local · Trusted · Free
The Morning Impact — your neighborhood's most important stories, delivered every morning.
Jerry Thompson found his true calling thousands of miles from Texas—in a bowl of ramen in Japan.
Thompson brought his newfound passion back to Georgetown, opening Haji Moto Ramen & Sake Bar, a restaurant dedicated to authentic, handcrafted ramen.
How it happened
Thompson has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry. A trip to Japan sparked his love for ramen, and, as a chef, he wanted to learn to perfect the dish.
Thompson spent about six months in Japan, training under a ramen master.
“I almost stayed there. I didn’t want to leave Japan,” Thompson said. “I really love the food and the culture, and I wanted to bring a little piece of that here.”
Thompson said he wanted to open a ramen spot for about six years, but the timing was everything. When the spot on the corner of Seventh and Church streets opened up, he jumped at the opportunity.
How it’s going
The name Haji Moto is inspired by the owners’ multicultural roots and personality.
Haji comes from an Arabic family nickname meaning “old soul,” and in Japanese can also mean “shame,” according to the restaurant's website. Moto means “source” in Japanese. The team at Haji Moto embraces the restaurant as “the source of shame, in the best way,” an ode to guilty pleasures and the kind of ramen people crave, the website states.
Haji Moto had a soft opening in March, and its grand opening was on April 4, National Ramen Day.
“Ever since then ..., I just haven’t been able to keep up,” Thompson said. “Which is a good problem.”
What’s special about it?
Haji Moto is the first restaurant in Georgetown dedicated to ramen, Thompson said.
“Georgetown is growing, and you had to go to Austin to go get ramen,” Thompson said. “There are people from Austin now coming here for our food. We’re getting some great restaurants here, and we’re happy to be one of them.”
Thompson said many ramen spots in Austin do not do what Haji Moto does: make noodles and broth fresh in house.
“It’s truly a craft here, and I think that’s what sets us apart and makes us special,” Thompson said.
Haji Moto’s ramen, made in the style found in Yokohama, Japan, uses a lighter pork broth. The restaurant also specializes in tonkotsu—which is known for its rich, creamy, opaque broth made from pork bones—and offers chicken ramen.
The drink menu
Operations Director Adam Simms said the cocktails at Haji Moto are the best on the square. The bar program is led by Dean Reavis, and cocktails highlight Japanese spirits, seasonal ingredients and housemade infusions.
“The marriage between our bar and the kitchen is really cool,” Thompson said. “We have a cocktail list that’s comparable to our menu. It’s not a step down at all. If anything, it’s a highlight.”
