Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2010

The only thing missing at bills is proper punctuation. This new outpost from Australian celebrity chef Bill Granger recreates all the dishes that secured his fame Down Under, served up in an easy-to-reach location on the Yokohama waterfront.

Granger’s first Japan restaurant opened in 2007 along the Shonan coast. It proved such a hit that the long, long lines have become the stuff of legend. A colleague who visited at 11am this past Golden Week was guaranteed a table—at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Chastened by such cautionary tales, we showed up at the new bills on a rainy Wednesday, well before the 9am opening time. We wound up third in line behind a pair of feisty obasan, and by the time the doors opened, there were enough people to fill half the restaurant.

Somewhat unusually for a big-name chef, Granger first gained notoriety for his breakfasts. And after trying his signature dish of ricotta hotcakes with sliced banana and honeycomb butter (¥1,400), we can see why. Sure, wheat batter cooked on a griddle and served with cheese has been a staple for centuries—French crepes, Russian blini, Czech palacinka, etc.—but Granger’s version deserves all the plaudits it has earned. Another renowned dish, scrambled organic eggs with toast (¥1,200), is a similarly well-executed version of an old standby. And the eggs are prepared the way we like them—just set, and virtually unseasoned. We accompanied these dishes with a drink called the Sunrise, which includes fresh orange, banana, yogurt and berries (¥700).

Bills also serves a full menu at lunch and dinner, but chef Granger’s classic breakfast dishes are available throughout the day. Which proves that good things do come to those who wait.