Restaurant reservations Part 2 (Advanced): Specifying any dietary restrictions or special requests.

💬 抜く (nuku) literally means "to pull out", but with food it's the everyday word for "leave out". You'll hear it at casual places too: ネギ抜きで "no green onions".

💬 出汁 is read (dashi), not as the separate characters suggest.

🇯🇵 Dashi is usually made from bonito fish flakes, so it's hidden in many dishes that look vegetarian. If you avoid fish, it's worth asking about the 出汁 specifically.

🇯🇵 Staff ask this to judge how serious the allergy is, for example whether shared utensils or broth are a problem. A clear answer helps the kitchen decide how much to change.

💬 Add でも after a noun to mean "even": 一口でも "even one bite".

💬 〜てしまう adds a sense that something happens unwanted or beyond your control. Compare 出る "appear" with 出てしまう "unfortunately appears".

🇯🇵 Saying this makes clear the allergy is serious, not a preference. Japanese kitchens may otherwise assume trace amounts, such as in broth, are fine.

🇯🇵 This is a warm, natural way to thank someone who has accommodated you. It sounds less stiff than a plain "thank you" and shows you appreciate the effort.

💬 〜ていただけると助かります literally means "if you could do this, it would help me". It's a soft but clear way to make any request, e.g. 確認していただけると助かります "I'd appreciate it if you could check".

🇯🇵 お吸い物 (osuimono) is the delicate clear soup in a traditional course, usually based on dashi. It's a common spot for hidden fish or shellfish.

💬 それでお願いします means "please go with that" and accepts whatever was just offered. It works for any suggestion, from a substitute dish to a time slot.

💬 生 here is read (nama), the same word as in 生ビール (nama bīru) "draft beer". 生もの is (namamono).

🇯🇵 お造り (otsukuri) is the word traditional restaurants use for the sashimi course on a menu, especially in western Japan. 刺身 (sashimi) means the same thing in everyday speech.

💬 〜物 (mono) after a cooking verb names a course: 焼き物 "grilled", 煮物 (nimono) "simmered", 揚げ物 (agemono) "fried". Spotting these helps you read a set menu.

💬 ございます is the extra-polite form of あります. You'll hear staff use it, but you don't need it yourself.

💬 以上です (ijō desu) means "that's all" and neatly closes any list or request. You'll also hear staff say it when they finish reading back an order.

🇯🇵 Thanking someone for accommodating you with an apology is natural in Japan. Saying this after special requests leaves a gracious impression.

🇯🇵 This is the polite way staff brush off your apology or thanks. It signals your request was no trouble, so there's no need to apologize again.

💬 お待ちしております literally means "we will be waiting" in humble form. Put any day or time in front: 七時にお待ちしております "we'll expect you at seven".

💬 Literally it means "I'm being rude", as in excusing yourself for leaving. The same phrase is used when you enter or leave a room.

🇯🇵 This is the standard polite way to end a phone call in Japan, rather than さようなら. Wait for the other person to hang up first if you can.