People Are Going Crazy for Whole Roasted Lamb and Limited-Edition Mapo Tofu! Why the “Authentic Chinese Feast”—Which Sells Out in a Single Day—Is Captivating the Japanese

If you’re interested in Chinese cuisine, you may have heard of restaurants like “Weifang Group,” known for its delicious lamb dishes, or “Chen’s Private Kitchen,” famous for its Sichuan cuisine.While these restaurants are bustling with customers during both lunch and dinner, they also host banquets organized by the restaurants themselves or their fans—and some events, even those for groups of 80, fill up instantly due to their popularity. What is it that draws Chinese food fans in?

Sells Out Instantly! The Frenzy of “Weifang’s” Grand Banquet  

On May 18, I attended a whole roasted lamb event held at “Xiangfu Weifang, ” the Akihabara branch of the Weifang Group.The private banquet, held with the entire restaurant reserved for the event, brought together around 80 participants. A total of 15 dishes were served, including the star of the show—whole roasted lamb—and lotus-leaf-steamed chicken. Of course, all-you-can-drink was included, and the event ended on a high note, with Mr. Hayashi, president of the Aji-Bō Group, making the rounds to each table to serve baijiu starting midway through the event.

Since the COVID-19 crisis, the banquets hosted by the Mibou Group have been held once a month, and this event marked the 24th installment. The Mibou Group operates more than 10 restaurants in Tokyo, and these events are held at various locations, primarily those with large capacities.

Announcements for the banquets are posted on the Weifang Group’s X (formerly Twitter), and participants can attend by prepaying for tickets via Peatix. Particularly since ’26, perhaps due to the event gradually gaining recognition, the 80-seat capacity has consistently sold out in less than a day after the announcement on social media.There have even been instances where all 80 seats were filled in as little as 16 hours. If you hesitate even slightly about attending, the event will sell out in an instant, and you’ll miss your chance to participate.

The reason these restaurant-hosted banquets have become so popular is likely the joy of experiencing a Chinese-style banquet even in a small group. While Chinese cuisine is often associated with large, lively gatherings, Wei Fang Group’s banquets—though participants share tables—are open to solo diners as well.

Dishes featuring lamb, cilantro, and spices can be an acquired taste, making it difficult to gather large groups, but the group has accurately identified the needs of people who want to participate even if they’re alone. In particular, dishes like whole roasted lamb require a minimum of 15 people to be served, so being able to join such a banquet as a solo participant is a rather rare opportunity.

A female participant in her 20s, who has attended Ai-Bō Group banquets more than three times, says, “The best part is that even if I’m alone, I can enjoy a variety of unique Chinese dishes.”

There’s even a limited-edition Mapo dish! The lively banquet at “Chen’s Private Cuisine”  

While the Weifang Group organizes its own banquets, “Chen’s Private Kitchen” —a Sichuan restaurant chain with eight locations in Tokyo—hosts banquets organized primarily by its fans. These have been held about once a month since around 2017, even before the Weifang Group began, and attract between 40 and 80 participants each time.

The organizer is Mr. Hashizume, a mabo tofu enthusiast so obsessed with Chenjia Sicai’s version that he runs a social media account called “#IOnlyBelieveInMaboTofu.” “I started hosting these fan gatherings because I wanted to share delicious food with everyone,” he explains.

Like the Aibou Group events, the Chenjia Sica gatherings are organized in collaboration with the restaurant, using the restaurant’s LINE and social media accounts to attract participants. Owner-chef Chen and President Dang often make special appearances to explain the dishes, and the mapo tofu—available exclusively at these fan gatherings—is a particularly popular item.

At a gathering I attended in the past, the menu featured not only the signature stone-pot Mapo Tofu but also three varieties—including Mapo Tofu with potatoes and white Mapo Tofu—and I was amazed by their deliciousness and the depth of flavor in Mapo Tofu.

While Chen’s Private Kitchen is popular for its reasonably priced lunch menu, it’s also gaining popularity for its special banquet menus and the fact that even small groups can participate. Furthermore, a stamp card is available for these fan gatherings; depending on the number of times you attend, you can receive rewards such as homemade chili oil or an original Chen’s Private Kitchen T-shirt—a system designed to make you want to come back again and again.

In addition to fan gatherings, Chen’s Private Kitchen also hosts cooking classes where guests can make dumplings alongside owner Mr. Chen and President Mr. Dang. These events, where guests can cook and enjoy Chinese cuisine together with the staff, have proven very popular and have attracted many repeat customers.

Incidentally, in ’25, Chen’s Private Kitchen and Weifang Group teamed up to host a joint banquet. Since guests could enjoy Weifang Group’s lamb dishes alongside Chen’s Private Kitchen’s “drooling chicken” and mapo tofu, it was an incredibly popular event that sold out immediately. A similar event is expected to be held in ’26 as well.

An Expert Explains! The Banquet in *The Southern Express*  

Mr. Mu, who runs “Mu’s Steamed Hot Pot House” (Ikebukuro), where you can enjoy steamed seafood hot pot in Tokyo, and “Shokusai Yunnan” (Yotsuya, Yushima, and other locations), which serves Yunnan cuisine, operates a restaurant called “Southern Express” in front of Shinjuku Gyoen that focuses on cuisine from southern China.The restaurant’s concept is to let diners experience the cuisines of various regions along a train journey from Shanghai to Yunnan Province. However, starting in April 2026, the restaurant launched a new initiative: selling Shaoxing wine by the measure.

While Shaoxing wine is usually available at Chinese restaurants, few people specify a particular brand when ordering. Therefore, based on the concept of allowing customers to compare and contrast various types of Shaoxing wine, the restaurant now offers six varieties of Shaoxing wine served directly from earthenware jars and eight varieties of bottled Shaoxing wine.

With the launch of this Shaoxing wine by-the-glass initiative at Nanfang Express, the restaurant has been hosting banquets about once a month since April. These events range in size from small gatherings of 20 people or fewer to large banquets with over 70 guests.

The by-the-measure Shaoxing wine selection is overseen by Mr. Kadokura, an expert on Chinese spirits, and attendees at these banquets can sample and compare different Shaoxing wines while listening to his commentary.He not only explains Shaoxing wine but also shares interesting facts about other Chinese spirits, such as baijiu, as well as the distinctive flavors of the Shaoxing wines served at the restaurant—satisfying not just your appetite but your intellectual curiosity as well. Recruitment for these events is posted irregularly on Nanpō Kyūkō’s social media.

Why Authentic Chinese Cuisine Attracts a Loyal Following  

In the past, when attending “Authentic Chinese Cuisine” events, the attendees were typically in their 40s or older, but recently, the Aji-Bō Group has begun regularly hosting gatherings exclusively for people 35 and under.

When I attended one such event, I found that many of the participants at my table had come to Aijiao not so much out of an interest in China itself, but rather because they were drawn to exotic cuisine and spicy dishes.When it comes to “Authentic Chinese Cuisine,” the image used to be that the main customer base consisted of people who had lived in China—whether as expatriates or students. However, I’m delighted to see that the appeal has now expanded to include young foodies who simply want to enjoy the delicious meals served at these banquets.

By hosting these authentic Chinese banquets, the restaurant’s reputation is spreading not only among true Chinese cuisine enthusiasts but also among Japanese foodies and drink lovers. This, in turn, seems to be leading to the creation of a loyal fan base that keeps coming back time and again.

Another major reason for the growing fan base is that at banquets hosted by Wei Fang Group, Chen’s Private Cuisine, and Nanfang Express, the owners or presidents themselves participate every time to deepen their connections with the guests.Recently, competition has intensified as the number of authentic Chinese restaurants has increased in areas like Ikebukuro and Ueno, and many Chinese owners are struggling with how to attract Japanese customers. However, hosting these authentic Chinese banquets is undoubtedly one effective solution for growing their Japanese fan base.

These authentic Chinese banquets are full of delightful discoveries—from enjoying banquet-exclusive menus in an authentic Chinese atmosphere to the formation of communities among participants who share a love for Chinese cuisine and spices. Be sure to check out each restaurant’s social media and give one a try.