If you got a thing for Japanese cuisine, then you’d probably become a huge fan of Hana Zushi. Portion and prices measure up to each other and not to mention the quality will not fail your expectations. Situated in the outside area of Sunny Park Shopping Town is Hana Zushi Japanese Restaurant. An establishment that offers up high-end Japanese foods housing a large selection of well-known sushi rolls, fresh sashimis and nigiris. If you’re keen on trying something you don’t see on many Japanese menus, you may be interested in their soups, hot pots or appetisers. I don’t have a huge obsession for Japanese cuisine, but when I say this place does it ‘GREAT’ I mean it and you’ll see why.
I was invited here with another fellow foodie as guests for lunch. We were greeted by the friendly Manageress Penny and provided menus. There was so much to choose from, we eventually thought it’d be more of a ‘surprise’ if Penny made the decision for us instead.
Around 10 minutes later the first dish makes its way to the table. And my god, the presentation was astonishing. Filling up the bowl was shaved ice, presented with sliced Tuna, Snapper and King Fish on top. A cocktail glass placed in the middle consisting of thick cut Salmon. Wasabi was included and so was 2 slices of lemon to give your taste buds some extra tang. I can easily say, this Sashimi Platter was perfect!
The Charcoal Chicken Skin Skewer was up next. Probably one of my favourites out of the lot. The preparation of this dish is lengthy and thanks to the skilled chefs, we eventually found ourselves enjoying a chicken skin that was full of bomb flavours, slight crispiness and BBQ sauce with a fragrant sesame scent.
Nana Oyster Nigiri, being the third dish was presented on a grey stone board. Let me first say, oysters have a very special place in my heart. The oyster on top tasted fresh and the rice below held in a nice subtle vinegar flavour. To make sure they didn’t fall apart, it was wrapped together by a piece of seaweed. No doubt, this was an enjoyable dish!
Served on a rectangular dish was the Charcoal Grilled Mackerel Pike. The Mackerel had an attractive golden glow. Well-cooked it was, and with the help of the lemon juice, it removed majority of the fishy scent.
Whilst picking into the Mackerel, a staff came by presenting us with a 6 piece serving Gyoza. The Gyoza withheld a beautiful light crunch after being on the pan. Taking a bite into the Gyoza and it reveals the filling which consists of minced pork and scallion. Juicy and flavoursome.
Next we have the Wagyu Beer Aburi Nigiri. Again, served on a stone board and served in two the Wagyu was thinly sliced with sprinkled scallions and chopped up dry seaweed on top. The Wagyu gave out a pleasant smoky scent and as per taste wise, the meat was soft and was complemented well with the made-in-house BBQ sauce.
Steam egg is a favourite of mine, and it brings back a lot of childhood memories. Manageress Penny served us with a dish called Cha-wa-n-mu-shi. This dish consists of a cup filled with steam egg and a scallop on top. To complete this combo, a tea pot containing soup, fish cake and mushrooms was also presented. Together, they both had beautiful light balanced flavours with hints of seafood tastes.
Scampi is another sashimi-like dish, though the presentation was similar to our first dish, this time we are instead presented with 3 fresh scampi’s. Soft and slightly crunchy in texture, as I took the first bite a mix of sweet and citrus flavours were presented. I can call this a palate refresher! Yum!
I’ve only ever had Lotus Root in soups, so when the Fried Lotus Root came out, my eyes widened. Sliced into thin pieces, cooked with a light batter and garnished with nori flakes, the lotus chips were nice and crispy. No oiliness left on the palate -thumbs up-!!
Up next we got, Flamed Grilled Wagyu Beef Cubes. Decorated with a piece of fried garlic and a pinch of scallions, the first bite was perfect. The Wagyu held in nice beefy flavours and again was complimented so well with the truffle BBQ sauce. Delicious!
Couple minutes later the Grilled Eggplant makes its way to our table and ‘ohhh it smelt good!!’ One minimalistic looking dish filled with miso sauce and sprinkled on top with sesame. Taking my first spoon full and I tasted the soft texture as well as the sweetness from the miso. Very fragrant and tasty, this dish deserves ‘two -thumbs up-‘!!
Coming into the category of Sushi Rolls, we were introduced to the Fried Oyster Roll. Presented with 8 pieces and consisting of Deep Fried Oyster, Cucumber and finished off with Spicy Lobster, Roe and a pinch of Scallions. A delightful combo of balanced flavours. The second roll was the Surf & Turf Roll. Presented on a long white plate and drizzled over with sweet BBQ sauce, the roll contained Crumbed Prawns, Cucumber, Avocado and Mayo. Wrapped around was perfectly cooked rice, thinly sliced Wagyu Beef that was lightly flamed, Scallions and Sesame. The light refreshing flavours came from the prawn and cucumber and the smokiness from the Wagyu. (Admittedly, there was a party in my mouth)
One of the best sushi rolls I’ve had in Brisbane!!
Tempura in a Japanese Restaurant cannot possibly be missed. The Tempura Set had the offerings of Large Prawns and Vegetables. The batter was made just right (compared to many other Japanese Restaurants I’ve visited, the batter is normally quite thick). The dish was accompanied with sweet soy sauce to give it some extra flavour. Everything was perfectly cooked and was presented beautifully.
Approaching an end to our visit, we were lastly served with 3 different soups. The first was the Assorted Seafood Soup, served in a small teapot. This dish contained Mushrooms, Fish Cake, Scallops, Chicken Thigh, King Trumpet and Clams. Secondly, was the Fish Head Miso Soup served in clear broth with the inclusions of Soft Tofu and Scallions. Lastly, the Fish Belly Ginger Soup containing a mixture of seafood. All flavours in each pot balanced well and had its own uniqueness. I have to mention, the last soup (Fish Belly Ginger Soup) was definitely a winner for me out of the three. The salmon in the pot was tender in texture. With a bit of the ginger tang, the soup was absolutely divine.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit at Hana Zushi. The produce was consistently fresh and well presented (as shown in all dishes). A big thank you to Manageress Penny, for the invitation and providing my dining companion and I with a memorable experience.
Good Stuff: To maintain the high quality, fish and oysters are brought in fresh every morning. Lunch Bento’s are popular as well, with prices ranging between $19-$28. Specials are also available daily (don’t miss out!)
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