New Zealand Japanese Restaurants Guide » Sake Bars

TANUKI’S CAVE

go — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:40:38 +0000

So, you thought caves were supposed to be dank and inhospitable places; filled with bats and creepy crawly things ? Strange, then,that one of Auckland’s most popular Japanese restaurants should be a “cave”. Walk down the dimly lit stairs and enter Tanuki’s Cave, and soak up the intimate atmosphere. The only“creatures of the night” you’ll find down there are other urbanites out for a good time.

An Auckland institution (est. 1997), “The Cave” as it is affectionately known by staff and regulars,has gained a reputation as being the place in the city to head to when you want a quick, delicious meal before a show or a movie. There is an extensive selection of skewered Yakitori & Kushi-age to accompany those essentials -chilled Japanese beer and/or sake.Suggestions ? Try something like the Negima chicken and leek, or the Sasami chicken tenderloin with cheese, as well as a true NZ favourite, also beloved of Japanese, kumara/imo,which you can have any of three different ways: on Kushi-age skewers, or baked and buttered with salt, or mashed, with crispy almond chips.Cave it may be, but Tanuki’s Cave doesn’t take reservations, so be sure to arrive early to avoid disappointment…otherwise you might have to hang from the ceiling.

Musashi Japanese Cuisine / St Heliers

go — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:10:37 +0000

At MUSASHI JAPANESE CUISINE, provide a variety of foods prepared using the grace given to us by the earth.
Menu consists of traditional meals as well as MUSASHI originals that you can only find here.
With such a great selection of moderately priced food and alcohol, navigating the menu could be tricky. Thankfully, Musashi has made the task as simple as possible by including both pictures and a brief description of each meal. The diversity of dishes is definitely this restaurant’s strong point.

Customer favourites jostle for your attention – tempura, sushi, nigiri-zushi, sashimi, takoyaki, and a highly recommended katsuni (pork cutlet cooked with eggs and sweet soy sauce). It’s best to share dishes and order widely. There are some novelties: definitely worth trying are the paper pot meals, which are cooked on what you’d normally use for a clay pot meal (which Musashi also does). There are also most popular Chicken Miso Katsu (deep fried chicken with original miso sauce), and an artistically arranged Dragon Roll (made with eel, rice, cucumber and avocado). At times, Musashi overflows with customers – especially on Friday or Saturday nights – so it’s not always the easiest place to have a quiet conversation. Having said this, popularity would indicate that the food is very, very good. Make sure you book.

Genta Dining Bar

go — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:15:37 +0000

You may do a double take when you pass the spacious front windows of this place on the corner of Customs and Commerce streets. Whilst maintaining its very reasonable prices, Genta has had a serious facelift, transforming itself from an inexpensive izakaya into a rather sleek cafe? & bar. The interior is a long shotgun space, white walls discreetly lit, and a tableau of large sake bottles lining the opposite wall – backlit for maximum effect. The menu still has an A to Z of many izakaya-style dishes – try the okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) or the kushiage skewers – however there are now more international “fusion”-style dishes included. Amongst others, there is Genta’s original Tom Yum-style ramen (Japanese noodles in a spicy Thai broth), the Fresh Spring Rolls (again, Southeast Asian influence) and the coconut chicken curry, and a nasi goreng. More and more workers and professionals in the city are finding that the large number of choices on the menu and Genta’s convenient location make this ideal for either a quick lunch or a more leisurely affair. For those in a real hurry, there are the sushi packs lining Genta’s front window display. Genta is also happy to cater for parties; you can preorder sushi and larger dishes, when you book.

Hokkaido Restaurant & Bar

go — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 07:16:15 +0000

“Hokkaido” is located in this new developed quarry residential area in Lunn Avenue.
Along side with all these new restaurant and Bar, creating a good eating place. Hokkaido is in the same location with a famous bar name”Flying Moa”.

Around at 5 pm, when it’s still light outside, young families and regular customers begin to fill the seats. The seat is sectioned like a private room for 4-6 people, so families with children can enjoy meals at ease in a relaxed atmosphere. From the back of the restaurant, you can view new Stonefield residential area.

The cozy mood interior was designed by young owners (husband and wife) who began to run their first restaurant — custom ordered and impeccably made.

This restaurant offers variety of Japanese menus to those who want to snack at a bar or eat full meals. Rumor has it that its fried rice with prawns is the best in town. It is fluffy and soft, a dish a veteran chef is proud of — highly recommended. Also, high-volume fried flounders taste great. Stir-fried vegetables and sizzling hot steaks are also very popular. Waiters are active and attend clients in a timely manner. At early hours there are a lot of families and old couples, but after 8 pm, you can enjoy a bar atmosphere. You should wait a little bit when the place is full.

OEDO Japanese Restaurant & Bar

go — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 02:36:38 +0000

The name “Oedo” (Great Edo) refers to what the capital of Tokyo was called from 1600-1800; in particular, it refers to Edo’s prosperity and population, which at the time was thought to be the greatest in the world. The main chef is Mr. Fujiya, a Japanese chef who even in Auckland is lauded for his long-standing culinary career, having exercised his talent in restaurants such as the famous “Kura.” He is a highly capable professional who has always had a keen eye for local tastes and trends in Japanese dining.

The calm, dark wooden interior of the establishment gives the impression of a Japanese mansion of old – as if one has just stepped into a different world. Even the tableware is said to be designed with the old city of Edo in mind.

Although traditional Japanese cuisine is enjoyable, there is wide selection of traditional and new style tapas, seasoned fusion such as salad, carpaccio and alcohol goes well too. Recommended the freshness assorted Sashimi and fish dishes.If become a regular recommendations from chef, you can also request a special dishes that is not on the menu. There are also Japanese style tatami room, counter bar and private room, since the atmosphere is good, there is a lot of couples using it.

Try Sake Tasting Set- $15. with 4 different kinds of Japanese Sake & edamame.

Sakebar 601

go — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:05:21 +0000

601 New North Road is a small, white-themed, simple (Japanese) restaurant. The place has an open kitchen counter and is just the right size for diners to appreciate the clean lines and elegance of the place. The service is also quiet, warm and pleasant, guaranteed to enhance the dining experience for whoever walks through the door.

The interior, reminiscent of a Japanese Shonan-style Café(to be added ” Popular urban beach resort), speaks of the owners love of surfing, as is evidenced by several interesting surfboards and framed photographs.

601 New North Road’s chef, Chef Hiro, who previously displayed his skills at an upscale hotel, is meticulous about using all-natural ingredients in his creations. This shows in several original recipes that are both healthy and delicious. In short, the dining experience at 601 New North Road may be described as being “kind and tender to the palate”.

The service and quality at 601 New North Road is also different from most generic fast food or franchise diners. Visitors may select from among the daily specials displayed on the chalkboard menu. Each of these is made from the freshest catches, purchased and selected by the chef on that same day from the seafood market. This way, patrons are sure to discover a new dish each time they visit.

Because of the quality of the food and service, 601 New North Road has been awarded a prize as one of the 50 Best Restaurants by local magazines and media. Visiting the place once may not be enough, as there are myriads of different tastes and experiences to enjoy in this simple place. You need to be quick, though, as the place is usually packed on weekends!

The food shown in the photographs are Hassun Happin – 8 original dishes created by the chef out of seasonal ingredients. For dinner set menus, you may select 2 kinds of entrees as your main dish and you may enjoy up to 8 kinds of original creations for your meal. You may make reservations to partake of Hassun Happin at 601 New North Road for a minimum of 2 persons. Please make reservations a day ahead.

Place Photo detail From left
- Hapuka Nigiri wrapped with wild Wasabi Leaf.
- Grilled Asparagus
- Pan Seared John Dory Liver with Fond Tomato on Lotus Roots.
- Prawn on Toasted Onion Bread
- Deep Fried Dumpling sheet on Hapuka Cheeks.
- Tempura Tofu, Eggplant & Halovmi Cheese
- Tuna Sashimi with Wasabi, Wakame & Daikon.
- Fresh Salmon Roll in The Julienne.

Sharaku Japanese restaurant

go — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:09:51 +0000

For customers seeking more traditionally presented Japanese food and etiquette this restaurant is perfect. Sharaku is tucked away off Queen Street. Customers are greeted by kimono-clad staff. As with their location, Sharaku are not obvious about their standards but the restaurant prides itself on the level of training required for staff.

The sushi chef, Taka-san, is a fully qualified itamae and if you know anything about Japanese food training and preparation, this is saying something; (to reach the giddy heights of itamae, in sushi chefdom, you must pass through a five year apprenticeship, after which you are allowed to prepare the rice for sushi. The novice is then permitted to stand alongside the head chef, is addressed as wakiita, and may prepare fillings for the sushi. After more years, the wakiita graduates – finally.

To have reached itamae level, he must handle the food and utensils well, know how to treat customers, and how to carry out all aspects of his job). Given this training, you know that you are in good hands with Taka-san at Sharaku. All the classic dishes are here, from sushi and sashimi through to tempura; all artfully prepared and all beautifully presented. The knowledgeable staff are always on hand to provide advice concerning the food and drinks.

Nishiki Japanese Restaurant / Botany

Ryan Chan — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:11:13 +0000

ROBATA-Yaki Bar

Robata-yaki means having dinner and drinks in a cozy, relaxed and social atmosphere, watching the kitchen. Because most of the dishes we specialize in are grilled and deep fried (food) etc and they are snack sized, you can order many different kinds of foods (from this menu), sharing foods makes much more economic sense.

There is one more important accompaniment for Robata-yaki. That’s liquor! We have a wide selection of Japanese sake you can enjoy hot or cold as well as wine and beer. As for wine, you can bring as many bottle as you would like ($2.5 corkage a person).

Before you order foods, we would like you to understand Robata-yaki style. Robata-yaki does not have a course style like European food, which means that there is no sequence like appetizers, soups, mains etc. For example, we might sometimes serve you chicken teriyaki or sushi faster than salad.

NORI Japanese restaurant

go — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:12:18 +0000

Spare in name; spare in nature. On the lower end of Parnell Road. This sleek individual’s stone frontage and bright, low-key neon attract the eye. A modern take on Japanese food. The menu keeps things simple for western eyes with food classed as Light Servings, Mains, and Side Dishes.
This is further broken down into sub-headings. Under Light Servings, check out the kushiage finger food − available as single skewers, or in a combination. Salads are tataki or Japanese. You choose, not only the food item but (with the Japanese salad) the style of dressing. Sashimi, you can order singly or as a plate. Sushi : rolled − either thin or medium − and nigiri. Both the latter are available as mains. Rather than use Japanese names, items are classed according to the foodstuff, eg : salmon, tuna, eel, prawn, white fish…
The mains feature Nori’s fusion style of cuisine, favouring sauces. The innovative stone grill main is excellent. Check out also their tuna steak, teriyaki, tempura or udon. Under Side Dishes, try the delicious pan-fried udons. The small-sized chicken dishes make perfect children’s meals.
There is a good wine list and, for the very hungry, the Dinner Course set.

Taiko Japanese Restaurant and Bar

go — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:00:49 +0000

And about time, too. Kingsland, a little gem of a suburb situated between Mt Eden and Grey Lynn, seemed to have every thing but a Japanese restaurant.

Now, with Taiko, it is complete. Taiko gets pretty packed, so call first, and make a booking. If you like to get closer to the fray, Taiko can seat you at their long counter top. Taiko has a certain amount of emphasis on seasonal food – try their miso yaki (foiled chicken/seafood with vegetables and miso)and gomaae (vegetables with sweet sesame sauce).

Their many small dishes/tsumami are definitely worth a look, especially their tako-yaki octopus balls, topped with shaved bonito. Their salad range is very appealing too,with the sweet, the savoury, seafood and meat– as well as vegetables ! – all getting a look-in: a Japanese-style house salad (with tofu and vege), a Shabu-Shabu salad (sliced beef and vege) & a spinach salad named “Popeye”. The odd one out is the Daigaku Imo “salad”. Not strictly a salad, this is almost a dessert item.Japanese people love their sweet potatoes, and this dish, “university sweet potato” is, I guess,considered brain food for students. Taiko, much like Kingsland itself, has something for every palate, and every pocket !