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.

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.

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.

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.

A new kaiten sushi bar (sushi bars with moving conveyor belts on which different kinds of sushi are displayed) called Daruma Sushi has opened in Botany, Auckland. It offers to customers seafood selected only from the freshest catches, purchased every morning from the neighbouring fish market.

In addition to the standard counter seats typical of kaiten sushi bars, Daruma Sushi also features family seats that can accommodate 4-5 persons in a group seating arrangement. Up to 30 people may avail of the use of the family seats.

Daruma Sushi is the first store in Auckland opened by the Japanese food group Kazu Group, which is based in Wellington, New Zealand. It couples an interior featuring a modern, open design with the delectable experience of dining at a genuine Japanese kaiten sushi bar as it is enjoyed in Japan. So whether you are dining alone, or with friends or family, come and enjoy this unique dining experience!

Sushi connoisseurs will be pleasantly surprised to discover treasured seafood and ingredients not commonly found in New Zealand.

With a wide smorgasbord of seafood and toppings on offer, as well as a $5 set meal for kids, there is no doubt there will be something for everyone to enjoy!

The restaurant provides ample parking space for diners, but be prepared for some congestion during weekends.

Dining at a kaiten sushi bar, you simple select the kind of sushi from the revolving display. Prices range from $2.80 to $5.00 depending on the color of the plate on which the sushi is displayed. It is also possible to request specific ingredients or toppings so there will always be something to satisfy even the pickiest diners!

A typical meal for one will be priced around $20 to $40.

Daruma was a Buddhist monk who is credited with being the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. In Japan, Daruma dolls are round dolls depicting the image of a bearded man (Daruma). They have symbolic meaning to many people. Daruma dolls are generally displayed as talismans of good luck, good fortune in business, or to ward off danger, and are often given out as celebratory or congratulatory gifts. Because they stand back up even after being rolled over, the dolls have become a symbol for success and overcoming adversity. The eyes are normally also blank when sold. The recipient of the doll fills in one eye (with black ink) upon setting a goal, and fills in the other eye upon achieving it. In this way, the Daruma doll acts as a motivation to do whatever it takes to meet the goal.

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.

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.

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 !

The menu often mentions from whence a fish came (grilled salmon from Marlborough). It is also regularly updated and edited, according to seasonal availability. Two final recommendations : the fresh whole flounder in the ponzu sauce, and the grilled salmon head.