PROFILED BY DEGROOTS MEDIAHana Haru is an oasis of calm on busy Crown Street in Surry Hills. Traditional Japanese artworks pepper the white walls; bonsais add some greenery and delicately folded napkins greet each guest. Take a seat at one of the immaculately presented tables, peruse the menu by candlelight and absorb the atmosphere, while the polite and efficient waitstaff glide through the restaurant, catering to guests’ every whim.
Featuring both Japanese and Korean cuisine, the extensive menu offers all the accessible favourites plus a few tasty surprises. Venture to Japan for the popular gyo-ja or deep-fried king prawns and vegetables with tempura sauce, or try the more exotic shiitake mushrooms, lightly stir-fried in sweetened chilli soy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Mains on the menu cover traditional dishes such as sushi, sashimi and teriyaki, plus more unusual barbecue options like unagi kabayaki – grilled barbecue eel with unagi sauce. For those veering to the Korean side of the menu, start off with hae mul jun, a trio of seafood and vegetable pancakes, or the baby octopus pan-fried in hot chilli sauce. Mains navigate a range of hot pot, barbecue, rice and noodle dishes; or to bring the fun of the kitchen to your table, choose the self-cooking barbecue option – beef, chicken, pork or prawn is marinated in bul go ki sauce and served with rice. Hana Haru is BYO, so grab a good drop from the bottle shop across the road and settle in for a relaxing night of flavoursome food and great service.
Lauren Barker, August 2008
