Hanamori Sushi

Having spent some time looking for a new Japanese restaurant, my choice was Hanamori Sushi. The restaurant is located in Burquitlam on North Road, near Sushi &, Insadong, Chom Chom Fusion and Pho 99. Hanamori is Korean owned and the restaurant is quite small, with only three tables available as well as four seats at the sushi bar. As for the interior, the restaurant is clean and the atmosphere is friendly as well as inviting.

MISO SOUP ($1.25).

The miso soup is served steaming hot and seems freshly made. There is a fair amount of tofu, green onion as well as seaweed, and the soup tastes rich, not watery and quite tasty. Hanamori serves one of the better tasting miso soups.

PRAWN TEMPURA ($7.50).

My first impression of the tempura is that the batter resembles fish n' chips. The batter is heavy and overly crunchy as well as thick, which is a bit unfortunate considering the restaurant uses large sized prawns rather than the smaller ones stretched. Also, the tempura is not too oily and there is a bed of mixed greens underneath. As for the tempura sauce, it tastes quite flavourful and not bland.

CHEF'S SELECTION, ASSORTED SASHIMI AND SEASONAL FISH ($18.95).

We sat at the sushi bar since none of the tables were available and I felt guilty for asking if ika or tai can be omitted, since the sushi chef was right in front of us. We did end up asking if ika could be omitted and secretly hoped that tai would not be served though. Starting with the atlantic salmon, the three slices taste buttery as well as fatty. Next, there are four slices of tai; the sashimi is sliced perfectly thin and the cut tastes buttery. However, a couple of the cuts are close to the gill which is not very appetizing... and I was glad the waitress removed the plate without asking why we did not finish them (sometimes I feel awkward having to make up an excuse like it was too much food). 

Continuing, there are three small slices of tako. Although the tako does not taste extremely chewy, it does have too much rubbery skin because the cut was closer to the tentacle. Next, the cut of the sockeye salmon is near the belly portion which tastes slightly more tender as well as flavourful (I prefer the taste of atlantic more than sockeye but with this cut, I like it). Following is the hotate which tastes buttery and smooth. Saving the best for last is the amaebi. Although the tobiko is nice to have, it overwhelms the taste along with the texture of the amaebi.

HAWAIIAN SALMON POKE, SEASONED IN YUZU HONEY SOYA DRESSING WITH CUCUMBER, AVOCADO, SEASONAL FRUIT WITH SPICY SAUCE ($10.95).

The salmon poke is the substitute for ika and the price listed is for a full order (beef poke is also available). The salmon poke has a hint of spiciness and a light housemade yuzu honey soya dressing with a dash of pepper. The restaurant makes this work and the sauce does not mask the flavour of the salmon (unlike Sushi by Yuji's).

ABURI TORCH TORO, MARINATED SWEET SAKE SOYA ($2.75).

The seared toro tastes buttery and fatty, but slightly more oily compared to a regular toro nigiri. I also like the generous amount of cracked pepper. if anything, that natural fatty toro flavour is lacking. As for the rice, the amount and firmness as well as the formation is perfect.

TUNA TATAKI ROLL, LIGHTLY SEARED LEMON TUNA, ORGANIC GREENS WITH SOY WRAP ($8.95).

The tuna tataki roll has a light refreshing taste and the crisp cucumbers provide a nice crunchy texture. The tuna is evenly seared and lemon marinade does not overwhelm, it pairs quite nicely. The roll is basically a bite sized salad for lazy eaters. Seriously, it really tastes like a perfectly wrapped bite sized salad with a good amount of cucumber, spring mix and tuna.

UNI ($2.95) AND HAMACHI ($2.75).

The uni tastes as fresh as packaged can get and goes down smoothly. However, I would appreciate a pricier option for a whole slice of uni rather than loosely packaged pieces. Next, the hamachi tastes fresh and has a nice cut along with that rich deep burgundy color. I also like the choice of plate, it makes the nigiri look vibrant and stand out.

O TORO ($3.99) AND AMAEBI ($2.75).

The o toro has a slight snappy texture compared to the softness of toro, but does not taste very fatty. The cut is also not too thick or thin, but I would most likely not order o toro from here again. There was also a small cut of bones in the nigiri which I know some people in Japan prefer, but we do not. Continuing along, the amaebi tastes fresh but both the orange and yellow tobiko overwhelms the sweetness as well as the texture of the amaebi.

WAGYU BEEF ($3.99).

The wagyu nigiri tastes fatty, juicy and tender. There is a faint beef jerky flavour from the searing, but at the same time tastes like a generic soft tender cut of beef.

SPICY SEAFOOD, ASSORTED SEAFOOD WITH PRAWN BROTH ($10.25). 

The soup has a light seafood flavour along with a hint of spiciness from the kimchi. Although I am not a fan of having kimchi added to soup bases (since it usually ends up tasting sour like Potter Garden's), the kimchi does not overwhelm the broth. As for the assorted seafood, it includes a couple of spot prawns, prawns, tako and enoki mushroom. We enjoy the spot prawns the most because the texture soaks up the broth and provide a burst of a mild spiciness. As for the udon noodles, perfectly cooked and not mushy.

TOTAL: $92.15 + TIP $17.85 = $110.00.

Overall we tipped a bit under 20% because the staff was very friendly. Our waitress frequently checked up on us to clear empty plates, asked if we wanted to finish the ginger before taking it away, and was more than happy to serve the spicy seafood soup last. Plus, she explained the stamp card system and mentioned to grab a free drink on the next visit since we did not finish our drinks. Furthermore, the sushi chef timed everything perfectly and we did not have too many dishes on the table at once.

POSTIVES
- Attentive, friendly and genuine staff
- Some items are not available at many Japanese restaurants such as o toro and wagyu beef
- Sushi chef actually puts some effort in the presentation
- Stamp card!

NEGATIVES
- Restaurant is small and could be more ventilated
- Rice could use a bit more sushi vinegar

LITTLE THINGS
- Despite ranking the restaurant as only average, I would revisit just to finish the stamp card.
- On my revisit, I will most likely order the tuna tataki roll, aburi toro nigiri and separate orders of sashimi

Food: 2.5/5
Service: 3.5/5