Hana JuRin, Crows Nest

With just 2 days left of my holidays I’m doing pretty well so far on backblogging!

I’ve delayed this till now because everytime I look at the pictures I just want to literally *FML* (excuse me language) …. because I’m dying and craving for Japanese food! and good food in general! Thank God just another 2 days to go…

But anyways, Hana-JuRin is the new Ju-Rin, both situated in Crows Nest and just across the road from each other. I had never heard of this Japanese Restaurant if my aunt hadn’t suggested it! We were picking places for a family farewell lunch before my sisters and I left for Vanuatu. We always ate around the City and Chatswood, which got a little boring and parking is a pain.. so we decided on Crows Nest, knowing theres a long street of restaurants to choose from! Japanese to be exact. So she suggested Ju-Rin; She’s been there before and said to have good value lunches, and also yummy! Aaand they recently won the Good Food Guide 2010 Award for Favourite Asian Restaurant! So the night before, I called up to try make a booking for the 7 of us. ‘Unfortunately our restaurant is fully booked for lunch, we have a 20 people function’ the Japanese operator said on the other end. Was slightly crushed for a minute then he goes ‘but let me check with our chef and give you a call back’.

So I waited, wondering if he’d ever call back – because some restaurants just ‘forget’. Thank goodness he did! with the nicest offer… ‘I’m sorry we can’t accomodate you at Ju-Rin, but we can book you into our new restaurant just a few blocks away.. would you like that?’… with no hesitation, ‘Yes please!‘.

He told me the lunch menus were the same and all, so lunch the next day finally arrived. We went to the old Ju-Rin where one of the managers walked us over to the brand new Hana-Ju-Rin, felt a little bit more fancier than the old one… and we were escorted downstairs a sort of private dining area.. Japanese style; raised up level where you sit in the ‘hole’ with the table rather than having to kneel. I had realised they opened the restaurant Just for US. – Too nice! Hana Ju-Rin had just opened the previous week for dinner only… so we definitely felt like V.I.P’s haha.

The paper has the same lunch menu as Ju-Rin’s. Not a bad selection.

You can view a photo of it here

Appetizers of potato salad. *likes* (came with sets too)

Assorted Tempura Set – $10

Pretty damn good value for a set! There were 2 x Tempura prawns and vegetables (eggplants, sweet potato etc) all nicely, lightly fried and not too oily! *ticks*

Chawanmushi (came with sets)

All the sets we ordered came with Chawanmushi, which basically is a Japanese steamed egg custard in a tea cup. Yummy! It’s been a while since I last had a good chawanmushi (since Japan trip Feb 2010), it was soooo light and soft. It’s worth ordering a set for this! Wish I had it all to myself if I didn’t have to share with the boyfriend

Udon simmered in Beef tongue and Miso Broth – $12

This was also one of my favourites! Never had ox tongue in a udon before; I loved the soup – it was full of flavour, which is one of the important things in a good udon for me! 100% Recommended! It’s a pretty big pot, so if you’re hungry.. this is what you’ll need. Super good value!

Salmon Don with mini Udon – $16.50

The salmon pieces were nice and fresh, though I wish they were smaller pieces so I can just mix it in with the rice. I think I’m too used to Takeru’s serving with bite sized pieces of salmon! Not much of a rave though other than fresh salmon, because the rice was a tad too vinegar-y

Assorted Sashimi Set – $18.50

Look at that nice big slice of salmon… nomnomnom! They are really generous with their seafood I have to say, everything tasted quite fresh

Assorted Sashimi (again)

Teriyaki Kingfish Set – $12

Not bad for seared teriyaki kingfish, otherwise not much of a rave with this one. There’s not a lot of kingfish =(

Overall would rate the food 8/10 – my new Japanese dine out choice up north! I have yet to try the original Ju-Rin though, maybe for dinner and try the other stuff on their menu. I’ve heard dinner is more expensive, but I will have to see and try for myself! Report back on that one later Can’t comment on their service cos I would be a little bias .. being the only ones there, but it was nice of the manager to come back and forth from the other JuRin to check up on us and we had one waiter that looked after us

If you’re looking for a lunch location in/near Crows Nest – I recommend this one! … remember to order a set for the chawanmushi!  :)

*tummy grumbles* i wish I could eat my OWN shots right now.

300 Pacific Highway
Crows Nest, Sydney

http://www.jurin.com.au/