Our favorite spot to sit is the right side of the sushi bar. This way we are right next to the "special" board and we get to chat with our friend Yuji, the sushi chef and the owner of the restaurant. He pays close attention to details, is always hospitable, and knows what's fresh for the day. We've been coming here for the past 3 years and this is the first place that someone has named any dish after us. Please ask for the Khuong Roll next time you're in. Its an off the menu delight
We started out our meal with Hanasho's happy hour dollar sushi. These are definitely a steal! The nigiris were super fresh, the fish sizes beats what you get at other sushi restaurants in the DFW which costs much more, the sweet tamago (egg) is homemade and not out of the package that you can buy at the supermarket, and the sushi rice portion and the flavor is just right. I have to mention, Yuji is super generous for giving us the salmon belly cuts. For $1 each, you really can't ask for more.
Then Yuji handed us our Spicy Crawfish Roll and the Raw Scallop with Smelt Roe. Yum! We drool just thinking about them! The Spicy Crawfish Roll has an abundant amount of crawfish. The bite is a combination of spicy from the crawfish, creamy from the avocado, then you get a little bit of chewiness and vinegar from the rice, and the popping of the masago (orange caviar). Tell me that doesn't sound good?
The Raw Scallop with the Smelt Roe is awesome! You really get the velvety texture and sweetness from the scallop, the richness from the mayonnaise, and the popping juice of the masago come through, and of course the nori and the sushi rice ties it all up into one gratifying bite.
This is one of our normal picks, the Lava Roll or Volcano Roll as its called everywhere else. This is basically a California Roll base, topped with a spicy mayo cooked with scallops and topped with masago and sesame seeds. This rolls really fills you up. The richness from the mayo covers the rolls, but you always want to keep coming for more. You really just want to smear every bit of that sauce onto the california roll if it isn't already covered with the spicy mayo sauce and abundant amount of scallops...don't worry if you have extra sauce left over it will not go to waste, you literally want to lick the plate or dab anything you can find into it.
Then we were on to our cooked dishes. We ordered the Fried Oysters and their Takoyaki (octopus balls). We really wanted to order their Hamachi Kama too but they were out that night, but if you ever go, we highly recommend this dish. The fried oysters were very crispy and light. There was not much excess oil, you get a really clean bite from it. The oyster size was good, so you still get a big bite of oyster vs. batter only. The sauce was a little bit sweet, vinegary, and with a touch of mustard.
The Takoyaki was pretty special. This is not always available so make sure you ask Yuji or call ahead if this is what you are coming for. This was made well as its suppose to. This is basically a Japanese round dumpling, made of batter, minced octopus, and pickled ginger. If you go to Japan, this is a type of their street food found all over the place. There are variations of it elsewhere, dependent on the chef. Hanasho's is brushed with their special sauce which is tangy and sweet, with a hint of BBQ essence, crispy grilled exterior, moist and chewy (from the octopus) center, and I love the wiggling bonito flakes, nori flakes, and the sweet and sour red ginger on top. I have had pretty bad, gooey, glob of just BAD Takoyaki in the States. Hanasho's Takoyaki definitely doesn't fit that definition and hits the spot every time.
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This is our Chawan Mushi. This is a steamed egg custard with seafood and chicken on the bottom. If you want to try this there, make sure you order early because it takes a while to make. But every good thing is worth waiting for. This is one of our must eats. The eggs is super delicate and steamed with a seafood broth. This just slips in your mouth, and trust me, you don't want to talk afterward. You'll be reduced to grunting. The texture is really silky and smooth, then you get bites of the shrimp and chicken at the bottom. We also really like the citrus peel as a garnished on top. It actually adds brightness to the dish.
This is the PRIZE! Our all time favorite...TORO. Pricey, but truly worth every penny. We always save the best for last. We don't want any interference with this precious nigiri. Hanasho never fails, always fresh, always fatty, and always irresistible! The flavor is seductive, fatty, buttery, meaty, melts with the warmth of your mouth, and completely coats your palate with its richness...OMG speechless!
Well, that's another one of our "fit for a king's" meal. Writing this blog has really made us realize how well we really do eat. We can't wait to share more of our delightful finds. Hope you get hungry soon and try our recommendations! Enjoy!
Based on our scale of value, quality, flavor, and most importantly consistency, Hanasho gets a well deserved 9 out of 10.
Hanasho
2938 N Belt Line Rd
Irving, TX, 75062
(972)258-0250
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