Cuisine: Japanese
Price: THB420 per person without alcohol (what I paid for)
Visited: 26 May 2011
Food: 6/10
Atmosphere: /10
Value for money: 8/10
Services: 6/10
This time we had a chance to quickly visit Hanaya Restaurant @ Si Phraya after a long time. As anyone who is familiar with Hanaya, it is the first Japanese restaurant in Thailand which has been around since post second World War and is run by a Japanese family. It is well-known for its traditional and authentic food, including choices of udon and sushi, unlike the quick and ready-to-cook style of Zen and Fuji chains. Some of my favourite dishes here are tamago yaki, tonkatsu, and unagi nigiri. On the other hand, coming here may not be so easy as either BTS and MRT is still a few kilometres away for the nearest station. Hence, driving may be the best choice, otherwise taxi. Once getting here, you may think what kind of place it is. As the main entrance is like a small dark alley which you would know what is going to be ahead. Don't be surprise with it and just go straight ahead, the traditional restaurant in zen interior is right there.
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| Hanaya Restaurant - ภัตราคารฮานาย่า |
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| The Menu |
We started our meal with a few side orders. Wakeme Salad and Potato Salad were rather typical but tasteful, especially Potato Salad which was really smooth (6/10). The other dish was Tamago Yaki or Grilled Omelette. This one was splendid, one of the best in town (7/10).
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| Wakame Salad - ยำสาหร่าย |
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| Potato Salad - สลัดมันฝรั่ง |
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| Tamago Yaki - ไข่หวานย่าง |
Next was Boiled Beef and Potato. I found this dish was interesting. It looked like a simple dish of boiling beef and potato and carrot with soy sauce but it was one of the kind that you cannot put down your chop sticks (6/10).
Deep-fried Silver Fish is one of my favourite usually. Nevertheless, I was rather disappointed this time as it was not crisp but chewy. Well well, consistency does matter (3/10).
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| Boiled Beef and Potato - เนื้อต้มมันฝรั่ง |
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| Deep-fried Silver Fish - ปลาเงินทอดกรอบ |
On the raw fish side, we managed to have the ordinary Sake Nigiri and Aji Nigiri. Both came with rather larger than normal portion. Taste was as good as ever. While Salmon was a little fatty and sweet (6/10), Aji or Horse Mackerel also contained sweetness and was not fishy at all (7/10). I also ordered a piece of Tamago Nigiri which was, of course, very good.
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| Sake Nigiri - ข้าวปั้นหน้าปลาแซลมอน |
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| Aji Nigiri - ข้าวปั้นหน้าปลาทู |
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| Tamago Nigiri - ข้าวปั้นหน้าไข่หวาน |
Tonkatsu was rather disappointed this time. It usually came in a large portion and crisp. This time was rather small though. Highlight of this tonkatsu was the sauce that came with. It was not like in other places at all, brown-orange in colour with hint of sweetness and refreshing (4/10).
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| Tonkatsu - หมูชุบแป้งทอด |
Next in line was Tofu Steak. Well, it was not one of the best but enjoyable: rich in taste but soft (5/10).
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| Tofu Steak - สเต็กเต้าหู้ |
The last to enjoy was Saba Steak. Something you will not be disappointed here. Well grilled and delicious (6/10).
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| Saba Steak - สเต็กปลาซาบะ |
Though I found that some of food here is now below the standard it used to have. I would still recommend anyone to try this out. Pricing is reasonable and well below many Japanese chains in town. All time favourite Japanese restaurant since childhood it is.
Hanaya Restaurant @ Si Phraya Road, Bangkok
683 Si Phraya Road
Si Phraya, Bang Rak
Bangkok 10500
Thailand
ภัตราคารฮานาย่า @ ถนนสี่พระยา กรุงเทพ
683 ถนนสี่พระยา
แขวงสี่พระยา เขตบางรัก
กรุงเทพ 10500
Open Hours: 11:30am - 02:00pm for lunch and 05:30pm - 10:00pm for dinner, close every 2nd and 4th Sunday each month
Tel: +66 (0) 2233 3080, +66 (0) 2234 8095
