Food for Thought - Turning Japanese

"Konnichiwa..."

I’m greeted by a middle-aged Japanese lady as I enter. A smile creases her face and there is a twinkle in her eye. I seat myself at one of the plain wooden bench style tables for my eighth visit in the last 3 months.

Hanako is a Japanese restaurant owned by Mr Ute. It is located in Watford’s High Street, facing the pleasantry of the town centre’s pond and fountain.

There are no frills at Hanako, so if you were looking for a classy ambience and an elaborate wine list unfortunately this would not be the place for you, but the food is nothing short of sublime and well worth the visit.

If raw fish does not quite whet your appetite then there is a choice of hot dishes from Chicken Curry with Rice to rejuvenating Hotpots and Udon Noodle Soup. Vegetarians are well catered for too. To finish I highly recommend you try the Green Tea Ice Cream for dessert. Excellence on a plate!

The presentation of food is an integral part of Japanese cuisine so eating a Japanese meal engages more than just your tastebuds. The smell, the texture and the colour all capture your desire to eat at this underrated restaurant.

Be prepared for a little wait but like all good things in life, it is worth waiting for!

Top Japanese tip….it is alright to slurp when eating a bowl of noodles in broth – it is considered showing appreciation BUT not when eating soups!

Author’s rating:

Value for Money: 7/10

Quality of Food: 9 /10

Menu: 7/10

Service speed: 5/10

Ambience: 5/10

Review by Pauline Chung If you would like your restaurant reviewed feel free to email me at nathalie@fleacentral.com

This article was created on Tuesday, 30th September 2008.

This is the 33rd issue of Flea Magazine in Watford. The on-line version of the articles includes additional content that we couldn't fit into the printed version. You can see the individual articles and additional material by selecting from the titles below.

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Inside Watford Flea 203

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