Hanaichi Sushi Bar + Dining

Thousands of individuals pass, converge or meet daily in the Queen Street Mall and perhaps a hundred or so will take the Wintergarden escalator to seek out Hanaichi Sushi Bar + Dining. Though this busy sushi bar often has a line spilling into the corridor it moves fairly briskly and you soon find yourself at the Sushi Bar.

The Sushi Bar gives you prime position to view the chefs crafting nigiri or slicing sashimi. I began my journey with a classic Salmon Nigiri, before moving onto something more modern ... the California Roll. The California Roll is a style of sushi engineered for the American palette. It replaces the traditional tuna with a seafood stick or crab salad, adds avocado and places the chewy nori inside. The Hanaichi version uses crab salad and comes served in a set of three. You only see two pieces as I forgot to take a photo until I halfway through my first piece. Oopas!

I've always been a fan of the texture and smokey flavour of Eel Nigiri but on this occasion I found this particular dish to be somewhat dry. It is disappointing as traditional Japanese preparation of eel is really interesting. The flesh is grilled over hot charcoal, then steamed to remove excess fat, then seasoned with a sweetish sauce and grilled a second time.

As I was locked into hosting an event that evening, I decided to have a naughty Tempura Prawn Nigiri. So what can I say about Hanaichi Sushi Bar? It's easily accessible, fresh and good for an instant hit of sushi or a lightning fast catch up with a friend.

Rating: 3 out of 5.
Address: 171 Queen Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000.
Open: 7 Days. Lunch: 11:30am - 3pm. Dinner: 5:30pm - Late.
Phone: (07) 3221 1450.
Price: Sushi: $3.50 - $7.00.