Thanks Hana Zen From the Girls and I

Finally! It's Saturday night and that only means one thing for me and my girls - our every other weekend girl bonding session! This Saturday is my turn to pick the place where we can wine, dine, and just let our hair down! It's a good thing for me because I wouldn't need to worry too much about our location, thanks to Claire, the one who planned our session two weeks ago. And to think we were never confident about her choices when it comes to dining places! Suffice to say that Hana Zen did change our mind.

You see, just like most other groups of girl friends, we somehow have varied personalities that make each one of us quirky in our own way. If we were the seminal girl power TV series Sex and the City, I think I would be Carrie, the free spirit known for her fashionable attire and her eclectic tastes in just about anything, including where we go out to eat. Dianne would be our Samantha, a high profile “It” girl whose main goal is to educate us to the hottest clubs and bars.  Grace would be our Charlotte, someone who would rather be in cultural events and is expected to get us together in museum and art gallery cafes and restaurants. And then, there is Claire, our Samantha, the in-demand corporate lawyer who we run to when we need legal, financial, and love advice. But when it comes to fashion and events, let's just say that we do not set our expectations that high when Claire is in control.

So, when she suggested that we would hold our twice a month bonding session in Hana Zen because she and her hubby had a romantic dinner there months ago, we weren't exactly sure it would be the best place to hold our girl’s night out. Personally, I was not sure a Japanese dinner at the water front would be that exciting of an experience, especially when it comes to these ladies who just want to let their hair down, have a drink or two and have a good time.

But all our fears (or at least the three of us) were silenced upon entering the place. The panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay area was just too scenic not to be enjoyed. It was just beautiful and could very well make up for any false impressions we had of the place. As for the food, my hotate bacon maki was firm and tangy, worth the 15 minute wait, and the soft shell crab tempura was a piece of seafood heaven served to me. And when our drinks came suffice to say we ordered a lot! That sake sagini was just not enough for one round.

I am actually excited to have Friday lunch with my officemates at Hana Zen’s Union Square store, perfect for casual dining. And as for my girls, it’s going to be another round of dinner by the bay with scintillating sights and really good food at Hana Zern this weekend.