Surprises and Revelations Abound in Hana Zen Restaurant

After a particularly busy day at work, I had a hankering for Japanese food to relax before going home. My boyfriend and I decided that a romantic dinner is in order and we thought of trying out the Pier 39 branch of Hanazen Restaurant. It turned out to be a good decision as the view from the restaurant was simply breathtaking. The place was not that full when we arrived so we were able to get a table by the window which definitely made us feel the full experience of having dinner at the water front. The calming breeze, the quaint interiors, and the soothing ambiance had me feeling we were in for a great experience.

Spectacular as the view was, we did go to Hanazen for the food and it would be a shame if the quality of the food did not match the views. I have particular cravings during some days, but I have to admit I am not a huge fan of exotic foreign cuisine. Was I in for a change of heart! The food we ordered did not only not disappoint, it also converted me into a huge Japanese food fan. The White Tuna Sashimi was a sure winner, with each bite I started to relax and forget about work. The salty and tangy flavors played in my tongue, to a calming, sensual effect. We also ordered scallops, Aji, and my new favorite Ankimo or monk fish liver. 

My boyfriend doesn’t like raw food, so he ordered Spicy Tuna rolls and California rolls. I took a few bites from these and they were delicious as well. There was no doubt left as to why these rolls are a bestseller at Hana Zen. For dessert, we ordered Mochi and the popular Tempura Fried Banana. For a full experience, we ordered a couple of sake-infused cocktails. Suffice to say that it totally completed a new and exciting culinary experience for the both of us. Who would have thought this whim would turn into a full-blown Asian cuisine appreciation?

We are definitely going back here next time we are in the mood for some dinner by the bay, even just for those delectable desserts. At first I thought the combination of green tea ice cream wrapped inside some rice pastry would be weird but I loved my first taste of Mochi. The fried banana dessert paired with coconut ice cream was also a revelation of fantastic flavors.

For a romantic yet casual dining experience, Hanazen Restaurant in Pier 39 is a must try. I also found out that the restaurant also has another location in Union Square. This would be perfect for a night out with my officemates or a business lunch with associates. Right in the middle of San Francisco, the union Square branch is a must-visit for people wanting an unforgettable Japanese food experience.

Thank you, Hana Zen Restaurant, for a great introduction to the wonders of Japanese food. Needless to say, I will be coming back for more.

Hana Zen Resataurant – Not Just Your Usual Japanese Restaurant

When people think of Japanese cuisine, stereotypes of diners sitting on the floor, sipping tea from tiny cups and using their chopsticks to eat raw food abound. For most of us, this means getting out of our comfort zone of burgers, fries, and for fine dining, steaks and red wine. Isn’t there a place in San Francisco that presents a more familiar Japanese dining experience where the food and ambiance are exotic and yet something everybody can enjoy?

Actually, there isn’t only one, but two places in San Francisco that presents a perfect balance of elegant Japanese food and Western warmth. The good thing is, both of these places are branches of the same restaurant, Hana Zen. For years, Hana Zen Restaurant has established a reputation of offering the most authentic Japanese dishes prepared in traditional style of using Binchotan charcoal, but with a Western twist. First time visitors don’t need to feel out of place in a stuffy quaint ambiance as the two branches set a distinctly San Francisco tone to feasting on Japanese fare.

Families setting to try out something new to their weekly casual dining affair and associates looking for a place to hold their business lunches would certainly find Hana Zen’s location on Union Square ideal. Located right in the center of San Francisco, first time visitors to the city should also consider dropping by Hana Zen a must-do. On the other hand, for those who want a breezier experience, the Pier 39 restaurant of Hana Zen is perfect. This location is idyllic for couples who want to have a quiet romantic dinner or for anyone who feels the need to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown SF for a relaxed dinner at the water front. With the calming sea winds to the scintillating view of the ocean ahead, dinner by the bay has never been more appealing to the senses than in Hana Zen.

What’s great about Hana Zen is that it dispels all stereotypes of Japanese restaurants the average Joe may not be too comfortable with. For one, the interiors of both locations are impeccably done, with lacquered chairs and high tables for guests. If all the tables are occupied, one can have a sake-infused concoction in the well-stacked bar. There’s no need for guests to transfer to another bar just to enjoy some cocktails with friends. The distinct blend of Japanese and standard bar drinks Hana Zen serves has become something a lot of guests have time and again returned to the restaurant for.

As for the food, Hana Zen offers variety a lot of people jaded with the notion of Japanese food will find pleasantly surprising. Of course, Hana Zen serves the Japanese restaurant staples of sushi and sashimi. But more than that, the restaurant’s menu offers so many other sumptuous Japanese dishes, from delicately-fried tempura to various intricately-prepared rolls, from noodles to rice dishes.

So, if you’re looking for a place that’s not your typical Japanese restaurant, Hana Zen is your best bet.

Hana Zen: Japanese, San Francisco Style

Given that the Japanese are known for their exotic cuisine, it may be a challenge to see a restaurant that successfully fuses it with American comforts. However, in San Francisco, you will find not only one, but two branches of a restaurant that keep a beautiful balance between fascinating Japanese fare and the casual dining experience Americans are used to. You may be hard pressed to find a restaurant that combines Japanese food and a great ambiance for a romantic dinner, but Hana Zen delivers just that, and more.

Let’s first look at the two locations of the restaurant that could very well be startling opposite of each other. One branch is in Union Square, and caters to the mainstream crowd of office workers, locals, and tourists who would like to dine and have business lunches. The other location is on Pier 39, a picturesque setting for a dinner by the bay or a dinner at the water front. Both locations give the visitor the authentic feel very much like a place you might find in a Japanese capital, yet there’s something very familiar and comfortable about the place for anyone, even first time visitors. Pull back the door and the quiet elegance of lacquered wood and high, varnished walls. A bar runs the length of the room, and the quaint atmosphere in both locations make Hana Zen possibly the most discreet and cozy yet public dining space in San Francisco.

The choices in the menu are diverse, with the sushi and special rolls emerging as bestsellers. The variety of the selections are a welcome treat, especially to visitors who think that Japanese cuisine is only limited to raw fish. For salads, the crowd pleaser is the kaiso salad, made of seaweed with sesame oil dressing. Foie gras is also served, but with a twist – in Japanese nigiri style, with sweet soy and wine sauce. Of course, sushi is in the menu, but people who are just getting into Japanese cuisine would be surprised to be presented with so many options, from maguro (tuna), saba (mackerel), ebi (shrimp), ika (squid), and a lot more sushi nigiri varieties. Sushi rolls include California roll, spicy tuna roll, the locally-inspired San Francisco roll (made of boiled shrimp, asparagus, and flavored with Japanese mayonnaise), and the bestseller kamikaze roll (where customers can choose between tuna or yellowtail with tobiko, scallions, and a refreshing ingredient - avocado). Japanese staples, including sashimi, tempura, yakitori, ramen, and rice dishes are present in the menu as well. A must-try for people who want to have a good time are the sake-infused cocktails.

The staff at both locations are cheerful, eager, accommodating, and particularly knowledgeable about the restaurants’ offerings, whether the food or the exquisite sake recommendations. The cost of everything, from the cozy but comfortable ambience to the special drinks and the sumptuous menu, is quite reasonable. For a broad exposure to the joys of Japanese food in a relaxed setting, going to Hana Zen is definitely worth a visit.

Hana Zen – A Unique Sensory Experience

Japanese cuisine – what’s not to love about it? Just the thought of endless cuts of fresh seafood meticulously prepared in different styles – whether the famous basic sushi or those scrumptious deep-fried tempura, can really make the mouth water. It’s just a given that a trip to a restaurant serving Japanese cuisine is a gastronomically satisfying experience. And then, there’s the guilt-free factor. People always equate Japanese cooking with freshness and heath, with ingredients and preparation veering away from fat and bad cholesterol.

In San Francisco, that cannot be truer as not one, but two branches of a Japanese restaurant have proven those points for years already. Hana Zen, located on picturesque Pier 39 where you can enjoy dinner at water front and also in the busy Union Square where you can have business lunches or a refined casual dining experience, has been serving satisfied and full customers for years. Ask a San Francisco foodie where to go for great Japanese food, and Hana Zen would surely be one of the first answers he’ll blurt out. The restaurant has built a sterling reputation in the process, no wonder why it always ends up as one of the more popular San Francisco eateries.

You are just nearing the restaurant, and the exciting red exteriors of both branches already greets you. The classy but quaint interiors of the Union Square branch can readily be a location for for get-togethers, while the airy feel of the Pier 39 location can host breezy romantic dinners with breathtaking seaside views. Seating is very comfortable to make you chow down to your heart’s content, and when you’re seated in the restaurant, you’d see chefs preparing those delectable Japanese treats with so much art and style, you’d be full just by looking at them.

Without even plunging ahead to the main course, you may already get your fill at their gourmet salads and sides selections, where over 30 yummy items are available to whet your appetite – from colorful roll, fresh seafood, to tasty side dishes and appetizers. All meals in this restaurant will just leave your tummy filled to the brink as the servings of the main dishes are just huge!

A perfect complement to a usually seafood heavy meal in Hana Zen is its offerings of Japanese-infused cocktails and hard drinks. Want to experience real intensity? You may as well try the restaurant’s sake bomb, which is a pint of Sapporo liquor with a shot of hot sake, or traditional Japanese wine. A wide selection of cocktails, champagne, sparkling wine, and red and white wine are also available. You may ask your server for a recommendation to ensure a truly satisfying gastronomic experience. For those with a sweet tooth, you may also opt to have one of the restaurant’s thoroughly satisfying desserts to cap your dining experience.

Hana Zen is one place you would want to experience with a lot of people, so you may want to consider it for something intimate as a private dinner by the bay or for your next event. The restaurant also hosts concerts of seasoned performers, not to mention wild parties, so you better get ready for a unique experience.

Hana Zen: Satisfying Elegance and Comfort from the Interiors to the Food

The first thing anyone notices upon entering any of the two branches of Hana Zen, one in Union Square and the other in Pier 39 is that the place is quite spacious and very swanky. At first glance, you would already conclude that the Pier 39 location, with the cool breeze and the scintillating atmosphere is the perfect venue for an intimate dinner at the water front . But the entire atmosphere is something that won’t intimidate you just because of the classy interiors. The elegance of the restaurant extends to its patio where diners may also choose to sit in any weather as it is covered, where anyone from couples to large groups can enjoy dinner by the bay.

Not to be outdone is the Union Square restaurant, which has a more urban vibe to it. The design is spacious yet cozy, with booths that can sit couples or small groups, a bar and a main dining room which radiates a sexy warmth emanating from lanterns that play with the warm hues of the decor. There’s something elegant yet comfortable about the entire ambiance of the restaurant that it can be the perfect location for anything from a romantic dinner, a small after-work celebration or a casual dining treat with someone from outside San Francisco can be regaled with.

The interiors alone are a good reason to visit the place, and the parking is a zilch. Once inside, servers maintain a pleasant and perky manner. Once you’ve settled, of course there’s the issue of food. The food is a perfect complement to the entire atmosphere of the place – a seamless combination of comfort and elegance. The menu is prepared fresh, which is a must for Japanese food. The menu is a play of fresh local ingredients and tried and tested Japanese fare, which lends to a result of offerings that would satisfy any restaurant goer, no matter what the appetite or budget is.

Of course, as with any Japanese restaurant, sushi is the main draw of Hana Zen. Customers have time and again come back to Hana Zen and have poured praise on the freshness of the Japanese restaurant staple, Hana Zen style. No matter how early or how late you go to Hana Zen, expect the sushi to have that fresh and tangy flavor that will absolutely keep you coming back for more. Diners are also regaled with the extensive options for salads, appetizers, noodles, side dishes, and rolls. Particularly popular among the patrons of the restaurant are the Rainbow Roll, which contains five kinds of fish outside with avocado, and crab inside and the Dragon Roll, which contains a delectable and hearty combination of shrimp tempura, daikon, sprouts, tobiko, unagi, avocado, and unagi sauce.

For those who want to have a good time, there is no need to change venues as both Hana Zen restaurants have their own bar. The sake-infused cocktails are a sure hit among regulars and new visitors, so don’t miss a chance to have one!

Japanese Comfort Food in Style at Hana Zen Restaurant

When one thinks of Japanese cuisine, or for that matter, any restaurant serving Japanese food, images of uncooked, grilled, or meticulously prepared food with lots of exotic flavors come to mind.  Most people may find this totally delicious and reason enough to go to a restaurant.

However, there will always be people who may think that this kind of cuisine is a bit too adventurous and foreign to their taste and therefore should be avoided.  Good thing, not all restaurants that serve Japanese have that intimidating and all too-foreign ambiance.  A number of restaurants in San Francisco do serve cuisine that’s not too strange for the American palate and yet high on the flavor factor.  One of these restaurants renowned for serving indisputably sumptuous Japanese fare is Hana Zen Restaurant.

Hana Zen Restaurant brands itself as a restaurant that serves its regular San Franciscan crowd and out of towners an alternative to the usual family restaurant fare of burgers and steaks.  Their menu is obviously influenced by authentic Japanese recipes, but very much suited to American tastes.  Moreover, certified foodies are assured that the ingredients that are fresh and in season.  With the freshness of the local ingredients and the excellent ambiance, Hana Zen is a perfect place for any occasion – from a cozy dinner at the water front at its Pier 39 branch to a casual dining night with friends or family at the Union Square branch.

With the thought of fresh ingredients being served, one usually has the perception of the restaurant adapting a Zen-like modern ambiance.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see tasteful interiors welcoming you in the restaurants’ dining room.  The streamlined feel of both branches is reinforced by the sleek wooden and warm tones that decorate the place.

Hana Zen Restaurant at Pier 39 has only been around fairly recently, but it has already garnered praise and a loyal following not only because of its delectable offerings, but also because of the special events it hosts.  From blue and white parties to private functions, Hana Zen has been a venue to consider because of its strategic locations.  Just last week, diners were treated to a front seat view of the 4th of July fireworks at the Pier 39 branch, letting them enjoy a dinner by the bay experience they’ll likely not forget for a long time. Hana Zen at the Union Square branch is almost integral establishment around Union Square as it has been there for over a decade, and it is a perfect setting for more cosmopolitan yet laid back affairs like business lunches or romantic dinners for two. 

But of course, any talk of Hana Zen always comes back to its main crowd drawer – the food.  The most popular options are rainbow rolls and Hotate Bacon Maki.  If that’s not enough, party goers frequent Hana Zen for its exquisitely luscious sake-infused cocktails.  Talk about drinking in style with a kick of exotic culture!

The place is relatively packed often, especially when the restaurant hosts special events showcased with talented musicians and singers.  There’s the bar where drinks are concocted right in front of everyone’s eyes.   Consider sitting there and make some friends; there’s no need to feel that you’ve missed out – the full menu is also served there.

The Sights, Sounds, and Tastes in Hana Zen This 4th of July

In any city, you’ll find restaurants that everybody goes to mainly because it’s a force of habit.  The place just reeks of history and tradition that you wouldn’t really mind if the food prices are a bit steep or if service runs a bit slower than usual.  You just want to brag to all your friends that you’ve actually gone there.  The bragging rights and the wonderful experience do make it worthwhile to go to this restaurant that has become a landmark of some sorts.  In San Francisco, Hana Zen is one of those restaurants. 

Since starting operations, Hana Zen has indeed become one of San Francisco’s culinary landmarks, particularly known for its two beautiful locations, impeccable service, and delectable seafood.  If you were to ask any native of the city of San Francisco of where good sushi can be eaten in the area, chances are Hana Zen would come up in the conversation.  Its reputation as one of the best Japanese restaurants not only in the city but in the state is actually well-supported.  In terms of food, the main drawers are the various rolls, yakitori, poke, and salmon fillets, which should be perfect for either casual dining with the family or an intimate romantic dinner for two.  

The crowd in Hana Zen is usually composed of people who want to enjoy a beautiful scenic place, business people who do business lunches, groups of friends, lovers, tourists and visitors who want to try the Hana Zen experience.  Yes, this is a type of restaurant that San Franciscans would dine and entertain their visitors to (at least, if they want to impress them). If you are looking for a place to hold a party with a dinner at the water front in SF, then the restaurant is definitely a welcome and discriminating option, as it has party rooms available.  You may also request for a specialized menu to accommodate special occasions.

Dinner by the bay at Hana Zen this 4th of July would be a sight to behold because the breathtaking sky scenery will be alight with fireworks.  You can certainly get the front seat of the dazzling display at Hana Zen’s Pier 39 restaurant.  Of course, the food is always very elegant too, with plate presentation classy enough for the ordinary Joe to sometimes think twice before eating something so pretty.  The attention to detail is obvious in every plate, prepared in almost clinical precision depending on the diner’s preference.  As for what to drink, visitors are particularly amazed at the restaurant’s full bar.  The sake-infused cocktails have earned the rave of both regulars and visitors to both the Union Square and Pier 39 branches.  

Be sure to check out, or better yet, request to be seated at the front area of the Pier 39 restaurant on the 4th of July.  You will surely be regaled by the fireworks, the sumptuous food, and the scintillating sea breeze.  Celebrate our nation’s independence by doing something different – eating exotic Japanese food in one of San Francisco’s culinary institutions.