Beautiful Sights and Delicious Food These Holidays in HanaZen

The holiday season brings in a lot of traditional rituals for everyone – gift giving, going home, last-minute shopping, decking the house with décor and the perfect tree, and of course, forgetting one’s diet to indulge in some delectable Christmas goodies. The turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, eggnog, cookies, and cakes should be present on the table, or it just would not feel like an authentic Christmas feast at all. And let’s admit it: Once the gift giving is done, the next most anticipated event is chow time.

The thing about me (and I am sure a lot of people reading this) is that while I am all for having a great time by having delicious food, I may not exactly have the means to get it. Why? The harsh truth is I just do not know how to cook. I was not given any culinary skills, and I just think it’s too late to cultivate or enhance any skills in the kitchen at this point in my life, especially when there are just so many other pressing matters to attend to. I certainly do not have the time for cooking lessons! So does my partner, who is more into cars and do it yourself stuff than cooking.

With this dilemma at hand, how can we enjoy a great holiday feast? It is so unfortunate that no one in my family knows how to cook, but should that stop us from enjoy a scrumptious meal on Christmas? Our 6-year old certainly doesn’t think so. But with parents who do not know how to cook, restaurant food is our only recourse.

The thing about depending on restaurants for a holiday feast is that it’s convenient and hassle-free, and a heaven sent solution for us people who do not know how to cook. There’s always an Italian or Chinese place that is open, ready to serve extensive spreads of food to anyone, even during the holidays. The only concern now is what to eat when you are already tired of pizza and noodles and you still want to have that memorable holiday culinary experience with the family.

Luckily, this year, I remembered a place my hubby and I went to during one of our romantic dinner dates back in the day when we were not married yet. How can I forget HanaZen Restaurant? Not only does it serve authentic Japanese fare, the type even the Japanese would love because of its authenticity, but it also provides picturesque views of San Francisco? An unforgettable dinner by the bay is ready to be enjoyed by HanaZen’s guests, with splendid views of San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island while gorging on authentic Japanese fare. Who wouldn’t love a Christmas dinner at the water front? My family certainly wouldn’t mind a wonderful experience.

The thing about HanaZen is they also have a restaurant at Union Square for formal business and casual dining. As for me and my family of three, we will have a special exotic Japanese holiday meal while enjoying the picturesque sights and the cold breeze of world renowned Pier 39 of San Francisco.  And that’s definitely more than I could ask for!

Hana Zen Restaurant: A Must-Try Indulgence

Eating great food is one of the many ways that we can indulge ourselves.  You can do this at home if you have extra time in your hands.  However, when you are pressed for time and would want to indulge not only yourself but also your loved ones, the best way to do this is to reserve the best spot in one of the best restaurants in town. 

You may think that this could get very expensive. Actually, it is not.  There are great restaurants where you can have a romantic dinner without having to break your budget. Hana Zen Restaurant is one place that you should keep in mind whenever you feel like doing this.

Japanese food is inarguably one of the best cuisines in the world.  You only get the freshest ingredients to go into each meal.  Hana Zen Restaurant over at the Pier 39 area, along Beach Street and The Embarcadero, is one of the best Japanese restaurants in town. It is a sought-after dinner experiences in the scenic area not only because of the good food served, but also for the restaurant’s ambiance.  You can set up a dinner by the bay at their Pier 39 location.   Have your table set up with an uninterrupted view of San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island and for sure, your loved one will be delighted.

The owners of this restaurant believe that freshness and quality of the food that comes out of their kitchens are very important.  Not only that, they extol the high standards that Japanese cuisine has set in terms of food preparation and presentation. The restaurant sure does maintain that high level, so you can always expect that only the freshest seafood are used for their sushi dishes, and high quality meats like chicken, lamb, and beef can be tasted on their other cooked dishes. 

Hana Zen also has a branch over at the Union Square, at 115 Cyril Magnin Street for those living close to the city’s commercial district.  They have the same menu over there, so you can expect the same quality of the food will be served to you.  They are open for both lunch and dinner at this branch. Being in the city center, this is a nice place to meet up with your friends over a quick lunch or experience the best casual dining with colleagues after work. The location is just right as it is in the middle of all the action, right in the heart of the city near the business district.  It is also a perfect venue to set a client meeting over with a lunch while discussing business and for sure, they will be impressed.

Aside from the usual Sushi, Maki, Sashimi, Tempura and Teriyaki, HanaZen also specializes in Yakitori, which are grilled skewered pieces of meat and vegetables basted with a special sauce. One serving will surely be not enough for you and your friends. 

The versatile menu and the great ambiance of the place is the perfect mix for you to let loose and hang around and let the stress out after a long day’s work in the office. Your dinner at the water front will surely be fun and enjoyable.

HanaZen is one restaurant that you should not miss, not just for the location but for having the best Japanese food in town to satisfy your indulgent cravings.

A Dining Experience to Remember at the Hana Zen Restaurant

There are days when you feel like going out and doing something different to make it special and memorable.  The first thing that comes to mind is to go out into the town and eat out.  Eating good food in a great restaurant is one easy thing anybody can do. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a romantic dinner though.  There is just something satisfying about sharing your meal with the ones you love.  Their company, coupled by a great place, elevates your mood and can instantly place you in a state of bliss, making any ordinary day special.

There are a lot of restaurants you can consider for this kind of treat.  But if you have a hankering for Japanese food, why not try Hana Zen Restaurant over at the Pier 39 area along Beach Street and The Embardadero.  It is one of the most sought after dinner places by the bay because of its ambiance and the good food they serve. 

The restaurant owners believe in the importance of freshness and quality of the food that comes out of their kitchens and we all know that Japanese cuisine places a very high premium on food preparation and presentation. The restaurant sure does maintain that high level, so you can expect that you only get the freshest seafood for their sushi dishes, and high quality meats like chicken, lamb, and beef for their other cooked dishes. 

Aside from the usual Sushi, Maki, Sashimi and other usual Japanese fare, Hana Zen also specializes in Yakitori or those little pieces of meat and vegetables skewered on barbeque sticks and then grilled and basted with a special sauce. This is perfect for a sumptuous yet casual dining experience.  The chefs here have perfected the art of grilling these little treats making you eat several pieces in one sitting. 

This is what makes this restaurant versatile because you can find a variety of dishes to satisfy your Japanese food cravings.  It is a great place to hang around and let the stress out after a long day’s work in the office. Your dinner at the water front will surely be enjoyable and your friends will be delighted.  

Hana Zen also has a branch over at Union Square, along 115 Cyril Magnin Street.  You can expect the same quality of the food served to you at this branch, be it lunch or dinner.  This is a nice meet up place you can set with your friends over a quick lunch or have dinner with colleagues after work, thanks to its central ion-the-middle-of-it-all location, right in the heart of the city near the business district.  You can also set up a lunch meeting with your client at Hana Zen Union Square and for sure, they will be impressed.

To make your someone special feel more loved, you can set a dinner by the bay at their Pier 39 location.   To have your table set up with an uninterrupted view of San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz Island, it is best to call early.  For sure, a lot of people are also thinking about the same thing. 

Hana Zen is one restaurant that you should not miss not just for the best Japanese food in town, but for one great dining experience.

HanaZen Restaurant: A One of a Kind Place

Japanese cuisine is not just about food; it’s an entire experience.   From preparation and presentation to unique aromas and tastes, there are a lot of factors to be considered when considering what is a great Japanese cuisine experience and what is not.  This is why there are only a few restaurants people consider authentically Japanese; the rest are as just so-so.

Of course, the freshness of the ingredients is also a formidable element, which is why a great Japanese restaurant goes to great lengths in making sure that it only serves the best seafood for their sushi dishes, and have high quality meats like chicken, lamb, and beef for their other cooked fare.

For these reasons, I consider Hana Zen Restaurant one of the most sought after dinner places by the bay. When it comes to standards, HanaZen doesn’t only bring it, it comes out on top, and we customers could only be happy for that.

There is no need for a special occasion for you to enjoy a romantic dinner with your special someone that has a really great view of the San Francisco bay.  A simple dinner made special because of the restaurant’s ambiance and food quality will give any ordinary night that special oomph.  If you are in the Pier 39 area, you should consider their branch at Pier 39, M209, by Beach and Embardadero.   This is one restaurant where you can enjoy high quality Japanese cuisine without spending too much, with a breathtaking view to boot.

Being a yakitori restaurant, HanaZen is also a perfect place for those looking for a more casual dining place to unwind after a stressful day at the office.  To those who are not so familiar, yakitori is skewered little pieces of meat and vegetables, which are then grilled and basted with a special sauce. The chefs at HanaZen have perfected the art of grilling these special treats to a tee. This is one reason this restaurant is versatile, because you can feast on other Japanese dishes, not just the usual tempura and teriyaki dishes most people end up ordering in Japanese places.

If a dinner at the water front is not your thing and would like a place closer to the city center, you need not fret because you can visit their branch at Union Square along Cyril Magnin Street.  You can expect the same high quality of the food to be served to you, be it during lunch or dinner.  HanaZen’s Union Square restaurant is also a perfect place to meet up with friends over lunch in between running errands in the city or have dinner with colleagues after a long day at work.

HanaZen is always packed with customers, so calling in advance to reserve a table is recommended.  It is best to call early so that you will get the good spot right by the window that looks out into the sea.  Their location is perfect and romantic because you have an uninterrupted view of San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.  You will surely have a great time having dinner by the bay while enjoying the sublime, calming.  For sure, you and you companion(s) will appreciate the food, the place, and the company.

http://www.hanazenrestaurant.net/ourmenu.html

HanaZEN Restaurant: Where Special is an Everday Event

There are times when you just want to make the day really special for your significant other. What better way to turn this into reality than by taking the love of your life to a place so special, where you can both enjoy the ambiance and partake in the sumptuous cuisine prepared by great chefs. After all, there is really no need for a special occasion for two people to enjoy a romantic dinner with a really great view of the bay. A simple dinner can be made special because of the place and the food, and doing this for your loved one would be definitely rewarding.

If you are in the scenic Pier 39 in San Francisco, you might want to consider Hana Zen Restaurant. This is one restaurant where you can enjoy high quality Japanese cuisine without cleaning out your bank account. HanaZEN is also a yakitori restaurant, which is perfect for those looking for a casual dining place to unwind after a stressful day at work. If you are not familiar with Japanese cuisine, yakitori are little pieces of meat and vegetables skewered on barbeque sticks and then grilled and basted with a special sauce. The chefs in Hana Zen have perfected the art of grilling these little treats, making you want to finish one plate after another in one sitting. This is what makes this restaurant versatile - it does not only serve the usual tempura and teriyaki dishes that most people order in Japanese restaurants.

Hana Zen Restaurant is one of the most sought after places dinner at the water front because the restaurant owners believe in the importance of freshness and quality of the food they serve. We all know that Japanese cuisine has very high standards when it comes to food preparation and presentation. The restaurant surely does maintain that. They make sure that they only serve the freshest seafood for their sushi dishes, and have high quality meats like chicken, lamb and Kobe beef for their other cooked dishes.

For those who want somewhere closer to the city center, the restaurant has a branch at Union Square along 115 Cyril Magnin Street. You can expect the same quality of the food served during lunch and dinner at this branch. This is a nice place to meet up with friends over lunch or have dinner with colleagues after work.

When you want to surprise your special someone with dinner by the bay, it is best that you call early so that you will have a chance to reserve any of the tables by the window that look out into the sea. Their location at Pier 39 is just perfect and romantic with unobstructed views of the San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. For sure, your loved one will appreciate the efforts in making your dinner really special. In Hana Zen, a simple dinner with your loved one becomes an unforgettable event.

A Delicious Education on Japanese Food at Hana Zen

I have to admit: I do not have that much experience when it comes to Japanese restaurants. I have this perception that establishments that serve Japanese cuisine have a distinct aesthetic and a very formal, ceremonial feel with very clean interiors and no chairs, where diners have to sit on the floor and get food from very low tables. As for the food, I know of rolls, sushi, and teriyaki, all of which I would love to eat. But then, I don’t see why people have to go so exotic and foreign, when there’s good ‘ole steak and potatoes. 

That being said, I couldn’t really imagine how people can enjoy casual dining in a Japanese restaurant. With those elaborate tea ceremonies, I don’t find anything casual about Japanese dining. But when a group of my friends decided they want to have dinner by the bay in the Pier 39 branch of Hana Zen restaurant, I wasn’t left with a choice. Since I’m outnumbered, there’s no other option but to join the gang. I mean, what’s the use of insisting Madonna is still the queen when everybody else is going crazy over Lady Gaga, right?

Anyway, with an open mind and lowered expectations, I braced myself for a different dinner at the water front experience one Friday evening after work. Just getting to the restaurant had me excited though. The view of the bay and the evening breeze had me excited. This is definitely not a run-of-the-mill Friday night out.

Entering the restaurant, one would expect waiters in kimonos and socks, bowing to you or shouting some chant, welcoming you in. Alas, I was pleasantly surprised at the quaint but well-appointed dining area. There were chairs! The tables were tall! I guess I wasn’t really ready for a full-blown authentic Japanese dining experience, so I was relieved upon seeing the interiors of Hana Zen. But then, I still got a feeling I was in a Japanese restaurant, but with a Western twist.

Hana Zen’s strength, aside from its spectacular location, is its menu. For anyone who wants to have a fine education of Japanese cuisine in scenic San Francisco, Hana Zen is a recommended starting point. The offerings are very varied, from those famous rolls, tepanyaki, and yakitori, to tempura, sushi, and noodle dishes. And when the food was served, there’s no question why the restaurant has grown to two locations. Obviously, the flavors can be attributed to an impeccable combination of the chef’s skills and authentic, fresh ingredients.

Oh, don’t get me started on the drinks. Since it was a Friday night, I dared and tried the house specialty, the hochu chu-hi, described in the resaurant’s website as “similar to vodka that you can mix with different flavors to choose from.” I tried, I drank, and I ended up finishing three!

Whether you’re having an intimate romantic dinner at Pier 39 or experiencing a sensory fulfillment in Union Square, Hana Zen surely made me appreciate Japanese food. And yes, that Friday night definitely won’t be the last of my Japanese cuisine education at Hana Zen.

A Rudely Pleasant Education on Japanese Food

I have a confession to make: I hate raw food.

I mean, why eat something that hasn’t undergone the process of cooking? Surely, food is cooked for a variety of reasons; primary among them is for them to become edible. My imagination runs wild with things that may happen when I eat raw food. What if that piece of raw meat suddenly comes to life? After all, it hasn’t been cooked! I have the most disgusting images of raw meat. I think it is slimy and will probably give me indigestion, or worse, food poisoning. I could just think of those gooey chunks of whatever sliding down my throat. It just gives me the chills (the bad ones at that) just thinking about it.

This may be the reason why I never venture into eating at Japanese restaurants. It makes me gag just thinking about the possibility of eating raw food. I have seen a lot of Food network programs, and I have to say, those rolls with seaweed wrap and veggies look nice, but that’s all I can say about them. They look nice, but I wouldn’t dare put one in my mouth, unless I want to imagine those tiny orange eggs moving. Call me finicky, but I definitely won’t say yes to eating, much more having a romantic dinner at a Japanese restaurant, unless my date wants me to feel sick the entire time.

But that was before.

One day, my co-worker told me we will have lunch with a business associate at Hana Zen restaurant at Union Square. I only caught the word ‘Zen,’ so I thought it would be like a relaxing place where we would get relaxing massages while eating organic detox stuff. I went along and stopped dead at my tracks when we stepped in the place. It was a Japanese restaurant! Don’t mistake me; I thought the place was swanky and tastefully decorated, so I wasn’t as anxious as I should have been. Besides, we saw our potential clients right away, so I had to keep my composure instead of going green and gagging.

Sensing my slight discomfort, my partner ordered for me. All the time, I didn’t have any choice but to focus on what our guests were saying while observing the people coming in. All sorts of people were there, from groups into casual dining to men and women in suits (like us) for their power lunches. I kept myself occupied and praying blobs of raw seafood won’t be placed in front of me.

Much to my surprise, I was presented with a sake bomb, apparently, an attempt of our potential business partners to ease the mood. I took a sip of it, and boom! I have to say my initial fears have subsided. I am now wishing my partner just didn’t order anything for me because I could just get through the meeting with this delicious drink.

Alas, the waiter came to our table and placed plate upon plate of food. My heart beat faster and faster as finally, a plate was placed in front of me. The waiter said, “Ramu yaki yakitori.” Two skewers of New Zealand lamb chop cooked using Binchotan charcoal. My mouth watered.

Suffice to say the meeting was successful and I got a fine education on Japanese cuisine. They have cooked food, and my, it was delicious! I also found out Hana Zen had a branch at Pier 39, perfect for a romantic dinner at the water front. I am so glad I got over what I realized was an unreasonable phobia to Japanese food.

My birthday’s next week, and my friends and I are having dinner by the bay at where else – Hana Zen, my new-found culinary wonder!