A couple of weeks ago, my GBF and I went to Hanaoka's in National City. We'd been going there since our college days and since then they've expanded into the old Swensen's. There used to be a crappy and really roachy Chinese buffet next door but I think it's a real estate office now. Over the years, it seems like the quality has kind of gone down at Hanaoka's. I believe they also expanded into PB as well as another location. Anyways, it's your basic Japanese place. Not too fancy but not a hole in the wall either. There's an older Japanese lady who used to waitress there. I didn't see her that day. I loved how she said "Spritu" instead of "Sprite". The plate you see below is mine - I got the mixed tempura with California Roll. It came with rice, which is kind of redundant to me since the Calif. roll already has rice. It also came with salad which already had dressing, which I did NOT like. I ended up picking at it. The tempura batter was too thick and crunchy, not light and greaseless how it's supposed to be.
My GBF got the tempura along with Chicken Teriyaki (rice + salad). Oh yeah, the lunch specials also come with a bowl of Miso Horny soup (not pictured). He also agreed about the tempura. It was pretty busy when we got there. They sat us on the Swensen's side. The middle part of the restaurant used to be fun to sit in because they have a recessed wooden seating area. Before, you had to take off your shoes. Looks like they changed that rule. Maybe people's shoes got stolen. Who knows? I used to be wary of leaving my shoes in a big old pile there myself.
Asides from the fantastic company of my GBF, the food here wasn't so great. I think my memories of this place were seen through rose colored shades.
A couple of weeks ago, my GBF and I went to Hanaoka's in National City. We'd been going there since our college days and since then they've expanded into the old Swensen's. There used to be a crappy and really roachy Chinese buffet next door but I think it's a real estate office now. Over the years, it seems like the quality has kind of gone down at Hanaoka's. I believe they also expanded into PB as well as another location. Anyways, it's your basic Japanese place. Not too fancy but not a hole in the wall either. There's an older Japanese lady who used to waitress there. I didn't see her that day. I loved how she said "Spritu" instead of "Sprite". The plate you see below is mine - I got the mixed tempura with California Roll. It came with rice, which is kind of redundant to me since the Calif. roll already has rice. It also came with salad which already had dressing, which I did NOT like. I ended up picking at it. The tempura batter was too thick and crunchy, not light and greaseless how it's supposed to be. 
My GBF got the tempura along with Chicken Teriyaki (rice + salad). Oh yeah, the lunch specials also come with a bowl of Miso Horny soup (not pictured). He also agreed about the tempura. It was pretty busy when we got there. They sat us on the Swensen's side. The middle part of the restaurant used to be fun to sit in because they have a recessed wooden seating area. Before, you had to take off your shoes. Looks like they changed that rule. Maybe people's shoes got stolen. Who knows? I used to be wary of leaving my shoes in a big old pile there myself.
Asides from the fantastic company of my GBF, the food here wasn't so great. I think my memories of this place were seen through rose colored shades.
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