hanabishi!
we'd heard so much about the place and when we finally decided to pay a
visit, we were so thrilled beyond hunger. flipping through their very impressive
menu proved to be such a struggle with our adventurous hearts and gustatory
inclinations, so we decided on the sukiyaki set meal at AUD$80 per head.


yummy sashimi which came in a huge platter and hollowed bamboo halves!
this is, by far the best sashimi i have ever tasted. the sushi was pretty good
as well! taste aside, the other wow-factor was also the presentation, which
made the dish such an appetising and delectable starter.


here's a close up of a piece of california maki and tuna. yum!


this is prawn kakiage, a dish of deep fried prawns with asparagus, done
tempura style. the asparagus was so soft and slightly bitter, which
complemented the sweet tasting prawns so well that i turned into a veggie-
convert for that moment.


our sukiyaki, which came with vegetables, tofu and mushrooms in a rich
sukiyaki broth.


premium wagyu beef! it was so soft and ohsodelicious with the sukiyaki
broth. look at the marbling on the beef slices! that totally upped the eating
experience up a notch for me.


finally, there was a platter of hanabishi's three types of dessert. we had
honey custard in an eggshell, green tea ice cream, and mango and jelly with
a tinge of sake. the green tea ice cream was creamy and really rich, which i
liked. i then tried the mango jelly, which was bittersweet, thanks to the sweet-
ness of the mango and the slight bitter aftertaste of alcohol. i especially loved
the honey custard! if i could put a food to define what ambrosia is, this would
be it.

overall, i had a great eating experience. we spent about 2 hours there and had a really filling and satisfying meal. very well worth the hefty price, and i can't wait
to go back for another gastronomic adventure!