Hanamaruya - Bankstown

Decided to come back to this place after a while to satisfy my Japanese cravings locally. Went with the taro yaki octopus balls as the entree and the negi miso chashu ramen as the main. Service was a bit bustling but otherwise they were amicable. Waiting time for the food was 8-10 minutes approx which came out simultaneously. Octopus Balls: on first sights they looked very appetising due to its presentation with the Japanese mayo and the flakes on top complimenting the balls nicely. I could tell they were premade in advance as they used fresh octopus in the balls from its tenderness and that they just re cooked it when it's ordered so it didn't taste as fresh as it could've but it was still enjoyable to eat along with the Japanese mayo and the flakes. A good start overall. Ramen: the miso pork broth was very thick and flavourful in miso pork which I liked but compromised the taste of the ramen noodles: due to the broth's thickness it wasn't able to absorb most of the broth into the noodles so it just tasted bland in my mouth which meant I had to eat it with lots of soup to get that miso pork flavour in my mouth. The roast pork was a bit of a letdown as it just tasted like boiled pork out of the pot and had no signs of it being straight out the roast as well as no flavour, no seasoning and no definition, just bland boiled pork. The egg also had a problem: it went cold by the time I bit into it. But on the bright side I still was able to finish the ramen bowl with some degree of relish and it was very filling for the most part. Overall, the food itself could have room for improvements in the future but at least they are doing slightly better than average. Hanamaruya should focus more on the taste and the execution of the food before focusing on the presentation of the food. Speaking of presentation, I loved how this place is presented with the lanterns and a Japanese vibe. It's fair to give them a 3.5 out of 5 at most and I probably would come back here again to try out more dishes as their menu is huge!

Decided to come back to this place after a while to satisfy my Japanese cravings locally. Went with the taro yaki octopus balls as the entree and the negi miso chashu ramen as the main. Service was a bit bustling but otherwise they were amicable. Waiting time for the food was 8-10 minutes approx which came out simultaneously. Octopus Balls: on first sights they looked very appetising due to its presentation with the Japanese mayo and the flakes on top complimenting the balls nicely. I could tell they were premade in advance as they used fresh octopus in the balls from its tenderness and that they just re cooked it when it's ordered so it didn't taste as fresh as it could've but it was still enjoyable to eat along with the Japanese mayo and the flakes. A good start overall. Ramen: the miso pork broth was very thick and flavourful in miso pork which I liked but compromised the taste of the ramen noodles: due to the broth's thickness it wasn't able to absorb most... read more

I visit this restaurant every now and then, however recently the quality of the food has become very hit and miss. This was highlighted today, where I ordered the Chicken Nanban Bento. Despite my dish coming out in a timely manner, the chicken was very dry, as was the Agedashi tofu which barely had any sauce. I've also recently noticed that their servings of seasoned seaweed in the Bento boxes have also decreased. Overall, if you're really craving Japanese food, I would suggest to look elsewhere.

Half decent Japanese restaurant out in the suburbs. For the price and location hanamaruya will satisfy your itch for Japanese food however their huge menu I believe is what let's them down. My suggestion would be to focus on fewer dishes and refine those rather than trying for too much. Ramen lacks the love and attention of slow cooked flavourful broth which can be found at other Ramen joints closer to the city.

One of my favorite local eats. The spicy tuna tacos are my favourite dish here! The ramen is also good and scratches my ramen itch every time. Broth is creamy and flavour some, however lacks dimension to me. The sushi here is okay - sometimes I find that it could be more fresh but with a menu this extensive, you can't have everything perfect. Overall above average joint for some delicious Japanese in the heart of bankstown.