For our April 2019 meet up the Medellin Foodie Group decided to go to Hanami, a Japanese restaurant located in Poblado’s Lalinde neighborhood. Hanami’s good food and great service have kept them in business since June of 2014. Hanami offers four Teppanyaki tables, where they cook in front of you, as well as normal tables. Besides teppanyaki, they also have other Japanese plates such as ramen, sushi, and wok dishes.
This meet up was a big one with about 25 attendees. We did not all fit on one table, but we still had a great evening.
What is the verdict from our Foodies about Hanami? Read the reviews here:
Silvia and George:
We ordered Teppanyaki, one mixtos (with chicken, beef, and shrimp) and one with tuna.
We were not sitting on the Teppanyaki table but we still watched the spectacle. The chef seemed to really know his art. I found the preparation process very interesting and impressive to watch.
The food was also living up to the standard. The Teppanyaki mixto was better than the tuna one. The combination of the rice with the vegetables, the chicken, beef and shrimps was great. Everything was well cooked and flavorful. The beef was tender and still juicy. The tuna dish was good too.
The service was not bad, it took very long till we got our food but that is normal when you come with such a big group.
In general, I (Silvia) think Hanami is a great restaurant for Japanese food. The place has a nice interior design, a good variety of Japanese dishes, the service was friendly and the prices are good considering the quality of the food and the fact that this is a high-end restaurant in an upscale area.
Andrew (Vegan):
First of all, the location is very easy to find. It’s right next to Federal Ribs, a street above Carmen restaurant.
Second, the restaurant itself is nice. Half is inside and half is outside. It’s covered, so even if it rains, it won’t be a big deal. Also, they have 4 teppanyaki tables, each sit 6 people comfortably.
Third, the service. It’s no wonder they’ve been open for about 5 years now. The staff is well trained. And they turn out dishes quickly.
Now on to the food!
For starters, I ordered the Edamame with sea salt.
You can tell that they were steamed because they were warm and soft, and the amount of salt was just right for me. I still think Cuon has the best edamame, they grill them in soy sauce and sprinkle sea salt. Overall, they are good.
My second starter was the veggie spring rolls.
We’ve been to a few Asian restaurants where I’ve ordered spring rolls, and this one ranks at the top for me. Although they are deep-fried they were not greasy and I liked the sesame seed they added to it. They were very tasty and the sweet and sour sauce was a great addition.
My first entre was the vegetarian sushi roll.
My bar with vegetarian sushi was set at the restaurant at the Marriott Hotel in El Poblado. The veggie sushi rolls at Hanami had vegetable tempura (if you tell them you’re vegan they’ll make them without egg). I liked that because it made them crunchy. I’m not running back for this sushi, it wasn’t very creative or out of the ordinary, just O.K.
My second entre was a stir-fried rice and vegetable dish that they made especially for me because there are no vegan dishes on the menu. The dish was normal. Nothing to write home about. I liked the fact that it wasn’t greasy and that the rice wasn’t overcooked. Again, it does not compare to Cuon’s green curry stir-fried rice.
For drinks, I ordered a couple of Coronas.
As a vegan, this place was O.K. A little pricey, I mean the edamame is $15,000, which is high in comparison to other places, but it makes sense because it’s located in an affluent neighborhood.
The great service and the Teppanyaki aspect makes me want to come back. I think it would be a great date place because you’re not just sitting there eating, there’s a little cooking show going on, which makes it more dynamic.
Darren and Wendy:
We ordered three sushi rolls, spicy tuna, tiger eye, and crispy salmon skin. They were served in a decorative boat and they were all delicious. This is one of the best sushi places in town and it’s really close to us, so we come here often. Definitely a recommendation!
Pat:
This is a wonderful Japanese choice. It is attractive, the service was great. The waiters were handling the large crowd graciously and efficiently. I had the Ebi Tempura and enjoyed it very much. I will be back.
Brian and Ann:
We enjoyed our meals of octopus ceviche and shrimp tempura. We especially enjoyed the banana tempura with ice cream for dessert.
Maria Camila:
I had a fantastic octopus ceviche with a surprising topping of parmesan cheese that I really enjoyed. The octopus was perfectly bathed in lime juice and the consistency was excellent. It took three requests and about 45 minutes for me to get my dessert, but the banana tempura was worth the wait.
Don Lee:
I have had numerous meals at Hanami and the quality of the food and service is consistently good. I had the Teppanyaki mixto. The chicken, beef, and shrimp were cooked to perfection. Hanami is a restaurant I highly recommend!
Sandy and Jeanette:
We had the salmon, it was excellent, tasty and hot. The Teppanyaki mixto had a wonderful flavor. We highly recommend this restaurant.
Debbie:
I arrived at the restaurant first, so I could sit at the Teppanyaki table and see the chef cook. This turned out to be a big mistake. We were finally served long after everyone else had ordered, been served and had eaten. The expected show was a bit disappointing. A little knife work at the beginning but not a lot else. The food was good, but not outstanding. The best thing was the sauce served with the spring rolls.I would plan better if I return.
Brian:
Debbie summed up the teppanyaki experience for us. The food wasn’t bad, i enjoyed eating all the shrimp tails from everyone’s orders, and the salmon in my Ichiban combo was tasty. Octopus I had was also tender and tasty with some added sauce.
