Ha-Ne Sushi

At Ha-Ne Sushi, the Curry Shrimp Roll delighted me with its strong flavor and unusualness, but the quality was much like the fried conch at Itamae. It’s common sense that fried food should never be left out for a long time, even if it is wrapped in sushi rice; the hot fried batter simply cools down and gets soggy. But just as before, I was too lazy and reluctant to ask for a fresh one. (The conveyor belt, with its freight of sushi-stacked saucers constantly whizzing by you, is simply too convenient. The middle man, although useful, becomes a hassle to deal with at all. It should be just about you and the food, right?).

The complex menu at Ha-Ne Sushi even puts the one at Hanaita to shame. Apparently, the Curry Shrimp Roll falls under the “America Roll” header in the multi-fold menu; other America rolls include the “Bostan Roll” and “Golden Shrimp Roll” (Golden because it’s draped, not drizzled, with yellow cheese). The “Aburimono” section clearly depicts seared sushi, such as “Aburi Kanikama,” or seared imitation crab (which I ordered), and Aburi Tarabagani (seared king crab), which sounded better but didn’t look as good in the photo. There were also Aburi Hirame (seared halibut) and Aburianago (seared sea eel). At some point, I am not sure when, I had to stop. My stomach couldn’t take anymore.

Overall, Hong Kong’s sushi, although seemingly tacky, bursts with flavor and new ideas, and possesses a whacked-out personality you just have to respect. If you wanted traditional-style in Hong Kong, you could order it. But not even Japan could—or would deign to—replicate the madness in Fragrant Harbor.

Next blog: Sushi in Seattle