Shauna Eats Sunnyside

Holy Hanami!

tonight B and I took some friends to eat at Hanami, a new nepalese/sushi restaurant on the north side of queens blvd b/w 39th and 40th sts.

nepalese/sushi restaurants may seem unusually scarce in some areas, but in sunnyside, we’ve got TWO, and both manage to pack house on a nightly basis with a lively majority of nepalese descendents and sushi fans alike. this post isn’t about the steadily declining quality of raw fish and table service at the decked-out ‘06-established Yeti of Hiezian (on the south side of queens blvd b/w 43rd and 44th sts)… more to come on that foolishness later. i am here solely to share our FOURTH delightful experience at the new family-operated Hanami, a lesser-known gem set to take the neighborhood by storm.

from what i can gather, hanami refers to a japanese “cherry blossom viewing.” nice sentiment, but not the stuff legends are made of. Yeti’s mascot is a Himalayan snow monster, for christ’s sake.

but we won’t go there. the storefront of Hanami - rather unassuming, with standard neon tube lighting and a somewhat distracting multicolored “grand opening” banner obscuring a chic wood door:

*notice the moped - you’re damn right they deliver.

our grand entrance - now, keep in mind, B and i have been here several times - every waiter/waitress/busboy/sushi chef made a point to approach and greet us with a smile, and we were promptly ushered to a four-top. at this point, circa 8:30pm on a sunday night, the restaurant was not yet half full, but all we see are asian/nepalese faces. we always take this as a good sign.

the interior decor is well-done, but not over the top. plants and flowers adorn nearly every table, creating a noticeable natural theme complemented by the dim red mood lighting and upbeat top-40s coming over the speakers. for some reason, it works. nice touch on the drop lattice ceiling woven with faux ivy, which creates an illusion of space that may easily have been overlooked. the wood and glass sushi counter is spotless.

our beaming waiter, who told us he is the sushi chef’s brother-in-law, brought us tall cups of water, complimentary potted cups of hot green tea (plus refills) and a free bowl of warm, salted edamame. yes, it’s true. great way to start our evening… the edamame was tender and perfectly seasoned. needless to say, it didn’t last long.

content with our freebies, we ordered six sushi rolls for the group, two hot sakes and four Sapporos to celebrate the night with a few light bombs. our waiter urged us to try a nepalese appetizer, as well, so with little cajoling we agreed on some beef momo. oh, and what MOMO it was.

juicy, succulent, tender, perfectly steamed and brought to our table in a bamboo basket … and the SAUCE. sweet lord, the sauce! our waiter guaranteed satisfaction with the tomato-based pepper sauce he said is made with love and lots of garlic by his sister-in-law. freakin delish.

(rock-paper-scissors for the last dumpling) - scissors beat paper, suh-WEEEET!

D and I actually licked our plates.

now on to the sushi. i’m not one of those once-in-a-blue-moon sushi eaters who orders every glitzy roll under the sun then marvels at all of the pretty colors. but dammit, doesn’t this just bring a tear to your eye?

(clockwise from top) a yellowtail jalapeño roll, the perfect combination of crispy green pepper bite without crippling heat or fishy aftertaste; the green river roll, spicy tuna inside topped with avocado, special sauce and masago; a spicy shrimp tempura roll with THREE special sauces (one is definitely ketchup, fuckin genius!!); pink lady roll, a knee-weakening tang of smoked eel and avocado inside topped with salmon, avocado and masago; and the samurai roll, which marries hearty, slightly heavier mackerel with a thin, palate-cleansing slice of ginger and scallions. our philly roll (smoked salmon and swirl of cream cheese) came on a separate plate.

table consensus was that the pink lady roll packs a surprising punch with the double-avocado+eel combo. a lot of spicy tunas go wrong, but the green river roll has a great texture and remains light and flavorful without going overkill on the sauce. Hanami’s shrimp tempura is fried well, and does not retain greasiness or a potential sog-factor that would indefinitely rule it out, in my book.

once the sushi was gone, we tapped out on the dessert menu. another time, Hanami. another time. we were literally stuffed silly, aided and abetted by our free green tea refills and the sake bomb haze we each slipped into before dropping a VERY reasonable $16.50 per person and waddling our sushi-gorged selves home for some white tea and pastries.

before leaving, i assured the staff that we would return soon. it’s just that kind of a place. you want to know why these people are so happy, so pleased to serve you, so gracious. you want to be a part of it. Hanami has filled the space in my heart that Yeti never seemed to occupy… a space where we can grow. and I have a feeling that this may be the start of a beautiful life together.