Lincoln Lunch: Japanese curry
(not my actual lunch) Months ago I saw a sign I could scarcely believe. A banner outside a strip mall at White Oak and Saticoy read "$3.99 curry lunch."
That's impossible, I thought as I sped by. A $5 lunch is rare, but $4?! Unheard of! I scribbled down the address anyway.
Yesterday I returned to the scene of this unusual offer and found the sign still hanging. So it wasn't a blitz promotion designed to make a splash. But was the serving size respectable? And was the food any good?
I traced the lunch special to Hanabi Sushi & Roll at the back of the strip mall and entered the restaurant to investigate. A server promptly brought me a menu, even though...
...copies are plastered underneath the glass-topped tables. I ordered the $4 curry lunch special and a bowl of miso soup in case the meal was tiny or terrible or both.
My soup arrived first. It had a decent flavor and more strands of seaweed than usual, which is a plus in my book. Next came a small cup of edamame. I almost blurted to the waiter that I had not ordered the boiled soybeans, which were $2.50, before realizing it was part of the lunch special. Score!
The downside was the edamame was room temperature and barely salted. I like mine warm with salt. Soon the waiter put a plate of hot curry over rice in front of me. On the side was a shredded cabbage salad with ginger-carrot dressing, one of my favorites.
The curry was thick and had potatoes, green peppers, carrots and a few small bits of chicken. It was slightly spicy and had a strong cumin flavor. The serving of curry and mound of moist rice was so large I could not finish them. I did not need the miso soup, after all.
Hanabi has high ceilings, blood red walls and a sushi bar. Everything was pleasant, but nothing extraordinary. On my way out I saw a "B" sign hanging in the doorway, which sums up my experience at Hanabi nicely. Good food, good service, good atmosphere, but not standout.
The lunch special is available Monday through Friday from 11 to 4. Visit Hanabi at 17711 Saticoy Street in Reseda. 818-342-7070.
About The Bargain Hunter
Daily News staff writer Julia Scott loves to find bargains on everything from groceries to Gucci. Her tips will help keep your hard earned cash where it belongs - in your pocket.
My Facebook Profile
Leave a comment