Hashi – Or One Girl, Six Bowls

People say that after visiting Japan the experience stays with you forever and you never quite leave. I’ve been bitten — scratch that, mauled — by the Japanese bug three times. When you return from Japan you still see signs of it everywhere. And if it isn’t obvious, you begin to seek it out.

Recently I found a new Japanese café called Hashi – or rather, it found me. I was heading out for a bite when I saw their flyer had been slipped under my door. Noticing they had Lunch Sets, I picked up my pace to a sprint.

If you’ve ever been to Japan you’ll undoubtedly be familiar with Lunch Sets, or setto. I don’t know about you, but when a collection of dainty bowls filled with food get placed in front of me, I go to my happy place.

Hashi has ten sets and a selection of entrees and mains such as Ramen, Curry Don, Gyoza, Takoyaki Balls and Okonomiyaki, a sort of Japanese pancake. I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken Set ($11.70, thanks to a current 10% off promotion) and soon my setto started arriving in all its multi-bowl glory.

Hot sticky rice, sweet oniony Teriyaki, fresh sushi, steaming miso soup, the obligatory pickled ginger and radish, and a green salad topped with a tangy dressing which took me right back to lunchtime in Hiroshima.

With six bowls of food before you, it’s inevitable that you’ll look like a very hungry octopus. Fortunately, Hashi is the sort of unpretentious place where this doesn’t matter. I’ll definitely be back for the Gyoza and Takoyaki ultimate test!

Hashi
Ground Floor, 28 Wills Street, Melbourne
9602 2772
Mon – Fri 7:30am – 9:30pm
Sat 11am – 9pm