Hanaya Fusion Cafe — Restaurant in Victoria

Closest food, atmosphere and hospitality outside of Japan you will get in Geelong. I have been through Japan 3 times now and planning our 4th and I won't eat anywhere else in Geelong. What I am disappointed in is the negative reviews. Clearly these people have never been to Japan and don't have the faintest idea about Japanese food. Even though these guys have bent it slightly to adjust to Australian taste this is the closest you will get outside of Japan. So before you give a bullshit review make sure you can back it up. Takoyaki is supposed to be underdone on the inside and crispy-ish on the outside so stop thinking you are about to get a piece of kfc fried chicken. You come here to experience culture. These guys know what they are doing. If you feel like you need to tell the Japanese how to cook their food then jump on a plane and tell them face to face in Japan. Record it too because we all need the laughter. By the way...I am a chef of 30 years that specialises in Japanese, Asian fusion and fine dining so hopefully it helps the more 'cultured' people or the people interested heading into Japanese cuisine for the first time make a great choice here instead of comparing it to your local drive through...

We LOVED everything about this place - from the bustling lunchtime buzz to the warm and friendly service, and even how small it was. And of course, the absolutely delicious food.

I had absolutely no expectations before coming here. Just thought it was another cute place to try! But gosh it might just be a new favourite 🤩🫶✨

Their menu had so many vegan options which I’m excited to come back to try ( something I don’t come across often with Japanese food ). I got the tofu rice bowl with Japanese curry and my partner got the chicken karaage Tonkotsu Ramen - and we barely spoke a word to each other ( there was some occasional ‘my mind is blown’ eye contact 🤭 ).

We also got edamame and dumplings to share as well as genmaicha tea. The depth of flavour in our dishes was really incredible and for the price point we feel like it was just so much value.

For how insanely busy they were and the limited staff that were on, their service was still so warm and genuine and I cannot wait to go back.

11/10...

A close friend took me to this cute little Asian inspired restaurant in Geelong. This hidden gem nestling in a quiet street corner and the food was absolutely delicious. 😍

My ramen was perfectly al dente, the broth was intense yet perfectly balance in flavour and it was beautifully presented. Just like they do in Japan. 🇯🇵🍜 My friend had his fav roti wrap and it was yum.

The real star of the meal was the coffee. ❤️☕️❤️ It was just delicious. Hanna took her time to prep the milk and ground with care even it was very busy. She told me she invested a lot of time testing and pairing various blend of coffee and the local milk to achieve taste. 😲

The young couple were buzzing away with a smile, serving their diverse local community with care. The lady sat next to me told me, she was so glad they took on the shop, which was vacant for a long time and bought some life to this part of town.

Please come and try out their menu. I was...