Nani mo itte inai nama no sakana no yona romansu

Haruki East

     Or for those of us who don't speak Japanese... Nothing says romance like raw fish! Apparently my boyfriend and I have made a habit of going out for sushi almost every Valentines day, and trust me I'm not complaining! This year was a little different though. Instead of going to our normal sushi bar, we went to Haruki East in Providence, Rhode Island.

Haruki East is a very small store front restaurant located on Wayland Ave in Providence. But don't let the exterior fool you, this is not your average sushi bar. Haruki offers a wide variety of sushi rolls, sashimi and main courses. I haven't really ventured into the main courses but what I have had has been outstanding.

Brendan eating Uni @ Sushi Bar

   

One of the main things I like about Haruki East is the atmosphere. If you go you have to sit at the sushi bar. Watching the sushi chefs make your plates and just interacting with them is an experience. I also enjoyed talking with some of the regulars at the sushi bar who recommended a few great plates that I would never have even considered. Brendan was very brave and tried Uni (raw sea urchin) and that even made the sushi chefs and the regulars cringe. Not going to lie I was impressed and proud of that (and no I didn't try it, it looked fuzzy). I was told to try the Hawaiian Albacore sashimi, and I am really glad that I did. The albacore had a very subtle taste to it but the texture was fantastic. Unlike tuna, the albacore basically melted into nothing. Although our main reason for going to Haruki was sushi, we also tried 2 appetizers.

Fried Dumplings and Tataki

Let's face it, when ever you go to a chinese/japanese restaurant you can't go wrong with the fried dumplings. The dumplings were very good and really crunchy, the dipping sauce was spicy and I could have definitely eaten a few more of them. We also decided to try the Beef Tataki. Beef Tataki is rare seared beef rolled with cucumbers and topped with ponzu and scallions. Ponzu is basically soy sauce infused with a citrus fruit like lemon or lime. To be honest I started dipping my Tataki in the dumpling sauce.

Katano Roll and Sashimi

Haruki's main chef, Etsuko Kurosaka, out did herself when she thought up the Harimi Poppers. Kurosaka was born in Japan and studied in California to become a chef. Her dishes reflect both the Japanese and Californian influences, I think the dish that does it the best are the Haremi Poppers. It's a new perspective on jalepeno poppers, with a touch of sushi. The peppers are stuffed with a sweet seafood salad, covered with fluke and topped with a soy sauce glaze. The poppers might sound really spicy but they are surprisingly sweet. If you have someone in your party who is unsure of sushi, have them try the poppers, they just might become a sushi enthusiast.

Haremi Poppers

If you are looking for a place to get great sushi and a pretty laid back atmosphere, Haruki is a great place to try. Haruki also has 2 other locations. I have only visited Haruki East in Providence but there is a location in Cranston and there is a Haruki Express in Providence as well (right off Thayer St). The Cranston location actually offers classes on sushi preparation 2 times a year as well as continuing education courses at Johnson and Whales University. So if you're interested in becoming a sushi chef, Haruki can help not only with great food but with great opportunities as well.