Hana Chef Lori Hashimoto semi-finalist for James Beard Award, Best Chef: Southwest   |||   humbly posted 01/20/23
Hana Japanese Eatery named to inaugural “Food Nerd Approved”   |||   humbly posted 02/13/13
Food Nerd Approved differs from a typical “Best Of…” designation in that it is not simply an an empirical measure of excellence, but rather it denotes on a very personal level the places that have captured the adoration of this community of Phoenix-based food enthusiasts
Read from our nominations here.
We’re honored to be on this list of truly amazing eateries, amongst other chefs who love their work and are proud to feed people’s souls as well as their bellies. Thank you, Phoenix Food Army, thank you.
Arizona Republic Names Hana “Best Restaurant of Devoured” 2012   |||   humbly posted 01/31/13
The Hana team went all out at Arizona’s premier food festival, cooking up a showstopping array of dishes.
Yellowtail with daikon radish was a lively curtain-raiser. The superb kushiyaki — skewered beef, pork, chicken and shishito peppers grilled over binchotan, the fragrant Japanese oak charcoal — got the fans on their feet.
But what brought the house down was the shooter of uni (sea urchin) and quail egg in yuzu sauce: simply elegant and elegantly simple.The Hashimoto family has been serving some of the best sushi in Phoenix at its midtown restaurant since 2007. Chef Koji focuses his work on doing what is excellent over what is easy, and that attention to detail launches Hana well above average Japanese restaurants.
Hana goes for fresh grated wasabi over the pasty stuff mixed from powder, and flies in fish from the deep seas off Hawaii whenever possible. From shining sashimi, to spicy bowls of ramen, to delicacies like grilled, fatty yellowtail collar, everything tastes even better knowing a cheerful Hashimoto prepared or served the food.
-We LOVE being at Devoured each year. We hope you’ll visit us again this year for more Hana craziness!
Phoenix Magazine Names Hana “Best of Valley” Slider   |||   humbly posted 01/31/13
Best Slider
Monkfish Slider at Hana Japanese
Use your teeth to slide this delicacy off the lemon slice for an eye-popping display of flavor. It starts with a disc of steamed and chilled ankimo (monkfish liver) splashed with sesame oil. The creamy ankimo, sometimes called “the foie gras of the sea,” is topped with a fried quail egg, scallion, daikon, strips of nori (toasted seaweed) and a touch of spice from Sriracha. Utterly delicious.
-Thanks, Phoenix Magazine! Come back anytime and if you liked the Ankimo Slider, just wait until you try this year’s Uni Shot!
Zagat Names Hana Japanese Eatery Top Ten Restaurants in Phoenix/Scottsdale   |||   humbly posted 01/31/13
Zagat has selected the top rated restaurants for food in Phoenix-Scottsdale based on our most recent survey. This list includes the Phoenix-Scottsdale restaurants rated best for food as listed in our Phoenix-Scottsdale guide.
-We’re always thrilled to maintain a stellar Zagat rating but this was a special treat. Thanks for the recognition, Zagat! To read our Zagat reviews, click here.
Travel + Leisure Names Hana Japanese Eatery in Best Sushi Restaurants in the U.S.   |||   humbly posted 01/31/13
While Phoenix boasts plenty of trendy places serving rolls upon rolls of rice wrapped in seaweed and fish, only a few stand out. At Hana, which is located in a nondescript strip mall, you feel like you’ve randomly walked into someone’s personal dining room. That changes when you taste chef Koji Hashimoto’s sushi, whether it’s red snapper or mackerel, with fish regularly flown in and artfully prepared. Standouts include the Hana roll with shrimp, crab, and pickled root with tempura flakes. You’ll feel like a regular after your first visit.
-Thank you, Travel + Leisure!