Sushi lovers, rejoice! This past July, Hana Sushi and Teppanyaki opened on College Hill. As much as we love playing salmonella roulette every time we grab sushi from Lower, we on the editorial staff decided to explore Hana’s wide menu.
Hana offers both take-out and eat-in options. We opted for eat-in to get the full experience. The restaurant is accessible, with both a ramp and staircase leading up to the door. The interior is bright, clean and pleasantly decorated.
We started the meal with two types of gyoza: shrimp and veggie. The group unanimously preferred the shrimp option, which we had fried as opposed to steamed, because of its crunch and strong flavor.
Then came the sushi, and lots of it. Our rolls were brought out on a wooden boat complete with edible flowers, vegetable garnishes and even a color-changing ice cube. This gave the feel of a high-end restaurant without the exorbitant price tag.
We wanted to sample signature rolls specific to Hana as well as classic favorites. The California roll and spicy tuna roll were both solid, although some members of our group would have preferred more spice on the latter. The Philadelphia roll featured the perfect ratio of salmon to cream cheese for a refreshing combination. All the rolls that contained tempura were impressively crunchy, including the spider roll. Each dish came with wasabi, ginger and an arrangement of shredded carrots.
Our signature rolls were certainly the main event. Our friendly and attentive server recommended that we try the kamikaze roll and transformer roll. The prior was decadently stuffed with crispy shrimp tempura, crab stick, avocado and cucumber all drizzled with spicy mayo. The transformer roll, which was the favorite of several people in our group, included spicy scallops and crab sticks inside the roll, plus salmon, eel and tobiko on top.
We also ended up trying out the pink lady roll, which featured spicy tuna and shrimp tempura. Delightfully, this roll came wrapped in light pink soybean paper and was arranged in the shape of a heart.
Another favorite item was the spicy tuna bomb from the appetizer menu. Picture a hollow ball of tempura filled with avocado and spicy tuna, sliced into fours and drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce. It was a visual enigma, but a culinary feat.
Hana also offers a variety of teppanyaki and poke bowl options including build-your-own bowls and signature menu items. For the vegetarian population of College Hill, Hana has a number of meat-free options in all areas of the menu. There is a range of options for everyone from the sushi beginner to the most adventurous of eaters.
Besides the delicious food, one of the best features of Hana is its affordability. A classic roll goes for about $5, and the more lavish signature rolls go for just above $10. This low price point is important for college students looking to indulge in their favorite foods on a budget. Hana is also conveniently located at 218 Cattell Street, right across from Wawa.
Hana offers online ordering and is open seven days a week. If you’re looking for a variety of delicious, budget-friendly sushi and other Japanese cuisine, make the trip over to Hana Sushi and Teppanyaki.
