On the Menu: All sorts of scrumptious, fresh Japanese food from rolled sushi and nigiri (slices of raw fish on top of sushi rice) to plenty of seafood options, assorted snacks in tempura batter, vegetarian dishes such as deep-fried teriyaki tofu, and meat dishes that are pan-fried, deep-fried or grilled. I
liked the look of the kids' meals, too; Teriyaki Chicken Balls ($6.50) and Fish Tempura ($7.50).
To drink: Besides the standard choices of beer, wine, bubbles and non-alcoholic drinks, diners can choose from four Japanese sake and four Japanese plum wines. And, of course, there is traditional green tea. The wine menu has plenty of local labels: Mills Reef, Morton Estate and Lake Chalice. BYO charge is $4 a bottle.
I'll have: For starters, I ordered Yakitori ($10), which is char-grilled skewered chicken. The meat was nice, and became even better with a little soya sauce. As a main I wanted something I had not had before. Pikikara ($19) was the most unusual dish I could find on the menu. This is pan-fried white fish with fresh vegetables served with a spicy sauce of miso, chilli and garlic. It's my new favourite. I was delighted to discover there are ingredients other than wasabi that have a bite in the Japanese kitchen.
She'll have: To begin with, she chose Mussel Sakamushi ($9.00). Mussels aren't something I associate with Japanese cuisine but these were steamed with garlic and sake. That was rather interesting. As a main she went for the Grilled Eel ($18) which came in a cute Japanese box and was served with rice, miso soup and Japanese pickles.
She hadn't eaten eel since she was a little girl, when she used to catch them while camping with her family. This Japanese version of the fish tasted great and brought back precious memories.
For the adventurous: If Teriyaki Chicken is not your thing, why not try Tako Yaki ($7) as your entree, with chunks of octopus in deep-fried egg dumplings. If you are keen to eat something authentic and undoubtedly fresh, give the assorted sashimi ($18) a go. It's a chef's selection of sliced raw fish.
We shared: Owners Kim and Rachel created a fantastic dessert for us with Green Tea icecream, peach, pineapple, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. I am not a big fan of many icecream flavours so I was doubtful at first, but the green tea flavour was exceptional.
The staff: Waiter Se-Won Park and waitress Azusa were cheerful, knowledgeable and attentive. It was clear to see that every diner was treated as special.
The buzz: Rachel, who takes care of diners in the restaurant, and Kim, who reigns in the kitchen, took over Takara a few months ago. They have made some nice changes to the decor and take pride in serving fresh food with a smile.
Takara was always a good place to have a meal but we think they have lifted the bar even higher.
The verdict: The food is fantastic, the service excellent and the meals are very affordable. We love food made with fresh ingredients that has lots of flavour and is beautifully presented.
It's no wonder that Takara is so popular in Tauranga. It was packed on the wet Wednesday night we visited, so bookings are recommended.
The details:
Takara Japanese Restaurant
Where: 18 Hamilton St, Tauranga
Phone: (07) 579 4177
Open: Monday-Saturday, 11am-3pm for lunch; 6pm-late for dinner