New Zealand Herald

Reviews for Musashi Japanese Cuisine

by Doug C.
5th November 2011

This business is a MenuMania SponsorOne of the Business' Favourite Reviews

The very best Japanese Restaurant in Auckland. Exquisitely presented range of delightful cuisine in a delightful warm and ambient restaurant. The service is impeccable. We have been to this establishment many times, both before and after the change in branding, and it still surpasses anything else in Auckland.

by Jane
10th January 2013

Fantastic quality and value! I lived in Japan four years and married a Japanese guy, and we both love this place.

You have to book ahead to get a table, and the only gripe I have are the acoustics, which make it hard to hear if there is a larger group in there. The tables could be a bit further apart too, ideally.

But the food is outstanding, portion sizes generous (whoever thought they were small should try some Japanese dining in Ponsonby – I won’t mention restaurant names), and the menu innovative and tasty. Service is awesome too.

Ahhhh the difference you get when a Japanese restaurant is actually run by Japanese.

Musashi is high quality and authentic, one of the best Japanese restaurants in Auckland, and great value for money.

I just wish they could find a larger space with better acoustics so they can spread the tables out and allow for quieter, private conversations.

by mailgina
30th November 2012

I have eaten here a few times over the last year and enjoyed many take outs. I have to agree with the majority of other reviewers, in that the food is fantastic. The restaurant is small, busy but very comfortable and can still be very intimate with the tables down the back. I like it. It’s aldo BYO. My only disappointment is that communication over the phone is difficult at times, and that the set menus are NOT an option for take out. Very good value usually, unless you want the vegetarian set menu to take out, amounting to about $54 instead of $29 if I eat in! I don’t quite understand that! Please add it to you Take Away menu. Problem solved;)

by Natalie
4th October 2012

I organised a work dinner here last night for 15 and was very impressed by all aspects.

We had 14 of us with the set menu ($49.50pp) which also included an item of the main menu list and 1 guest who just chose 2 dishes from their extensive menu.

The Set Menu came out very quickly once all our guests arrived and the wait staff were even happy to cook some of the raw seafood for our not so adventurous guests. The food was all delicious, hot and came out very fast. By the end of the meal our team was very satisfied (AND FULL!) and all had an enjoyable evening.

I would highly recommend – just be weary of the 2hour dining time restriction, we were not aware until the end of the dinner, had this been communicated earlier in the piece then I would have rated it 5stars for sure

WE WILL BE BACK!

by Rob F.
17th September 2012

This is one of our favourite restaurants in Auckland.

The environment is warm and cheerful. The staff are attentive, knowledgeable and very friendly.

We’ve visited many times and tried just about everything on the extensive menu. Everything is delicious, beautifully presented and we love the way food is brought to you as soon as it’s ready. Some of the dishes are even cooked in front of you on the table (the curries are fantastic!).

The restaurant is a little on the pricey side but it’s well worth it. Remember to book, Musashi is always busy.

by Anita
13th June 2012

Wonderful place. We were very impressed. It was very busy on a saturday night, but we were seated at a very cute table down the back.
There was nothing amazing about the dishes, but presentation and service were great !!!
We ordered from a set manu, which was costly, but we found it to be well worth it.
Its nice to treat yourself sometimes.

Recomend

by Karen R.
14th April 2012

Best Japanese food I have ever eaten to date. Honestly, each dish was incredible…We chose 5 small plates to share between the two of us.
Starting with the Shrimp Olive Edamame: Pan-fried shrimps and the most perfectly flavoured and cooked edamame, with big juicy Kalamata olives, and crispy little garlic ‘chips’.

Then, came the Salmon belly. Wow. Honestly, it was only $6.50… and is the best $6.50 I’ve spent all year. Incredible. I wish I had a better vocab to explain how the salmon just melted in the mouth, and the sweetness and saltiness of the sauce (what was that amazing sauce?!) hit all the right ‘high notes’ and ‘bass notes’ and really… I want to go and have that Salmon belly every weekend for the rest of my life.

Just when we thought food couldn’t get any better, along came the Pan-fried eggplant with sweet miso sauce. Heaven. It was so succulent and juicy, I wished I had a spoon to scoop it up with… but we both managed to get the thing loaded onto chopsticks.

By comparison to everything else, the tempura battered vegetables had the least ‘Wow’ factor – maybe because we already know how much we love Japanese tempura veges, and they were very good. Though personally I liked the kumara ones least, and lusted after the sole courgette which my partner woffed down before we realised there was only one of each vege (then we started splitting each vege in half – tricky with chopsticks… and a bit uncouth & European with our fingers. LOL! But we managed it.)

And then came the Wasabi flavored teriyaki chicken and avocado. So delicious. Again… hitting all those different tastebuds in my mouth. I’m supposed to be a vegetarian now. But it knocked me off the wagon, I’m afraid. It had a garlic vinegar soy dipping sauce. And I’ve NEVER tasted avocado done like that.

What a magnificent meal.
Staff were attentive, friendly & helpful. Only thing missing was our Japanese shout-out from the kitchen when we arrived (they must have all been looking the other way at that moment), as they did the welcome shout in unison for every other guest who arrived after us. I love that.

Oh, and I must mention I was impressed that our waiter mentioned to us not to eat the pods around the edamame beans, and they also gave us a wee slip of paper warning us about bones in the salmon belly. Very thoughtful.

A couple of beers, a wine, and five dishes came to about $80. Not bad at all, considering the top notch food.

I like the red-brick wall interior. The space was warm & warmly-lit. And oh Lord, when we walked in the door, the aromas were devine.

Look, honestly, we’ll have to get more date-nights out, because I can’t stay away from this food for long.

by Kerry M.
17th January 2012

Simply put…Not good. Service was not good, sushi and sashimi was not good and the atmosphere was not good. Extremely overpriced as well. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone! I eat a lot of Japanese food and this is the worst I have had since I have lived in Auckland.

by glenn e.
9th December 2011

We visited this local last night after hearing great things, well i am sorry but we have to disagree, the food was average, more like what you would expect from a sake bar than a restaurant.The sushimi was not as fresh as it should be and the sushi that the waitress cooked at the table with a butane torch tasted of butane, not such a great idea, neither was the use of surimi.What made it all the worse was the lack of cleaning, the fabric squabs on the chairs were so filthy they felt alive, and the whole place looked tired and in need of a good scrub up.The staff were friendly if not a bit like a Japanese version of faulty towers.

by L L.
17th July 2011

We enjoyed the Winter Special Set Menu and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The food was well cooked, well presented, and really tasty.. Good service, and child-friendly (we had my two year old son with us, and they provided colouring in, as well as felts). Would highly recommend dining here..

by katie w.
18th June 2011

after re-branding, the menu has been totally changed and less to choose. but food was still fabulous. ive went for lunch i had teriyaki chicken on heat pot bento and my friend had salmon shabu shaby set. it was really yummy and their service is still 5star quality! their dessert is bulee has been deliciously caramalized. i would recommend to everyone!

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