Restaurant Review

Genki Sushi is a chain of Japanese sushi conveyor belt restaurants that is headquartered in Japan, and extends to the United States, Hong Kong, Philippines, Australia, and many other countries. Hong Kong had the liberty of opening over 15 stores in Hong Kong, with most of them being in the New Territories. Genki Sushi has always had a reputation of being packed with people, with queues that last at least an hour no matter what time of day it is. The sushi, sashimi, and various japanese foods are always known to be deliciously fresh. 

Upon entering the restaurant on a weekday, I was shocked to see that it was mainly empty, despite it being the peak lunch hour. However, I was able to quickly deduce that this was due to the current Covid-19 situation as well as political conflicts which has caused Genki-lovers to boycott the restaurant.

My parents and I were quickly ushered by a polite waitress to the nearest four-seater table. The restaurant atmosphere was quite loud, even though there were few customers. Anime Japanese music was playing in the background to compliment the dim, yellow lighting. I was relieved to find the table prepared with condiments such as soy sauce and wasabi.  I immediately started preparing for my meal – concocting my sauce with wasabi and making all you can drink, steaming hot green tea. The good thing about self service is that you can control the amount of ingredients you add into your meal. Though the green tea was hot, it was surprisingly refreshingly effective in relinquishing my thirst. 

Genki’s service is extremely efficient. To order, you use your phone to scan a QR code that brings you to a menu offering a variety of sushi, rice, dons, udon/ramen, drinks, and desserts. I was in the process of selecting my usual order, a few plates of sushi, but stumbled upon a lunch set menu that I have never seen before. It seemed to be of good value, and so with my starving tummy grumbling to hurry me, I selected the Salmon and Salmon Roe with Wasabi Sauce Don Lunch Set ($62 HKD), as well as a Steamed Egg Custard with Seafood ($20 HKD). Within minutes of ordering, our food came in a speeding train. After taking the plates off the train, it retreated to the kitchen with a press of a button. 

The steamed egg custard was the first to arrive. I quickly removed the cover, and was delighted at the presentation. There were tasty mushrooms and a small abalone upon the surface of the custard. The egg custard itself was just the right temperature to not burn my tongue, but still be satisfying. It was smooth and richly infused with egg flavor which wasn’t overpowering. I quickly finished that up, drinking every last bit of the soup that came out of the custard as my lunch set arrived. 

My lunch set consisted of a bowl of salmon don, two mini fried prawn balls, a miso soup, and a drink of choice. The aesthetically pleasing salmon don was disappointingly a smaller portion than I had imagined. As per usual, the salmon and salmon roe was cool and fresh, and the wasabi sauce was an excellent complement to the two. The japanese pearl rice was cooked just right, not too dry or wet. Although the portion was a bit small, I still had two fried prawn balls and a miso soup to try. The deep fried prawn balls were hot and crunchy on the outside, and there were mashed prawns inside. There was a salad sauce to dip the balls in, and it tasted of mayonnaise and ranch dressing combined. I would not recommend the prawn balls if you are not a fan of shrimp, which I definitely wasn’t. The prawn flavor was overwhelming and the dressing did not make it better. Lastly, the miso soup. It was warm to taste and was bursting with miso flavor. There was jiggly tofu, slices of seaweed, as well as tiny mushrooms inside the soup. I was satisfied. 

The bill (of my food) totaled to $90.2 HKD, with 10% service charge. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this restaurant, and give it a score 8.5/10. I really enjoyed my meal, and had a great time sitting in the comfortable seats. I’ve been here countless times, and it’s safe to guarantee that the seafood will always be freshly cut and served. The service is competent, and they do not have a eating time limit. However, I do think that it can be a bit pricey, so accept this fair warning! I will definitely be back to have a taste at the other treats!

Writing Process and Rough Draft

Reflection: I really enjoyed the whole process of this writing piece. I was able to go to one of my favorite restaurants, Genki Sushi, to give it a review. Obviously, I have had it many many times, but I was able to try something I haven’t had before and give that a review. Being able to use literature to describe all the aspects of having lunch was an interesting way to take in my food, but it was really fun and enjoyable. My friends even told me that I could become a restaurant critique (and I just might :).