When I walked into Harusaki Sushi and saw the image of the Honey Chicken on their TV, I knew that I had to try it. Harusaki Sushi specializes in Japanese cuisine, specifically sushi, with over 40 items on the menu.
As an entree, the Honey Chicken came with an order of miso soup and fried rice. The miso flavor was too strong, and isn’t something that I would order again. Though I usually love fried rice, I was sadly disappointed with this version. The rice tasted as if it was soaked in soy sauce, which I have never experienced before, and I didn't like it. It also had no protein or vegetables in it, so it also is something that I would not order again.
The Honey Chicken, however, did not disappoint. When I saw the amount of chicken on the plate I was shocked because of the low price point and large portion size. I really felt like I was getting good bang for my buck. It was served with steamed broccoli that tasted amazing. The chicken itself tasted delicious because of the sweet yet tangy sauce that was the perfect amount of savory paired with the crunch of the chicken. The dish felt well-rounded and complete with all of its elements. My friends and I shared this and by the time we left, it was all gone.
I also got the Crab Stars, which came with eight. Since Crab Rangoon is one of my favorite foods, I am very particular about this dish, and I loved them. The crab to cream cheese ratio in the wontons was spot on, and when paired with the duck sauce made the best bite.
Lastly, I tried their North Carolina Signature Roll, which came with eight pieces of shrimp tempura, crab salad and tempura flakes wrapped with soybean paper in spicy mayo, eel sauce and honey wasabi. This is compared to their classic rolls which only have six pieces. I was happily surprised with how good this roll was. I could tell every ingredient chosen for this roll was well thought out, as all the flavors came together in every piece. The shrimp tempura was cooked perfectly and adds the crunch the dish needs. It was my first time having crab salad — made of imitation crab meat, mayonnaise and celery — and it was an amazing combination. The way it’s so neatly rolled just makes the flavors blend together without flaw. As a person who doesn't like too much spice, the spicy mayo was able to pull every bite together with just the right amount of kick.
I would rate Harusaki Sushi an 7.8/10 because although every item I got was delicious, minus the miso soup and fried rice, none of the items blew me away except for the Honey Chicken. If I went there again, I would reorder the Honey Chicken, but I would explore the menu more to see if I missed any hidden treasures the first time around. I would recommend it to anyone, considering it has great prices, is a nice family environment and is only ten minutes away from the Elon University campus.
If you have any questions or a review idea, please reach out to me at ekeefe5@elon.edu.