I drive past Japanese Sashimi Bar Ajimi on my way to home most days and with the amount of Kanji on the shop front it was easy to mistake it as Chinese who run a Japanese restaurant but how wrong was I!
Ajimi happened to be another restaurant that was founded from Night Market. There are a few stalls in the night market that came from established eateries but now we are seeing a number of night market stallholders who are starting up their own bric-and-morter restaurants and cafes around town.
I visited this gem in Onehunga one night as I finished work and after seeing my friend posting photos of it in the afternoon. You walk into the restaurant and it looks like a traditional Japanese sashimi bar you can find in Tsujiki, wood frames, shared tables, retro posters. Playing old songs that makes people sing along to. All the staff also have a uniform that makes you feel like you are in Tsujiki. The menu is filled with items you can have alone but also to share.
I have tried a number of things but I didn’t get a chance to try everything. I’ve ordered a lot seafood inclduing Sanma, crab paste, soft shell prawns, and those juicy scallops – whch remind me of the scallops I can eat in Japan! Though the real delight was actually the buttered mushrooms which they have accidentally gave me. Who knew mushrooms can be this delicious!!!!
I didn’t like the crab paste as much though as there were still bits of shell in it which makes it difficult to swallow. The sanma was delicious and not overly salty, and same with the prawns.
If you love Sake this is the place to be. They have their own versions of Chu-Hi and I can see the Japanese customers on the other table couldn’t stop ordering. If I didn’t have to drive, I would love to try them!
This is a place I highly recommend and I will go again. There were so much to choose from, the staff were amazing and it is really authentic.
Venue: Japanese Sashimi Bar Ajimi
Address: Unit 2, 252-258, Onehunga Mall Road, Onehunga
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Japanese-Sashimi-Bar-Ajimi-384467781978681/ http://hawkerandroll.co.nz/
Amateur Auckland Foodie Review 