Hatsune is, whether you think so or not, one of the most successful foreign owned restaurants in Beijing. They must be doing something right to outlast 99.9% of their competitors. Consistency, quality, and service are normally the hallmarks of a successful business and with Hatsune it's no different. Do I think it's the most remarkable sushi I've ever eaten? No. Is it good enough for me to return over and over for the last three years? Yes.

For all you die-hard Hatsune fans, there is a secret menu that was created for and dedicated entirely to you.

For anyone who knows me or anyone who comes into Hatsune and wants a recommendation for something different, something new, I’m quick to let you in on the scoop – on all the goodies you won’t find on the regular menu.

Maybe I shouldn’t let the secret out, but I figure who ever reads this, most likely already knows me and also knows Hatsune’s reputation for making Bomb Sushi Rolls. So I figure I ought to reward you somehow for reading my blog – just one of the many perks for all those following LumDimSum. :)

A Little List of My Favorite Hatsune ‘Secret Menu’ Items:

1. The South Beach Roll 南海卷- Fresh Scallops with spicy tuna topped with seared maguro with unagi sauce
2. G-roll G卷- Soft-shelled crab roll topped with torched unagi and white tuna topped with special sauces. **If you like the Moto-Roll-Ah, you’ll LOVE the G-Roll, which is basically a pimped-out version of the Moto-Roll-Ah.
3. Nokia Roll 诺基亚卷- Shrimp Tempura Sushi Roll topped with Uni
4. Japanese Burrito 墨西哥卷- Burrito with spicy chicken, guacamole, sour cream **only available at The Original Hatsune at Guanghua Lu

Tonight I got to try a new secret roll Alan had only recently revealed to me:

* The Q Roll Q卷- I’m not telling you what’s in it to keep it a surprise for any of you who have yet to try it. But if you like Unagi, I will warn you now: that there is a high risk that you will become a Q Roll-addict.

Bon Appétit!

Brought to you by LumDimSum. For more reviews & insight to Beijing's party & foodie scene, check out www.lumdimsum.com :)

The newly opened Hatsune restaurant at the Village in Sanlitun is most probably going to become one of the dining hotspots there, as they have actually managed to really produce the goods in a setting that is slightly unusual (seas of dangling (paper?) fishes from the ceiling) and in one of the few places in Beijing that seems to be a moderately successful ’shopping mall experience’.

The original Hatsune is on Guanghua Lu and they recently celebrated their fifth birthday @the Village with an overdose of everything for very cheap, which I sadly had to miss.

Hatsune is essentially Californian Japanese food, so they are big on the hand rolls and are not overly Japanese in the look of their place. But it is pretty good, open plan so the people gazers can gaze and the MePeople can be gazed upon, with lots of things to look at in the decor of the place. Only false note is the somewhat intrusive and occasionally dissonant jazz lounge vibe being pumped, this is of course meant to reflect the modernity of the place, but jazz lounge can be highly irritating.

Food: fresh, the salad is so fresh and crisp it may be on drugs :mrgreen: the rolls (we tried eel and sashimi shrimp) were perfect, tasty and crisp on the inside of the roll. In the past at the old location some of the rolls were way too rich and not always served cold enough, giving the impression that they had been left lying around (and once leaving us with the queasy feeling that that is what happened), but not here. I deliberately avoided the richer rolls because of this past experience. The nigiri sushi platter was extremely good, with the fish having real substance and feeling in the mouth, not just merely the feeling of not being unfresh yet, but actually having the buttery feel and slightly springy texture of the real deal, very nice surprise there. The tempura is not perfect, having too much batter, but the contents are very good and the oil used is clean in taste.

Service is friendly and was very nice with the child, despite him deciding he really like the sofas and practicing bouncing around them all the time.

Expect to pay essentially a minimum of 200RMB/person esp if you get drinks, however as a place to go for something a bit special, this is one to try for sure, let’s hope they keep their standards up.

Hatsune is in Building number 8 – 3rd floor, next to Element Fresh, the door is wooden and of japanese reminiscence and I don’t remember seeing any signs saying it was Hatsune 8-O

I suspect that get to Hatsune quick, it may well be that the quality does not stick once fame and fortune are achieved, which will not be long. And yes, it is not Japan, don’t expect to find Kyoto sashimi quality, but it is cheaper than the airfare to Kyoto.

Not sure why there are so many mediocre reviews. I've never had a bad meal here...

The quality of the fish is as good, or better, than most 5 star hotels here.

The service is good (maybe not great).

The prices are a bit higher than nearby sushi bars, but the food is just so much better.

I'm sure the sushi in Japan is better. Just not at these prices...

One bad review and the owner will swing into action and get huge number of positive reviews going in not only in beijinger but in couple of other websites !

The media of Beijing is taken care by the owner -whether its cityweekend or beijinger or you name it some chinese top media guys. So they continue to write for COMMERCE ..not Conscious !

They r invited for free eats and booz and and more (the hongbaos! (the red envelopes with cash ) ! So its a media management the owners are very good at.

The decor at the new place is terrific and so also their wait staff ,no complains about it.

Guess if they focuss on the quality of food and get better quality chefs to manage the business. And price the food based on the taste and the quality of the food.

Otherwise , all know what happens when customers are dissatisfied !They wont be loyal to you the media guys though will continue to be loyal !

Fab food.
Dangerous Steps all over the place-WHY?
No Bathroom-WHY?? Typical Chinese too mean to spend any money for the benefit of there paying customer's!!!
Three drinks ordered-did not have?
Poor Service- untill i complained to the near invisible quiete as a church mouse manager.
Visit again because the food was so good, i wonder if the other reviews i've read here actualy visited the same place or it could have been an 'off'night for Hatsune.

The owners as I have been following from the press are too bussy doing so many things and the finer details always get missed like the step ! It is dangerous.

Reading the review I remembered my experience too, and still they have not done ! which was quite sometime ago, only shows the apathetic attitude of the owners to its busines.
But the owners have huge funds and create classy decors ! and people pay for such upscale joints to impress their dates! food could be average , how does that matter !

Definitely the best place to get sushi in town, deco is just not like your average Japs resto, service is great. Worth every penny!

Whenever I go there and look at the menu, just would like to order up everything on it.