hôntô

Wow, amazing!!! As soon as you walk in the place, it feels like you're walking into another world. The whole restaurant is dark and lit up with chandeliers everywhere. Will take a few moments for your eyes to adjust. Every dish we ordered was amazingly tasty and so fresh. the presentation on every plate is master class. We all thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered. They have a massive wine and sake on their menu. With the help of knowledgeable and experienced staff, we ordered white wine, sake, and red wine with our dinner. The service was fantastic and very friendly and tentative from start to finish. Highly recommend this restaurant, and booking is a must.

Every experience i’ve had here has been great. IMO one of the best value for quality restaurants in the valley. From the tucked away entrance to the warmly lit interior with central vision of the seafood preparation. The Japanese inspired banquet was both filling, provided variety of flavour profiles and cuisines, and was downright delicious. Personally loved the Chicken, Beef Salad and Oysters. Service was knowledgeable and attentive. Only critique was the lights were a bit too dark for my liking.

Incredible food, every dish was packed full of flavour. The ambiance is so lovely and the service is top notch. Had a beautiful dinner date. Very much recommend one of the banquets and it was really nice sitting on the bench and seeing how they prepare some of the dishes.

Went to celebrate an anniversary and I couldn’t of asked for a better experience. The atmosphere was perfect for this occasion, staff were extremely friendly and even put a candle on our ice cream. Very thoughtful and caring. We had the banquet and all the dishes were very high quality.

_5/5 Stars: A Culinary Masterpiece at Honto!_ I recently had the pleasure of dining at Honto, and I must say, it was an unforgettable experience. The $84 per person banquet menu was an absolute steal, considering the exceptional quality and quantity of the dishes. Each course was expertly crafted, and the presentation was visually stunning. Here's a brief rundown of the dishes that left me in awe: 1. _Cucumber Sunomono_: A refreshing start to the meal, with thinly sliced cucumbers, perfectly balanced with a light, zesty dressing. 2. _Oyster, Red Rice Mignonette_: Freshly shucked, briny, and succulent, these oysters were a delight to savor, paired with a rich and tangy red rice mignonette. 3. _Whitefish Ceviche, Yuzu, Rice Cracker_: A masterclass in texture and flavor, with tender white fish marinated in a zesty, citrusy broth, paired with a crunchy rice cracker and a burst of yuzu flavor. 4. _Salmon Taco, Wasabi Cream, Cucumber_: A surprising twist on traditional Japanese cuisine, this taco was a flavor bomb, with crispy salmon, spicy wasabi cream, and refreshing cucumber. 5. _Karaage Chicken, Gochujang, Pickled Fennel_: Crispy, juicy, and addictive, these Japanese-style fried chicken bites were a highlight of the meal, paired with a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce and tangy pickled fennel. 6. _Steamed Pork Gyoza, Chilli Oil, Chives_: Pan-seared to perfection, these dumplings were filled with a delicious mixture of pork, and served with a side of savory chilli oil and fresh chives. 7. _Wagyu Brisket, Tomato Soy, Green Onion, Pickled Daikon_: Melt-in-your-mouth tender, this rich, flavorful brisket was slow-cooked to perfection, with a deep, satisfying flavor. (We opted for the upgrade to MBS5 Wagyu Striploin, Garlic Soy, BBQ Onion, which was an additional $25 per person, and it was well worth it!) 8. _Mixed Leaf Salad, Citrus Kombu Dressing, Sesame, Pickled Onion_: A simple yet elegant mix of fresh leafy greens, paired with a zesty citrus kombu dressing, nutty sesame seeds, and tangy pickled onion. 9. _Matcha and Chicory Soft Serve Swirl_: A sweet and satisfying conclusion to the meal, this unique soft serve ice cream was a delightful surprise, with a delicate, creamy texture and a subtle, herbal flavor. The culinary team at Honto, led by the talented Head Chef Ong, truly outdid themselves. Chef 👨🏼‍🍳Ong's expertise and creativity shone through in every dish, and his team's attention to detail and commitment to using only the freshest ingredients resulted in a dining experience that was nothing short of exceptional. The raw bar team, led by Ms. 🧑🏻‍🍳Bell and 👨🏼‍🍳Logan, also deserves special mention for their outstanding work in preparing the fresh seafood dishes. Our server, Junko, was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, happily answering our questions and making recommendations throughout the meal. Her exceptional service added to the overall dining experience, making us feel welcome and well taken care of. We also had the pleasure of enjoying some expertly crafted cocktails at the bar, courtesy of bartender Eve. Her creativity and skill behind the bar were impressive, and her drinks were the perfect complement to our meal. Wine was amazing… We would also like to extend our thanks to Manager Alex, who ensured that we had a wonderful table with a great view. It was a lovely touch to our already exceptional dining experience. A special thank you 😊 to Nara, who recommended Honto to us for dinner. Your recommendation was spot on, and we're so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience this incredible restaurant. We can't wait to come back and try more of their delicious dishes! In conclusion, the $84 per person banquet menu at Honto is an absolute must-try for any food enthusiast. With its exceptional value, impeccable service, and, most importantly, outstanding cuisine, this restaurant has earned a well-deserved spot on my list of favorite dining destinations. Don't miss out on this culinary masterpiece – book your table at Honto today!

Everything about this place is amazing. The food is fantastic, a little pricey, but worth it. The brisket was the best thing I think I have ever eaten, closely followed by the pork sando. Skip dessert and eat more food lol. Definitely recommended.

hôntô; nothing less than an experience. From the unassuming door at the end of an otherwise dank and dirty street, to the long (long!) darkened hallway lit only sporadically with retro-styled filament globes. Suspense builds and sets a moody tone before finally giving way to the open-plan dining room. Lit only by with candles, dim chandeliers/filament globes and the occasional flash and flame from the central cooking area, the dining area itself has clearly been designed with a specific vibe in mind. Black walls, floor, tables and chairs - broken up only by the brushed chrome carafes and pops of white from the menus and plates. A spectacle, but hell for anyone who doesn’t favour lowlight conditions. The food itself was fantastic - for the most part. Together we gorged ourselves on 9 different items, experiencing both highs and lows throughout the culinary journey. Some dishes to note - Coral Trout, Sweet Ginger, Avocado, Fresh Horseradish - With the inclusion of the ubiquitous Kingfish dish on every modern ‘trendy’ menu, opting for the Coral Trout instead seemed like a clear choice. With slightly more bite and creaminess, the raw trout was beautifully complemented by an acidic dressing, with dots of avocado purée peppering the plate. Torched Salmon Nigiri, Kabayaki, Wasabi Salsa & Tuna Nigiri, Masago Arare, Wasabi - 6 wonderfully smoky Salmon Nigiri, seasoned with a brush of soy and topped with a freshly prepared Wasabi Root Salsa - an absolute treat. The spicy brightness of the salsa cut through the richness of the torched salmon like a knife. Arguably the closest we came to ‘traditional’ sushi that night, and well worth its spot on the menu. In contrast, the Tuna nigiri instead presented an unexpected twist on the traditional dish. Rather than the slice of Toro/Otoro Tuna upon seasoned rice one might expect, the Tuna was instead minced and combined with other flavours, before being re-formed on top of the seasoned rice and topped with smattering of crisp pearls for much needed textural contrast. While texturally interesting, perhaps a single high quality cut of Tuna would have been equally satisfying - without the unnecessary complexity. Charred Snake Beans, Whipped Tofu, Crispy Chilli - The low point of the night. Despite the heaping plate of tangled snake beans being impressively dressed and topped with various sauces and accoutrement, sadly, that’s where the excitement ended - upon closer inspection, the beans were sitting in what can only be described as a shallow pool of oil, with no bean left un-coated. Attempting to de-tangle and eat the bean resulted in anything nearby being coated in the oil, whether it be the plate, cutlery, napkins - even the table itself falling victim to the oily onslaught. Flavour-wise, they were unremarkable, any semblance of flavour drowned out by the oppressive bitterness of the oil. Shiitake Caramel & Chocolate Ice Cream Sando - Proposing an interesting flavour combination, these ultimately didn’t land. Any semblance of Shiitake flavour was drowned out by the overpowering salted caramel taste - in a way this made the dish memorable in itself, as with each bite we were were more focused on the search for the elusive Shiitake, moreso than actually enjoying the otherwise serviceable icecream sando. As to be expected, the drinks list was extensive, featuring a variety of cocktails, spirits (especially Japanese whisky!), sake and wines. A fun note for Kill Bill fans - each cocktail is named after a line from the movie! ‘The Bride’ and ‘The Man from Okinawa’ both especially stood out and complemented the dishes perfectly. Overall, a wonderfully curated experience; the service was attentive without being overbearing, the drinks were fantastic, and the food was delicious - though not without inconsistencies. Mileage may vary over time, especially if the menu is changed seasonably and new items are introduced - but barring the snakebeans, I would happily recommend nearly every dish we had the pleasure of trying. An easy 4-4.5 - leave the beans, stay for the fish.

We’ve been to Honto a couple of times and it’s definitely one of my favourite restaurants! There’s basically no bad choices on the menu, but I do have to say the charcoal chicken is a little bit boring. We ordered salmon tacos, prawn sushi and prawn toast for entrees, then ordered a second round of salmon tacos with the snapper and side of eggplant for our mains. It was plenty of food and everything was 10/10. We tried a couple of cocktails and sakes, with one staff member being really helpful with choosing sake we would like. The only negative of the night was not having time for dessert. For the first time in my life, I had a server ask if we wouldn’t mind skipping dessert because we were coming close to the end of our sitting. I am not sure if it was a really busy night, but we did have to wait for him to come and take our order, so it was a bit disappointing that we may have had time if he was a bit quicker with service. Overall though, still LOVE this place and we will be back. Budget $250ish for two people to enjoy entrees, mains and a couple of drinks each.

Honto was special. A friend tipped me off to an amazing Japanese restaurant tucked away in a back alley. I was skeptical but gave it a shot. It was fantastic. Inside was dimly lit and wonderfully decorated. We sat at the bar and watched expert chefs prep sushi all night. The food was delicious, portions were plentiful and we left satisfied. Reasonable prices and great service topped it all off. Americans, don't hesitate to try this place. You will love it!

One of the best restaurants I've ever tried in Australia. Class from start to end. Highly recommend.