“It’s easy and to the point,” said Jesse Howard, manager of Hana Kitchen, the Asian fusion restaurant that recently moved from its Haley Street location to lower State, in the former home of Mac’s Fish & Chip Shop.
This nicely sums up Hana Kitchen’s fare, which fills bellies while keeping wallets relatively full, as well. In the land of pricey small plates, this unpretentious outpost, which started in Isla Vista, serves those who may be on college-sized budgets and living downtown. Said Howard, “We have a $5 chicken bowl that will actually fill you up.”
Don’t be fooled by that dish’s “mini” title — this is an ample portion of freshly grilled chicken, served over a bed of white sticky rice and lightly stir-fried cabbage, broccoli, and carrots, dressed in scratch-made teriyaki sauce. The bowls can also be made with brown rice and, for protein, can feature either traditional Japanese-style beef, thinly sliced and marinated in house sukiyaki sauce, or soy-based vegan chicken.