In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe.

The atmosphere is…
A beautifully built wooden dining area with private booths and intimate tables.

Come here for…
Decent Japanese food right in the heart of the city. Izakaya style food, a little bit of fusion. They have a very well thought out drinks and snack combo menu worth trying.

The most interesting thing on the menu…

• Takowasabi (raw marinated octopus in wasabi)
  Unagi (grilled eel)

Unexpectedly wonderful…

• The chef’s choice of starters. A nice surprise and fun to discover and eat.

I would come back to try…

• The drinks/snack menu such as 2 pints of Orion beer and a plate of karaage fried chicken. A $30.95 value for $19.30.
  Drumming performance at 7.30pm on Fridays.

Catering to…
Japanese food lovers, adventurous food lovers. Some vegetarian options, but most bento sets come with sashimi so check with your waiter. Special dietary requirements are not marked on menu.

Expect to spend…
$15 to $25 per person

The service is…
Friendly but mostly absent which was disappointing. No further drinks orders after the initial order and no checking up on us. They also forgot one drink order. Our water was filled for the first time after our table was cleared and we were ready to leave.

Avoid if…
You don’t like Japanese food. Most bento sets come with sashimi and possibly raw octopus so if you are adverse to raw seafood, please check with your waiter.

Auckland Restaurant Month special:
$25 FOR TWO COURSES
With a selection of edamame, sashimi and the chef’s choice of 4 bites to start, followed by your choice of main – options include teriyaki chicken, butterfly prawn, spicy chicken, spicy salmon, fish katsu or crispy tofu. Served with tempura, rice and fruit.

Kushi
22 Durham Street West, Auckland CBD
Open 7 days
www.kushi.co.nz