Words by Chloe Cicero
Are you on the hunt for a local hidden gem? Well look no further, we’ve found the perfect new place for you to obsess over.
Forte readers, please meet Hanaya Fusion Café.
Tucked away between Pako and Shannon Ave, this little gem is one you’re going to want to keep coming back to. Hanaya is an Asian fusion café, open for breakfast and lunch every day and offering dinner on Thursdays to Sundays.
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The breakfast and lunch menu are complete with Aussie favourites for breakfast, like a Hash Brown Brekkie roll, a Double Bacon and Egg wrap or roll, and a big selection of toasties, with fillings ranging from tomato, cheese and ham to spam, bacon, egg and even pineapple. Hanaya even features a vegetarian wrap with a Japanese twist and a Chicken Karaage wrap.
For dinner, there is more of a Japanese-style menu. We’re talking pork or vegetarian Gyoza (with handmade ponzu sauce), homemade Japanese curry, roti taco sandwiches, Takoyaki (Octopus balls) or a Sando with a Hawaiian twist. There’s also edamame, Renkon chips, veggie spring rolls and Panko crumbed oyster, plus salad bowls and miso soup.
It wouldn’t be a Japanese restaurant without mouth-watering ramen, and the menu features fried chicken ramen, among others. To make things even better, the staff at Hanaya encourage patrons not to be shy and to slurp away.
Not only are your standard tea, chai and coffee selections available to order, but they also have a range of Japanese soda drinks and a special drink menu that features a Cold Brew, Espresso Mojito, Matcha Mojitos and a Matcha Lemonade. We also have it on good authority that the café has its very own secret drink menu, however, we are only privy to one drink on the menu, and that is the ‘Mint My Heart’ three-layer drink, which features a green mint syrup, milk and coffee. Like a cocktail, but not frowned upon to drink in the morning…
There is something here for everyone, regardless of whether you want to stick to what you know or branch out and try something new.
Hanaya offers both dine-in and takeaway, so it really is the best of both worlds. They also stock a range of pantry items, Sweet by Nature slices, and Wallington’s own Ket Baker pastries.
Hanaya Fusion Café is located at 64 Elizabeth Street, Geelong West. It’s open Tuesday – Sunday 9am-3pm, and Thursday – Saturday (dinner service) 5:30pm-9pm.