Tried to satisfy vinegared rice craving @ Senki Japanese Buffet

I had a dreadful craving for sushi rice after my swim today. So I went upstairs to change and then google the best place to go for cheap Japanese buffet.

So B1 and I checked out Senki, because he had eaten at the other place I found, Hanabi, many times (without me!!!) This restaurant is located near the GoMenNaSai restaurant that we found in the area several years ago, and so unluckily closed down just after we visited it twice.

B1's usual wont was to order Sashimi Moriwase, which I don't really like, because I only eat two items, Shake (Salmon) and Mekajiki (Swordfish). While it came tastefully arranged (Sashimi is predictably popular for buffets), I can tell you they are not produced by order. Ich kenne das since I am sitting at the counter, I could see the chef cutting many slices at a go before dumping them in the refrigerator (I could also see him handling the orders with the same gloved hand he used to lift the meat onto the plates). Tellingly the three Japanese men, who came in at different times of my meal, did not order Sashimi. Only one ordered a handroll. I noticed that they also ordered Ala Carte and the waitresses were definitely more friendly towards them, even though two of them were tourists (so highly not repeat customers).

The salmon was not sweet. In fact it was really bland. B1 thinks it's because it's from the lousier parts of the salmon, because it was not fatty nor glossy. No wonder he gave double portions of salmon for every order of Sashimi Moriwase.

I loved the Enoki Maki, which was actually golden mushrooms wrapped in thin slices of pork and drenched in sweet sauce and butter. I would say definitely skip the fried potato soaked in stale oil, mentaiko, and cheese. The potatoes were fried at the wrong temperature, that's why it drank oil and then the oil was not fresh, so you could see brown stains on the potato. I also suspect that it is the wrong kind of potato. It was very yucky, as was the tasteless chawanmushi. The rest of the dishes were ok, not fantastic. But one thing for sure, B1 and I were very thirsty after the meal. Since when do Japanese add MSG to meals?

The service was ok. While they were not as friendly to the locals as they were to the Japs, the service staff were attentive enough.

In a nutshell:

Senki Japanese Restaurant

109 Killiney Road

67345565

I would say not worth it. I wouldn't go back.