With a summer trip abroad coming up, I stopped by the Lotte Duty Free shop. It was really crowded. While I was there I looked for somewhere nearby to eat, spotted Tani Next Door, and had lunch there.
It’s on the 9th floor of Lotte Avenuel. Honestly… I went without knowing it was Japanese fusion (I thought it was Italian…), and once I got there, the Bali-style interior gave it an exotic vibe. Japanese food and Bali don’t really go together, but anyway, it seemed like a better place to go with a woman than with a bunch of guys. The set meals (yaki udon, donburi) are on the pricey side for lunch, so I ordered the 35,000-won course.
Starter
What was it again… if you drop the expectation that it’s Japanese food, the food is decent enough.
Shrimp tempura
The nationality of the food is hard to pin down, but the shrimp is good quality and the salad ingredients are fresh.
Salmon rolls
…
Pumpkin soup
It’s fine apart from being a bit sweet.
Finishing with steak…
Without the Japanese-food expectations, it’s a very ordinary restaurant. They used cheap meat, but considering the price and the interior, you have to accept it.
Soup and soy sauce
Why did these come out? Because…
Sushi
…the real finale was sushi. Well… it’s decent enough. It was a strange experience to have something still coming after the steak. Or maybe the sushi wasn’t the rice course, just a palate cleanser…
Dessert
Dessert was so-so too…
To say it once more, the atmosphere is fantastic. There’s outdoor seating too, and it feels just like a resort. If you don’t mind fusion, it’s worth a visit, but if you love Japanese food, there’s no need to go out of your way. I hear the main branch has closed and only this branch is still open, so keep that in mind.