Sushi Hotaru

Unlike in Sydney and parts of Queensland where there seems to be one on every corner, sushi trains are still somewhat a novelty in Melbourne (indeed, there are only 3 in the CBD that I know of).  At only $3 a plate, Sushi Hotaru is definitely the cheapest.  However, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for and, whilst Sushi Hotaru is still tasty, Sakura Kaiten Sushi would still be on the top of my list for sushi train recommendations.

Situated in the Midcity Arcade, the set up of Sushi Hotaru is its biggest selling point.  Offering a substantial rail with an abundance of front row seating, every patron has the opportunity to be apart of the sushi train experience.  To top off it off, each seating is decked out with a personal computerised ordering system allowing patrons to order any of Sushi Hotaru's items fresh off the menu.

However the sushi, whilst beautifully presented, was akin to the quality that you'd find in a good food court.  That being said, if I went to Sushi Hotaru again, I would definitely take more advantage of the personalised computer ordering system and order more sushi fresh off the menu.
 

Chicken and avocado sushi

 

Salmon cream cheese sushi

 

Crumbed prawn with tartar hand roll

The stand outs of the night were definitely the soba noodle soup and the green tea ice cream. Delicious and just packed full of flavour, I would highly recommend ordering these two dishes from the personal computerised ordering system.

Soba noodle soup

 

Green tea ice cream

The value of Sushi Hotaru  is not lost on many, with a long line being seen out of the door from as early as 6pm. So if you do want to give Sushi Hotaru a go, I would highly recommend going early.

Venue: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 2/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point.