Naruto Japanese Restaurant has been around for a while. They’re primarily a yakiniku restaurant, yet also have a very reasonably priced lunch bento menu.
Grilled Ox Tongue Bento ($15.80) with ox tongue, salmon sashimi, salad, steamed rice and miso soup.
The ox tongue was slightly overcooked for our taste, although D still found the bento enjoyable. The selection of side dishes offered good diversity, providing solid value for the price paid. The salad stood out with its freshness and delightful sesame sauce, while the miso soup carried a satisfying flavour, hinting at a touch of fermentation. The addition of shichimi brought a captivating dimension to the rice, akin to a flavourful furikake. Regrettably, the edamame was disappointingly cold and would have been more appealing if served warm.
Grilled Eel Bento ($17.80) with smoked eel, salmon sashimi, salad, steamed rice and miso soup.
Similarly, my unagi was slightly gummy, lacking the characteristic freshness of freshly broiled eel. However, accompanied by the sides, it remained passable and contributed to a satisfying, well-rounded meal that came at a reasonable and budget-friendly cost.
In summary, the bento lunch sets at Naruto Japanese Restaurant provided a satisfactory and pocket-friendly experience, offering genuine Japanese flavours untainted by other East Asian influences. While we might contemplate revisiting, there’s a plethora of alternative choices in Chatswood that we’d explore before considering a return to Naruto.
Naruto Japanese Restaurant is located at Level 1/312-316 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067