08/06/2026: A truly unusual place in an unlikely location, but that's the fun of restaurant hopping.
Pan-Asian cuisine: from the ever-present Japanese to Thai to, above all, Chinese, which is also the most interesting. Good-quality ingredients and some unusual fish (in these places, the inexpensive salmon is a given; at Haki, the selection is much wider). The wine list features some local selections, but they could do better, given that the area offers such high-quality food, with the Oltrepo just a stone's throw away. Very good value.
06/06/2026: Haki Asian Restaurant is a pleasant surprise for those seeking sushi of a higher quality than the classic all-you-can-eat option.
The restaurant is elegant, well-maintained, and welcoming, with an atmosphere that invites you to take your time and enjoy your meal. There's no all-you-can-eat option here, but an exclusively à la carte menu, and the difference is noticeable from the first bite: the fish is fresh, the ingredients are top-quality, and every dish exudes meticulous attention to detail. Prices are inevitably higher than those of an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, but I found them absolutely fair and justified by the quality offered.
The staff is very kind and attentive, perhaps even overly so. On the one hand, the care they give to their customers and their desire to offer efficient service are evident; on the other, dishes are sometimes cleared away almost immediately after a person finishes eating, creating a sense of urgency that clashes somewhat with the relaxed experience a restaurant of this caliber should offer. This isn't a major issue, but it's the main reason I didn't give it a full score. There was also a small flaw with a bottle of still water, which arrived sparkling—a mistake that can happen, but it didn't ruin the evening.
A special mention goes to the desserts. On the menu, I immediately noticed fried milk, a decidedly less common option than the more classic fried ice cream. As a curious person, always on the lookout for something new, I couldn't pass it up. The choice turned out to be a good one: I found it very pleasant, with an interesting texture and a delicate flavor. I especially appreciated the fact that it wasn't overly sweet; the simple dusting of powdered sugar was more than enough to round off the meal satisfyingly.
Ultimately, Haki Asian Restaurant is a place I'll definitely keep in mind when I'm craving high-quality sushi in Castel San Giovanni. The cuisine is truly worth it, and with a few small adjustments to the pace of service, it could become a practically flawless experience.
P.S. I also really appreciated the fact that they brought the fortune cookies directly to the table at the end of the meal, instead of having the customer pick them out individually, or worse - at least in my opinion - having to explicitly ask for them at the cashier.