With 4 other Japanese eateries along Jetty Road, it was always going to be interesting to see what the Crane had to offer. This place covers all bases by offering an a la carte menu, teppanyaki and sushi train. With so many choices, making a decision on which section to dine in was a difficult one, but as I wasn’t feeling too hungry, I went for the cheaper sushi train option.

Compared to the other Japanese eateries, the Crane is closer to the beach and is more spacious. Located in a long and narrow floor plan, the bar and counter area is at the front, followed by the teppanyaki and dine in areas, and the sushi train is at the rear. The use of timber and blacks are quite prominent giving this place a lovely modern feel.

The Tempura Prawn Roll contained a lightly battered prawn that was cooked some time earlier. The rice was firm and moist, and the roe added a touch of saltiness. The piece of lettuce hanging off the end of one of the rolls was purely there for display.

The Boston Roll was quite nice. The silky smooth texture of the fresh salmon worked well with the thick texture of the cream cheese and the crunchiness of the cucumber.

The Prawn and Avocado Roll was alright. The thinly sliced prawns worked well with the soft delicate avocado and subtle sweetness of the tamagoyaki (pan fried rolled egg).

The Tuna and Avocado Roll had more of that cream cheese that I really liked in the previous roll. The tuna was fresh, and the avocado was soft and delicate, and that lovely thick cream cheese just made it better.

The staff were really friendly and accommodating, however, I was a bit annoyed that the manager decided to engage in a long conversation with me in the middle of my meal. The pricing is fairly typical of a sushi train venue with the cheapest plate starting at $3.80. Mind you, after eating four $4.80 plates, I was only content at the end of my meal.

I don’t know about the other food sections at the Crane, but I thought the sushi at the sushi train section was fairly average with offerings that are pretty standard elsewhere.

WHERE: 20 Jetty Rd, Glenelg