The Gallery Japanese & Cafe is a Japanese restaurant and café at 8/329a Main Rd in Kumeū, in the Rodney district north-west of Auckland. It holds a Google rating of 4.7 from 181 reviews.
A good Japanese restaurant is judged on the basics: rice cooked and seasoned with care, fish that is fresh and cut cleanly, and broths and sauces that taste balanced rather than heavy. Menus vary a lot, from sushi and sashimi to donburi, ramen, tempura and set lunches. It helps to ask what is freshest that day, since the best sushi depends on what has just come in. A café side often means a relaxed daytime pace, with coffee, lighter dishes and quick lunches. Regulars tend to order a mix of dishes to share, and they go at quieter times when the kitchen can give each plate proper attention.
For anyone driving through the Kumeū and Huapai area, The Gallery is a handy place to stop for a Japanese meal on Main Road.