Located in Grazier Lane in Belconnen, you can find Japanese restaurant Ikko. There are plenty of tables inside and QR codes on each table for easy ordering and payment. I try the curry yaki udon ($22) because 1) I love Japanese curry, and 2), it looks so different to others I’ve tried. The medium-sized low bowl arrives and it’s the first time I’ve seen this dish look like whipped cream. It is super aerated and fluffy in a yellow tinge from the curry powder. The slightly sweeter curry is mixed with mushrooms and kind of reminds me of a stroganoff as the whipped creamy foam melts. An interesting ..read more

Note: I was invited to dine in, however all opinions are my own. We headed to Japanese fusion restaurant Chop Chop in Civic for a quick weekday lunch and seriously enjoyed all the dishes. We start with the prawn rice toast. But this isn’t your traditional prawn toast – think creamy prawn salad with cucumber, celery and mayo on a deliciously thick rice base. I can’t quite describe the base, but it’s like a very condensed sticky rice turned into toast in bite sized pieces. I could easily polish off all 6 pieces in the serve! Definitely give this one a go. Next, we try the hiramasa kingfish sash ..read more

As 2023 is coming to an end, I’m going through my Top 10 favourite eats of the year. In no particular order: Louis So highly impressed with the offerings at European bistro Louis in Barton, I’ve actually been back two more times. The chicken liver parfait, capsicum panisse, calamari with grapefruit salad, chicken ballotine, and trifle with mandarin and white chocolate are amazing. Louis also offers a 2 or 3 course set menu lunch which I’ve taken advantage of. I’ve never been disappointed here, they are happy to do up a mocktail, and it’s just lovely sitting in the outdoor courtyard. View thi ..read more

Note: I was invited to dine in as a guest, however all opinions are my own. Omi hails from Victoria and specialises in premium wagyu rice bowls. We were invited to dine in at Omi at the Canberra Centre for lunch one day. A waitress greets us at the reception desk and shows us to a table after checking our reservation. I receive a bound menu with large photos of each dish which I find helpful in deciding what to order. There’s a QR code on each table which I scan to easily order online. One thing I notice is the wide range of sauces available – some are an extra $1.50 depending on the sauce. I ..read more

Note: I was given a Sakuraco box in exchange for a review on this blog. All opinions are my own. Up until a few months ago, I did not know you could get subscription boxes filled with all sorts of treats from around the world. I only found out about these when they started popping up in my social media feed. Sakuraco is one such subscription box company. I was pleasantly surprised when Sakuraco reached out to me to see if I was interested in writing a review on my blog in exchange for the November 2021 box. Sakuraco gives you 20 Japanese snacks/treats/items in a box, highlighting various Japan ..read more

Some months ago, Mr FPJ and I had a lovely dinner banquet at Chairman & Yip. The dinner included sushi from a new sushi chef which we thought was a little odd given we were in a Chinese restaurant. Our waiter informed us that the Chairman Group were opening up a new Japanese restaurant in Canberra and the sushi chef would be working there. Well, Mu Omakase by the Chairman Group has now opened at the new Constitution Place precinct. Omakase means everything is left up to the chef so you won’t know what you’re eating until you get there. Mu Omakase is a 12-seater restaurant (where the seats ..read more

It’s been 3 years since I published this list, so it’s now time for a refresh. Here are some all you can eat deals around Canberra at the moment. In no particular order: Star Buffet A couple of months ago, I had my first Star Buffet experiene at the Burns Club in Kambah (to the surprise of most of my friends). There’s hot roasts with gravy, chorizo, pork belly, roast duck, dumplings, noodles, honey chicken and similar Chinese dishes, there’s a sushi train, pasta, raw salmon, mussels, salads, soups, desserts, a chocolate fountain, soft serve machines and more. I took turns with Mr FPJ to look a ..read more

The old Kingston shops have been revitalised with the brand new massive Supabarn and new cafes at the Eyre Street Market. One of the cafes that opened a few months ago and I got excited about is the Japanese-inspired cafe Tokyo Canteen. On opening day, I walked in for an early breakfast. I missed out on honey toast while in Japan so I really wanted to try it after I saw it on Tokyo Canteen’s menu. The cafe is minimalist and clean with small plants and flowers on the tables. There are stools around the windows, perfect for people watching or solo diners. I’m warmly greeted when I walk in, order ..read more

My friends first informed me of the now hugely popular Ramen O in Belconnen. The catch is that Ramen O is only open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner, and only for a couple of hours before it sells out. I remember their first Friday night of trade, multiple friends tried to get in but it was packed and then they sold out of everything. A good indication of the quality of food. I understand that the chef comes from Kyushu, and so the ramen is Kyushu-style. Mr FPJ and I tried it out on a Tuesday night about 5 minutes after opening for dinner, and there were already two tables taken. I believ ..read more

Raijin Japanese Cuisine opened up at the McKellar shops last year. I dined in for dinner with Mr FPJ, V and her hubby one weeknight and we were lucky enough to snag a table for four. The extensive menu covers classic Japanese entrees like gyoza and takoyaki, tempura goodies, salads, sashimi, sushi rolls, yaki udon, ramen and noodle soups, donburi and the chef’s signature kuro black curry donburi. There are set meals from around $25 with a small main, rice, California roll, salads and sides, cold noodle sets with your choice of soba, ramen or udon. There was so much to choose from! Mr FPJ ..read more