MELBOURNE | I love Japanese cuisine, but despite many visits to the country and many delicious Japanese meals enjoyed, I know that I have much more to learn. Enter Waku Waku, a tiny Japanese restaurant recently opened in Melbourne’s CBD that I visited for What’s on Melbourne.
Waku Waku’s point of difference in a city filled with great Japanese options is their signature Hokkaido-style soup curry. Originating in Sapporo, the dish is quite different to the thick Japanese curry that most outside of Japan’s north are familiar with. Generally, you’ll find large chunks of roughly cut veggies, and meat, inside a light broth, usually chicken based, with a number of herbs and spices. Rice is served on the side or udon in the bowl.
At Waku Waku, there’s three protein options available. Charcoal roasted chicken leg (one of the most popular versions in Japan), slow cooked wagyu beef, and tempura veg. It’s tasty, hearty stuff, perfect for the winter.
The soup curry is a must try, but you won’t go wrong with any of the other things on offer either. Things like karaage, gyoza, mentaiko tamagoyaki, and a selection of donburi. The sushi hot dog, which sounds like a terrible gimmick, is an unexpected surprise. Freshly made to order, it’s a salmon hand roll, lightly battered and fried tempura style. Enjoy it like tempura, dipping it in tentsuyu, before each bite.
To drink, it’s premium Kimojo Japanese sodas, and a small selection of sake.
Waku Waku
346 Little Bourke Street
Melbourne CBD
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: 0452 378 346
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Sun: 11:30am to 3:00pm; 5:00pm to 10:00pm