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First look: Japanese restaurant RAKU on Bunda Street

Jil Hogan
Jil Hogan

Inside Canberra's new Japanese restaurant RAKU.
Inside Canberra's new Japanese restaurant RAKU. Josh Yewdall

Canberra Centre's newest expansion isn't just all about beauty – it has also made way for a new restaurant.

The theatrics of Japanese cooking will be on display at RAKU, a sleek new venue opening on Bunda Street.

Trained sushi chefs will work their magic at a sushi bar, and an open plan kitchen at the centre of the room with a flaming robata grill will mean diners get to watch on in an ampitheatre-like setting.

RAKU head chef Hao San, venue manager Marcellus Heleta and consultant Sunny Matharu from The Eatery Group.
RAKU head chef Hao San, venue manager Marcellus Heleta and consultant Sunny Matharu from The Eatery Group.Ashley St George
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The restaurant offers up a huge selection, with a menu of around 70 dishes – expect scampi and truffle, kingfish sashimi, Moreton Bay bug tempura and gyozas for dinner, and whiskey-flavoured chocolate fondant for dessert.

Drinks include a huge selection of Japanese whiskey, beer and sake.

Venue manager Marcellus Heleta said the restaurant is accessible to anyone, and, "will incorporate Japanese izakaya with a local Canberra twist – it's fun, engaging and charming".

The fitout has touches that represent different cities in Japan and their intimate hidden streets – from handmade tiles to washi paper made by a seventh-generation Japanese family, flown to Australian especially for RAKU.

Open daily 11am-3pm, 6pm-late.

148 Bunda Street, Canberra, 02 6248 6869, rakudining.com.au

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Jil HoganJil Hogan is an food and lifestyle reporter at The Canberra Times.

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