Master Den's Poppu Uppu brings Japanese hotpots to former Kappo site

When Simon Denton said "something warming" would be replacing his Flinders Lane omakase restaurant Kappo, he meant it. From Wednesday, June 20, Master Den's Poppu Uppu will pop up in the former hatted fine-diner, serving Japanese hotpot, fun snacks and a killer drinks list partly curated by sommelier Raffaele Mastrovincenzo.

The pop-up is inspired by the "nabemono" dining experiences of Japan, where a mixture of vegetables, seafood or meat, and udon noodles are cooked in and eaten from a simmering seasoned broth at the dining table. "Comfort food at its best," says Denton. "Fun, unpretentious, and full of flavour and ritual."

Among the hotpot highlights is the shabu shabu with a kombu broth and plate of wagyu rump, topside and sirloin; Hokkaido-style seafood nabe with a miso broth and fish, pipis and oysters; and special mushroom hotpot with a kombu broth and, you guessed it, plenty of mushrooms.

Master Den's Poppu Uppu is at 1 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.