Kai Japanese — Restaurant in Bull Creek

Had a funny little event happen yesterday when picking up my takeout. The lady at the counter looked at my order slip and recognised my name and phone number -- she told me "Two months ago, you picked up a Kai Bento and it seems we forgot to supply an order of sashimi at the time, so I'll give you an extra serving now to compensate."

Wow. I don't think I even noticed it at the time, but that's some dedicated customer service if you're willing go that far, and so long after something like that.

Anyway. It just prompted me to think about leaving a review.

Kai's Japanese Restaurant is my favourite Japanese eatery in Perth. Whenever I show my friends around, I always bring them here.

Now, the actual shop is very small. It's a miracle that they even fit 3-4 tables in there. But they're popular enough and see enough customers that they confidently don't take reservations, so keep it in mind that you may have to put your name down on a list and wait in line outside. (Yes, they have lines to get in at peak hours, so consider ordering for takeaway.) Prices are decent too, especially for the taste.

Recommendations:

Green tea: I always recommend getting a pot of green tea if you decide to dine in. It's genmaicha (green tea with toasted rice for aroma). Green tea always completes a Japanese dish, not to mention, the bright green colour looks amazingly pretty in the clear tea kettles and clear glasses they use. One of my guests even commented on it specifically when I brought him here. I think they also sell packets of the tea you can bring home, too?

Aburi salmon sushi: a little bit on the luxurious side in terms of price, but no restaurant does it better than Kai's, from what I've tried so far. It's a partially seared (blowtorched?) salmon nigiri sushi with a few tiny slices of raw onion and spring onion. The combination of flavours, the sharp taste of onion, the saltiness from the soy sauce, the stickiness of the sushi rice and the salmon that melts in your mouth is... amazing. And I rarely use that word.

Teriyaki beef: I always order my beef well-done, and it's always cooked well. Never too tough or too dry, which is a risk when ordering beef cooked until there is no red. Their sauce compliments the meat well.

Chicken karaage: Now to be fair, it's hard to mess up fried chicken, but theirs is always appealing with a good crunchy texture and nice aroma. Comes with spicy mayonnaise.

Kai Bento: another luxurious choice, it features a smörgåsbord of various Japanese dishes in one, including a mackerel steak, various pieces of tempura, chicken karaage, a serving of sashimi (wink wink), tofu and miso soup from memory, though it also feels like there's something else I'm forgetting. Very hearty. For people who want a bit...

As you know in every restaurant the ramen broth makes a great difference. Here, I find the broth a bit creamy, not so concentrated, and is different from other ramen dishes in Nao, Fremantle market, Vic Park and Carrousel. Although the ramen here is not a homemade type the texture is still acceptable. I like their tonkotsu ramen. The fried chicken (karaage) of the ramen was very nice and tasty. I enjoyed the meal. Will I return to this Kai? Surely, I will. (March 2021)

Yuri Son, the boss and the big chef, has spent 30 years cooking ramen. Today, we revisited Kai just for Tonkotsu ramen. Surprisingly, the soup has creaminess in between Keisuke Tonkotsu King ramen soup and Hakata ramen soup. In addition, it was very smooth and easy to drink. Am I so lucky today? Haha, what can I say...just know my good mode got charged higher....

A really authentic taste of Japan right in Perth southern suburb of Bull Creek. Kai Japanese has been around for years, a testimonial of the quality cuisine it served, despite the small restaurant. The wait time during peak period during dinner time can be frustratingly long but the system works well enough for the queue to be constant. Their pork broth ramen is authentic & rich in flavour, with generous serving of pork slides. Their teriyaki chicken lunch set is also delicious with generous chicken slides top with miso soup and salad. Worth a visit if you don’t mind the risk of waiting for a table.

Tip: best time to visit is weekdays lunchtime after 1pm. You will often find tables easily when it’s...