Kambei Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Golden Point

I went to Kambei for the first time for lunch on Saturday, 12/10/2024, around 13:45. The place wasn’t crowded—only one waitress was at the front. Before I could say anything, the chef (or owner?) blurted out, "No rice, no rice, is it okay?"—not a hint of apology or welcome. No smile from the waitress either. At that point, I thought retreat wasn’t an option. I had to see if their food was worth enduring the chilly reception.

I asked to sit by the window to keep an eye on my bike, and the waitress did her best to accommodate my request. Dining solo, but ordering for two (because why not?), I chose the sashimi set and the shrimp tempura set. To pass the time, I examined the outdated interior. The dark decor did nothing to lighten the mood.

When my two orders arrived on one tray (minus the rice, as pre-warned), I noticed the nice presentation and enjoyed the taste, despite the portions being rather small for the price. Even though the chef was grumpy, I complimented the food honestly based on its taste alone.

In the end, I realized I wasn’t the target customer for this place. At least my one-off experience broadened my understanding that not all Japanese restaurants are customer-friendly. Paying $55 for two meals was quite the experience (though not the kind I’d revisit).

I had initially hoped Kambei might become my weekend go-to, but I’ll leave it for the chef to find his perfect audience. One lunch was enough to leave behind an unimpressive dining...

SORRY WE HAVE NO FOOD!!!!! We booked a table for 2 on our wedding anniversary over the weekend. First of all we were not greeted straight away and were walked to the table across spilled water on the floor. We were sat at a table with a filthy table cloth and when we asked for it to be changed, the waiter returned, throwing another dirty cloth on the table leaving us to straighten it. The menu consists of less than half the items it exhibited a year ago which WAS amazing. The waiter returned 15 mins later, we ordered our menu items and a bottle of wine only to have the waiter tell us the kitchen had "run out of ingredients and couldn't feed us." We left absolutely dumbfounded and tried very hard to rescue our special occasion by choosing another restaurant which is difficult in Ballarat at 7:15pm. Our night was thankfully saved by Mr Jones and their superior service and gorgeous food. They will now be our annual anniversary venue. 5 stars to them not Kambei who i would have given a zero if...

Had dinner here last night with a friend and I had heard good things about this place so was excited to dine here. I arrived first and was warmly greeted by the front of house.

I liked the face that the menu was "small" because that often indicates a smaller range of dishes that the place does well; I think this is true of Kambei.

I had the small sashimi and the mackerel. Both were delicious and I wish I had selected the "large" option for the sashimi! The miso soup was also delicious with high-quality tofu used.

My friend had the tofu salad; I tried the dressing and it was incredibly tasty.

The bill was not as high I as I had been expecting. All in all a lovely experience. However it is quiet; some music in the background might enhance the experience. I will be...