Kaze Bento Japanese — Restaurant in Western Australia

Been here numerous times over the last couple of years and also brought relatives over for Christmas Eve Dinner just recently. In terms of a review, I've bundled the multiple visits into one, and will focus on as much as I can.

Food: I've tried the Kaarage Chicken and Katsu Chicken Curries multiple times and all I can say is that it grows on you. Originally, the first time I tried their curry, the flavour of it is quite different to what you normally taste at other Japanese places. The spices they use kick in a lot more with a very distinct flavour, less akin to a curry, but after having it a few more times, I've found to really like the taste of their curry. The uniqueness of it is something you remember. The katsu and kaarage chicken were also always really consistent, of good quality and tasteful. On one of our first few visits, my mum once ordered the Vegetable curry, which came out quite cold, but ever since visiting a few more times, nothing like that has happened again.

(September 2023) I also once ordered the Chirashi Don which is not something I normally go for, as I'm not the biggest fan of seafood, but thought I'd give it a try. The chirashi don is a very pleasant surprise, with both the portion and quality. For the $18.90 that I paid for it at the time, I got so much of everything that I really enjoyed it. Since I'm not too familiar with fish or similar dishes, I'll leave my review of it at that.

(January 2024) Once ordered the beef udon as I thought I'd give udon a go and it was not what I expected. The beef wasn't like any other beef udon I've had previously it was just chunks of beef and it wasn't really anything special or outstanding. Both the beef and the udon lacked flavour and wasn't what I expected for the price point. In my opinion, my comparison on the beef is that it's similar to smashed beef like the ones they use in burgers as that's what it felt like instead of the normal cuts, pieces or strips from other Japanese restaurants.

The entrees or small little appetizers aren't worth it at all in my opinion, as we once (January 2024) ordered a couple of appetizers when some relatives were over again, but the portion size of those were an absolute joke. We ordered the kaarage chicken as an appetizer (not as the main dish with udon etc.) and it was $10 for 4 small pieces of not bland, but distasteful chicken. Not sure how the chicken isn't the same as what is used for the kaarage chicken curry, but I would again I would stay away from the entrees.

The sushi is quite tasteful and definitely more filling than expected. The variety of sushi that we've ordered across multiple visits have been really good for the most part. It serves as a great addition to a meal if you're looking for a better appetizer or looking to share with a larger party.

The service and welcoming attitude of the staff have also been very lovely and genuinely added to the experience.

Overall, I would recommend visiting for a delicious Japanese meal with a good variety of choices which are likely to suit many different...

Disappointed

Attended this afternoon/evening. The restaurant was less than half occupied with diners when I arrived with two friends.

We sat, then not long after sitting ordered three bento boxes.

After 30-40 minutes it became concerning that people who arrived after were receiving thier meals before us. Also, the restaurant had become much busier and a queue had formed for people wanting to order, all the while uber deliveries were pilling up but no drivers seemed to be getting their customers orders. People queuing were being told hot menu items would take half and hour or longer, cold menu items would be quicker. This led us becoming concerned.

I went to the counter to seek an update on our tables meals. The pass was overflowing with what looked like a mix of hot and cold menu items. The person I asked to check on our tables order delivered another tables order then returned to tell us what we heard the queuing diners being told regarding wait times on menu items. I asked how much longer it might be as we'd already been waiting a while to be told around 15-20 minutes to which I immediately asked if the ordered items preparation had started to be told it had. We accepted our fate and waited.

After another 15-20 minutes had passed, and after watching many more people get their meals I went to the counter again and asked them to prioritise our table as if it was going to be a longer wait I would then ask for a refund as waiting an hour at this point and watching many diners come and go we were very frustrated. Only after asking the second time did the urgency seem to lift to get our food out.

I know it's a public holiday, I know kitchens are busy having worked in one myself, and in hospitality and service industry jobs for decades. I'm also aware that businesses have bad nights, lose dockets, chefs call in sick etc. etc. I also know that when a dinner asks a reasonable question on how long a wait will be then if any push to get food out can occur then that's the time to stick the head into the kitchen and quickly ask chef for a timeline. I know there's starving people in the world and this review is not to be fecitiuos or precious. I hope this review is taken a note to improve, as it's left me not wanting to return.

The food - Well having seen many positive reviews I was looking forward to my first time. The food was not the best to be honest. I got the vegan kaarage bento. The serve of protein was smaller then expected, dry and a bit tasteless (Been vego for 5 years and know this can be expected don't come for me) but I was disaapointed. My friend got the vegan teriyaki chicken which was too sweet and a bit overcooked. The salads in the bentos were a bit dry. Just dissapointing for all the positive reviews this experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm aware the over an hour wait has also...

Dear restaurant owner, replying your comment. I kindly recommend you to take negative feedback as an opportunity to improve more, besides we all need improvements right? My feedback was to the restaurant, not for myself. For all these years I never had any parking problem in this city, and if I had parked illegally and got a issue with that, I swear the feedback wouldn't be addressed to the restaurant. So before trying to guess or undercover a particular issue in your restaurant by blaming someone's else, try to find out what or where you need improvement. I believe everyone reading feedbacks would rather see the restaurant trying to make improvements other than blaming the person that wrote the feedback.

So, the feedback was the regular excessive waiting time in the restaurant. No one is happy to hear that it will take 5 minutes and then it takes 20-25 minutes during quiet time. That's quite unprofessional I mean.

I rode 20 minutes (10 km), until reach the restaurant, then I wait extra 20 minutes ,I don't know where your customer service is, once the food is not for me is for...