Tucked away in the sleepy shops of McKellar is Raijin, a small cosy restaurant bringing authentic and fresh Japanese cuisine to the suburbs.
Like many hospitality businesses, Raijin’s journey began as a food stall. They appeared at various events and markets in Canberra, before opening their doors in October 2018.
This suburban gem has since grown to be an extremely popular restaurant with a warm and friendly atmosphere, making you feel like you’re visiting someone’s home in Japan.
With fresh seafood arriving daily from Sydney, their extensive menu includes sashimi, sushi, their famous okonomiyaki, ramen, donburi, tempura, takoyaki, chicken karaage and the Chef’s signature black curry, with gluten free and vegetarian options available.
Don’t let the look of the black curry put you off. It tastes very similar to the standard Japanese curry and is rich and smooth with the addition of bittersweet chocolate, served with cheesy scrambled egg and rice. It’s a unique must-try dish!
Their special homemade desserts change often and can include green tea mousse and cold tofu pudding (it’s delicious).
Raijin also serves fresh wasabi with their sushi and sashimi and they offer a 10% discount for seniors.
If you’re after a cheap, their set lunch is $16.80 and includes a main with your choice of noodles or rice, and an entrée.
Their specialty teas include sakura (cherry blossom) tea and honey citron green tea. Both are delicious and citron is said to be good for colds and your skin #winning.
Raijin could also have the spiciest ramen in Canberra…. They have 3 different levels of spice for you to choose from and if you like it hot, the devil level might be for you. Last time we checked they even had a spicy ramen challenge! Are you up for the challenge?
The restaurant is small so it’s best to book a table. But if you don’t feel like dining you can always order takeaway or get your order delivered.
Raijin is open from Mon-Sat for lunch and dinner.
Find them on Facebook and Instagram.
Photos by Amelia Bidgood.
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.