If you love Peruvian flavours and Japanese cuisine, you’re in for a treat when Inka opens on Bunda St next month. Inka will be Canberra’s first Nikkei restaurant serving up a delicious combination of Peruvian and Japanese flavours. The venue will be home to a functions mezzanine, sushi bar, restaurant and bar with Peruvian design elements weaved throughout the space.
Nikkei cuisine was born as a result of the fusion of Japanese recipes and traditions with Peruvian ingredients after Japanese farmers migrated to Peru at the end of the 19th century.
The man in charge of the food at Inka is Michael Muir who has returned to Australia after working as the Executive Chef at acclaimed Zuma in London and Istanbul. Muir has a wealth of culinary experience with some of the world’s leading hospitality brands. He began his career training with one of Australia’s most influential chefs, Neil Perry, at the renowned Rockpool restaurant in Sydney. His move to Canberra is a clear win for Canberra’s hospitality scene.
“The menu will be heavily focused around tropical seafood incorporating Japanese precision of cutting raw fish and treating it with simple, refined flavours. Traditionally inexpensive Peruvian dishes are dressed up with Japanese skill, citrus and spice,” says Muir.
Adam Elchakak is one of the masterminds behind Inka, he successfully launched Raku to the Canberra foodie scene and if Inka is anything like Raku, we’ll definitely be impressed.
To deliver the concept, he’s partnered with Sunny Matharu and Kiehyon Yoo who have previously managed high profile restaurants in Sydney and are playing critical roles on the floor and behind the extravagant bar.
“Nikkei cuisine is a transformative food experience of two traditional cultures. The vastly different cuisines work harmoniously together on the Inka menu to create Nikkei cuisine,” says Yoo.
I had my first taste of Nikkei cuisine while travelling in South America more than 5 years ago. We dined at a beautiful restaurant called Osaka in Buenos Aires and it was amazing. I’ve also travelled to Peru and Japan so I’m a fan of both cuisines and if Inka is anything like the experience we had in Buenos Aires, it’s going to be a flavour bomb of delicious and fresh ingredients.
DETAILS
Address: Shop B12/148 Bunda St, Canberra Centre
Opening: Early January 2021
Website: https://inka.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inka.canberra/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inka_canberra/
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.