Inka dishes up Nikkei-style food with elements of Peruvian food and Japanese food with cooking techniques from both cultures, in a stylish and dramatic two-storey restaurant adorned with South American design features.
Located in the heart of the city on Bunda St, Inka has impressed diners in Canberra with its unique Japanese and Peruvian fusions flavours since it opened in early 2021. If you haven’t visited yet, you’re missing out and their $45 express lunch might be just the thing to entice you to make a booking.
Lanterns hang dramatically from the high ceiling, Peruvian clay statues occupy a large wall and a giant quipu (an ancient Inca tool for registering and communicating complex information) hangs over the stairs that lead to the upper level. The mouth-watering smell of charcoal smoke fills the dramatic and moody space and if you dine in the lower level, you can get a glimpse of the chefs creating your food in the open kitchen.
The menu features a selection of flavoursome ceviche, sashimi, nigiri, maki rolls, charcoal grill dishes, sides and desserts. If you don’t want to choose you can opt for the tasting menu and go with the $95 or $130 option.
If you can, head in on a weekday and make the most of the express lunch menu. It’s only $45 per person and when we visited recently it included a selection maki rolls, fresh sashimi, tempura seafood and the choice of lomo saltado (a Peruvian beef dish) or tori muneniku (a Japanese chicken dish). There was an option to add on a glass Riesling or Sangiovese for $10.
To complement the food, the drink offering is substantial, with a selection of unique cocktails featuring flavours of Japan and Peru along with a good range of local, Australian and international wine, beer and spirits.
Dine downstairs and be surrounded by the gorgeous interiors or try and book a booth upstairs for a moodier experience. If you can’t make it for the express lunch, we recommend trying the tora maki (seared MBS 6+ wagyu, tempura prawn, avocado and picante mayo) and the beef tataki.
Inka is pretty famous for their crispy Brussels sprouts side dish with yuzu glaze and furikake. Don’t eat Brussels sprouts? This might be the dish to change your mind. But if you can’t do it – we promise you won’t regret it – try the cauliflower with sesame glaze and almond raisin salsa. It’s equally delicious and a little lighter if you want something to cut through some of the richer and heavier charcoal grill dishes.
Order the chocolate fondant if you have room for dessert. A range of gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan dishes are available.
DETAILS
Address: 148 Bunda St, Canberra
Website: Inka
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inka.canberra/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inka_canberra/
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.