Arata Japanese Dining (Balcatta)
A specialty Japanese restaurant serving up yoshoku and wafu favourites (Japanese fusion) like omurice, hamburg steak and mentaiko pasta.
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Before reading βοΈ
Who is this suited for?
Diners specifically after yoshoku and wafu cuisine (Japanese Western food) that you can commonly find in Japanese family dining restaurants.
What type of food is available?
- Yoshoku and wafu dishes like omurice, hamburg steak, mentaiko pasta, mushroom pasta, etc.
- Traditional Japanese dishes like teriyaki (chicken and fish), chicken katsu, tempura, udon, sushi and sashimi
- Japanese a la carte dishes like karaage, gyoza, agedashi tofu, croquette, etc.
- Desserts like parfait, mochi, daifuku and castella.
- A small take away menu is also available (e.g. katsu chicken, sushi rolls and onigiri)
What should I order?
Their omurice, hamburg steak, pasta or pizza.
How much will it cost?
- Most mains range from $13 - $20 (add rice, miso soup and pickles for around $6)
- A la carte dishes range from $7 -$10
- Desserts range from $5 to $9
Can I see the menu?
Click here for the menu.
Where is it?
In Balcatta, near Woolies Balcatta (located across from Macedonia Park)
What're their socials?
Arata Japanese Dining can be found on Instagram here.
The details π
In Japanese, "arata", γζ°γγmeans new. Arata Japanese Dining, is one of the few places in Perth where you can experience yoshokuγζ΄ι£γ(Japanese style western) and wafu γει’¨γ(Japanese style) cuisine, which is essentially "Japanese fusion" food.
These cuisines are commonly found in Japan but arguably are "new" to us in Perth, whereas it's a little easier to come by in the eastern states where there's a higher population of Japanese people.
Arata's menu is reminiscent of what you'd find in Japanese diners in Japan (scroll down for the menu). Yoshoku and wafu classics like omurice, hamburg steak, mentaiko pasta, corn mayo pizza, chocolate parfait and even castella are present on the menu.
Itadakimasu γγγ γγΎγ
We love omurice and it's not often you get to have it in Perth (there is another place in Perth that does it, but we weren't the biggest fan of it). The egg was silky and there was a good amount of beef and mushroom throughout the dish.
Note this is the variant of omurice you'll find more commonly throughout Japan, rather than the "slice open "kichi kichi" style omurice which has taken the internet by storm.
The numero uno dish we ordered to share, was the Japanese-style hamburg steak. Essentially, a hamburger patty. Both a demi-glace and Japanese-style version is available. The Japanese-style version comes with what tasted like wafu dressing - a Japanese vinaigrette like sauce. The side of potato gratin was a welcome addition!
We paired this with the Japanese set, which includes rice, miso soup and pickles ($5.8).
Corn and mayo is a popular pizza topping in Japan. The pizza dough was thin and crispy.
To finish, we opted for the the chocolate banana parfait and the kuromitsu kinako mochi. For me (Eddy), eating the chocolate banana parfait evoked memories of travels in Japan (Tokyo station and in Kagoshima) and Singapore (the Gudetama Cafe) - both places where I've had parfaits.
The only thing we'd change about the parfait is the amount of corn flakes in it. We wouldn't have minded more corn flakes!
The kuromitsu kinako (brown sugar syrup with soy bean powder) was delicious and it earned the most desirable accolade for desserts - "not too sweet". It was easily inhaled in five perfect bites, so we wouldn't have minded more or a bigger serving.
Menu
Before visiting π
Anything else I should know before visiting?
- The dish sizes run more on the petite size, so those with larger appetites might want to order more (or grab dessert, or both).
What's the address?
Shop7/732 Karrinyup Rd, Balcatta WA 6021 (located by Macedonia Park)
Where do I park?
There is plenty of free parking in the shopping centre carpark.
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