Kenjin
Fortitude Valley
Kenjin is a stunning Japanese restaurant and bar in Fortitude Valley, with a secret night club out back, the only Japanese restaurant in Brisbane where you can dine and dance without leaving the venue.
The glamorous darkened space is back lit with a screen of movable art, koi walls, red velvet booths along one side and a giant cherry blossom in one corner.
The fusion menu at Kenjin is a foodie's delight, featuring classic dishes with a creative twist. Start with charred edamame, lotus chips with white bean puree and chili oil, spiced BBQ street corn, duck bao or Japanese pancake (okonomiyaki).
Entrees include kingfish with tamari soy, pickled chilli & grapefruit (a must try); Moreton Bay Bug milk buns, 7 spice dried calamari, beef tataki or West Australian scallops with lychee, pomegranate, chilli, coriander and finger lime.
For Mains, choices include pork belly, sweet soy, spring onion, ginger & egg (a house signature); blackened reef cod, miso & daikon; katsu chicken, rice, cabbage & curry sauce and the highly recommended eye fillet, vegetables & dashi juice.
The dessert menu is worth saving room for too, with options like green tea & mocha ice-cream sandwich with black sesame; yuzu tart (burnt meringue, coconut ice-cream & raspberry or Japanese affogato.
The Japanese flavoured house cocktails are well worth a try and can be paired with the menu, with choices including Lychee Jalapeno Margarita, Coco Colada, Kenjin Yuzu Spritz and Raspberry Sour.
The impressive curated wine list includes wines from Australia's leading wine regions as well as France, Italy and the USA, while French champagnes range from Louis Roederer and Tattinger Brut up to Louis Roederer Cristal Brut.
Japanese beers include Asahi Dry and Black on tap and Krin Ichiban Pale Lager by the bottle and there's also a small selection of sake and umesha (Japanese plum liqueur).
To the rear of Kenjin, the stunning futuristic nightclub comes to life from 9.30pm-3.30am on Fridays and Saturdays, while the restaurant itself is open until late from Wednesday to Sunday.
