Kiri Take 2

I have previously raved about Kiri Japanese restaurant which is nestled in the quiet neighbourhood of Shenton Park. This tiny yet elegant restaurant is run by Taka and Noriko, genuinely nice people who have a passion for what they do. A recent visit back proved that they are still feeding this passion as well as lovers of Japanese food who keep coming back for more.

Aside from the standard menu of their most requested items, Kiri also has a changing seasonal menu which reflects the fresh produce that varies from month to month. More often than not, it also includes Taka's new creations which range from the simplest (like cream crab croquettes topped with crispy lotus root) to the more elaborate (a beautifully presented bento box of unagi, grilled duck breast wrapped around grilled asparagus, grilled sablefish and nasu dengaku).

Kiri does well in simple but well cooked Japanese fare that steps beyond your teriyaki glazes (although it also does these perfectly well) and presents beautifully. What is even more impressive is that Taka manages to whip up these beautiful creations in the tiniest of kitchens. I was amazed at the constant stream of takeaway orders that came throughout dinner service and how the kitchen was able to keep up the pace.

It's great to see a deserving place do well - remember to book in advance.

Kiri Japanese Restaurant

I had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday recently at Kiri Japanese Restaurant in Perth (yes… I’m back after a 9 month separation from my adopted home). I must disclose at this point however that I am not completely impartial in this review… you see - the owner and chef of this tiny little eatery in Shenton Park, Taka, is a friend through my sister.

Taka and his charming wife, Noriko, started Kiri out of sheer passion and commitment, after having come to Australia to provide for an education for their two little (and unbelievably cute) daughters. Having started out working at run of the mill “Westernised” Japanese restaurants, this hardworking couple ventured into their own catering business and eventually found the perfect spot to call their own. And their efforts have paid off – Kiri is hugely popular and has become a rising star in the very limited choice of good Japanese restaurants in Perth.

A trained kaiseki chef, Taka will gladly whip up the Japanese equivalent of a degustation menu for you if you book 3 days in advance. Given that we didn't have enough time to make a booking as we had just arrived in Perth, we instead left it to Taka to cook up dishes from his ala carte menu and to only stop when when we had our fill. And so... 13 dishes later, we finished our dinner completely stuffed but very happy.

Amongst the highlights were the nasu dengaku (grilled eggplant with miso sauce), a beautifully presented platter of fresh sashimi and the grilled wagyu fillet with a ponzu dipping sauce.

Kiri is a fine little restaurant that will go far. I for one am really happy that Taka and Noriko are finally reaping the rewards from their commitment and passion. Their journey has been tough but theirs is a lesson of hard work at something they believe in... and as far as becoming wiser with age, that's one lesson I hope to be reminded of at all my birthdays.