Beer x Sake x Sumibi Bar Wasshoi has opened in Prahran Market

The departure point for Japanese food culture

‘Beer x Sake x Sumibi Bar Wasshoi‘ is the latest addition to the Prahran Market, a charcoal grill modern bar that adds a Japanese flavour to the beloved Melbourne market. Wasshoi officially opened on the 8^th of September, and its name comes from the Japanese festival chant ‘wasshoi’ when carrying a portable shrine.

Wasshoi boasts a mouth-watering range of products, including pork belly and chicken grilled slowly on low heat to make rolls and don, as well as juicy burgers. The Kirin tap beer and rotating list of Japanese sake is the perfect accompaniment for the grilled dishes. However, satisfying the hunger of market shoppers is not Wasshoi’s only goal.

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Wasshoi aims to be a departure point for introducing all kinds of Japanese food culture, including Japanese ingredients, cooking, local sake and ceramics. For example, one of the main fixtures of Wasshoi’s menu is Kochi yuzu juice. Kochi yuzu was first officially introduced in the Australian cooking world at the end of 2014. For the Japanese, yuzu is a familiar ingredient, but it is only recently starting to gain attention in Australia as a new ingredient. (See. [Report] A PR event to promote Kochi Yuzu to Australia)

The available sake will also change regularly, and each month a new ‘Sake of the Month’ will be introduced. The sake for Wasshoi’s first month is Juhachi-Zakari’s Kotonowa. This sake is from the Okayama/Kurashiki region in Japan, and the brewery was first opened in 1785.

The head chef at Wasshoi is the celebrated chef Ikuei Arakane, who was a chef at Taxi Dining Restaurant when it won Best Restaurant of the Year in 2006. After Ikuei was appointed as the executive chef at The Glass House in Hobart when it first opened in 2015, the restaurant won the Tasmanian Best Seafood Restaurant of the Year, and was even listed in The Australian in the Best Hot 50 Restaurants in 2015.

Ikuei has appeared in Iron Chef events in both 2011 and 2015, Royal Club charity events in Asia, and has also been a guest chef at a charity event raising money for Alzheimer’s and lung cancer sufferers in Australia. He was in charge of the menu for the Aichi-Victoria 35th Anniversary Reception, not to mention many other famous events. This charismatic chef is known affectionately as ‘Kin-san’.

Akito Kurokawa is the manager in charge of unifying the food and sake. He has sake tasting qualifications, and is the perfect man to ensure that customers are able to enjoy sake. He is also able to sense and understand people’s tastes and requests. Akito owns an online store for sake-tour called ‘Sakemate‘ and organises events that promote sake. He is a Japanese sake evangelist.

The menu is as follows. Please note that alcohol can only be consumed on the premises.

Grill Menu
●Japanese Style Beef Tsukune Burger ・・・・・・・・ $9.50
●Twice Cooked Pork Belly Bun Roll ・・・・・・・・・ $9.50 (Recommended!)
●Twice Cooked Chicken Fillet Bun Roll ・・・・・・・ $9.50
○Twice Cooked Pork Belly Don ・・・・・・・・・・・・・$12 (Recommended!)
○Twice Cooked Chicken Fillet Don ・・・・・・・・・・・$12
Clear Chicken Soup with Tofu ・・・・・・・・・・・・・ $2

Combo Menu
●+ Kochi Yuzu Juice ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・$13
●+ Kirin (Tap) Beer [DINING IN ONLY] ・・・・・・・・・・・・・$15
○+ Kochi Yuzu Juice ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・$15
○+ Kirin (Tap) Beer [DINING IN ONLY]・・・・・・・・・・・・・$17

Drink Menu
Kochi Yuzu Juice ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・$4
Kirin (Tap) Beer [DINING IN ONLY] ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・$7
Kirin Apple Cider [DINING IN ONLY] ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ $8.50
Kirin Apple & Pear Cider [DINING IN ONLY] ・・・・・・・・・・・ $8.50
Cola ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ $3.50
Spring Water ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・$3
Sake of the Month [DINING IN ONLY] ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・$7

The staff at Wasshoi are currently planning events and sake lessons that will introduce and promote Japanese food and sake from Kochi, Akita and Okayama prefectures. An Akita prefecture fair showcasing local sake and cuisine has already been scheduled for October. (See: 03/Mar/2014 event A Sake tasting event in Melbourne [from Kurashiki, Okayama Japan])