The group’s current stable includes much-loved boozers and eateries including Bine Bar & Dining in Nobby Beach, Tank Bar & Dining in Palm Beach, Precinct Brewing Co. in Miami, and Hideaway Kitchen & Bar, to name a few. The latest, Okawari House in Nobby Beach is raising the culinary bar from anything the group has done before. Here’s everything you need to know …

Translating to mean ‘second helping’ or, more generally, ‘another one’ in Japanese, Okawari House has transformed the space formerly occupied by i like ramen at the northern end of the Nobby Beach strip. The idea for an upscale Japanese joint has been kicking around in Scott Imlach’s mind for years, slowly coming together over multiple trips eating his way around Japan. “Japanese has always been my favourite food, I reckon I’ve been there a dozen times,” Scott tells us. “Tokyo is incredible for authentic upscale dining, while Osaka has the best flavours. Sapporo is a different style again.”

When the site’s landlord approached Scott with an offer too good to refuse, the Imlach Hospitality Group embarked upon their most ambitious venue to date. Normally known for its down-to-earth approachability to hospitality venues, Okawari House is stepping things up a notch in terms of its quality and menu, combining elements of Tokyo upscale dining with Osaka’s flavourful fare.

A speedy fit-out transformed the building’s bones into a Shinjuku-style bar – the kind you might simply stumble upon in a back alley – with a lick of matte-black paint, hanging umbrellas (a nod to Hideaway) and the group’s signature graffiti-style murals adorning the back wall. The new-look venue seats roughly 100 patrons across a variety of high bars, intimate two-seaters as well as street-side seating.

To realise his specific vision, Scott recruited head chef Takumi Nitta, whose resume includes stints at the former TEN Japanese Restaurant in Broadbeach as well as Brisbane’s famed Sushi Room by Simon Gloftis. Takumi has curated a menu that highlights yakitori alongside dishes cooked over coals on a traditional robata grill – think slightly charred broccolini, grilled octopus and a show-stopping flaming wagyu with a marble score of 8+ which is served on a ishiyaki (stone grill).

To begin your Japanese food journey, munch on a couple of plates from the raw section, which includes the likes of spicy salmon tartar with crisp rice cracker, three kinds of oysters (natural, ikura ponzu and grilled-seaweed butter) and wagyu tataki. Some of Okawari House’s signature dishes can be found in the robata and yakitori sections, with skewers of chicken thigh, pork belly and shiitake mushroom among the standouts. If you find the process of ordering laborious, there are also three set menus to choose from, which includes a selection of chef’s favourites for $65 and $90 respectively alongside a meat-free option.

As for the drinks, there are five signature Japanese-inspired cocktails on offer including head barman Jimmy’s take on a house marg, the Kumquat & Kombu (Herradura Plata, kumquat cordial, Mirin, lime and Kombu salt), a twist on a lychee martini (that’s the No. 2, a lychee and coconut highball) as well as Okawari’s version of an old fashioned with miso-butter-fat-washed Japanese whisky. There’s also a selection of Japanese beers, sake, shochu and a clutch of minimal intervention lo-fi wines. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, it’s pronounced oka-wari.

Ready to dine? Okawari House is now open! Head to our Stumble Guide for opening times and booking details.

This article was written by Jade Quinlivan from The Weekend Edition Gold Coast.