There's no shortage of fast and cheap Japanese restaurants in Melbourne, but even with some fierce competition, Kaneda stands out. Crowded into the tiny mid-city arcade opposite Pancake Dessert House, there is a frequent flow of customers, especially during the afternoons from 330pm to 530pm, where you can pick up a bento box, a bowl of Japanese noodles or various other snacks for cheap. For a small group of people of people, the restaurant is always a winner, especially as when people ask 'We are we going to eat?", you can reply with "Kaneda" and watch the looks of confusion on their faces.
With a large variety of dishes on offer, it's hard to pick just one. Thankfully, there's something for everyone and the waiters are not pushy (unlike in some busy places). As I was here this time around for an early dinner, I decided against ordering my usual entrée of takoyaki. The dish here is not the best I've ever had, but it's certainly not the worst, being nice and hot with a good amount of octopus. I ended up ordering the pork bento box for just under $10.
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Pork Bento Box |
My friend ordered the eggplant bento box.
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Eggplant Bento Box |
This is definitely a great destination for lunch, or an early dinner. With such a small space to work in, Kaneda tends to get very crowded, so unless you like the crammed-in feeling, it's best to avoid going during peak times.
Kaneda Japanese Restaurant
Mid City Arcade, 200 Bourke St, Melbourne
Tue-Sun 12pm-930pm
