A Japanese deep-fried curry bun stuffed with Queensland wagyu has arrived at Eat Street Northshore, and nothing quite like it exists anywhere else on the planet.
OKO OKO, the precinct’s newest micro-restaurant, opened its doors on Friday 12 June with a menu built around one hero dish: the Wagyu Kare Pan — a panko-crusted, deep-fried Japanese curry bun filled with Darling Downs wagyu beef and melted cheese, fried fresh to order.
The Kare Pan is a beloved Japanese street food with roots going back to 1927 in Tokyo. It has its own national grand prix competition in Japan and a dedicated 50,000-member association. But no kitchen — in Japan or anywhere else — has built one around wagyu. Until now.
“We spent over six months on the Kare Pan alone — the dough, the curry, the wagyu, the cheese, the fry. Queensland wagyu changes the dish. What comes out of the fryer at OKO OKO is something Brisbane hasn’t tasted before.” — Michael Otway, founder, OKO OKO
The wagyu comes from Sandalwood Feedlot on Queensland’s Darling Downs — one of Australia’s oldest and most awarded producers, just three hours west of Brisbane. It’s a sourcing decision that elevates a street food classic into something distinctly Queensland.
The menu extends beyond the Kare Pan into Japanese street food territory: Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, and Yakisoba Pan, all held to the same elevated standard. The kitchen is led by a head chef whose résumé spans Nobu London and Yoko Brisbane — serious credentials for a micro-restaurant.
The venue itself makes a statement. A traditional Shinjuku-styled pagoda facade rises above the Eat Street precinct, evoking a downtown Tokyo streetscape in Hamilton. It’s a deliberate aesthetic choice — respected traditions, modern elevation — that mirrors the philosophy behind the food.
OKO OKO is now open at Eat Street Northshore, 221D Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton.
