Tomoya Kawasaki ran vegan ramen favourite Neko Neko with his ex-wife Saori Kawasaki from 2016 until late last year when Saori stepped away for health reasons and they closed the shop. Tomoya – also behind Wabi Sabi Salon – has now opened Obanzai Mama, a traditional Japanese deli with mostly vegetarian dishes, in the former Neko Neko space.

“It’s really traditional, grandma-style cooking – the kind of food we eat every day in Japan at home,” he tells Broadsheet. “A lot of Japanese food here has been more Westernised, but I wanted to showcase a more authentic, simple, vegetable-led approach.”

Obanzai refers to a meal of Kyoto-style side dishes mostly prepared using seasonal vegetables and seafood. The small dishes are often arranged in a grid and served on a large tray. At Obanzai Mama, there’s a variety of nourishing options available for both dine-in and takeaway. The bento-style meals come in three sizes – grid four, grid six, and grid nine – allowing you to mix and match small dishes like daikon salad, simmered eggplant, and shira-ae (a delicate salad of mashed tofu and spinach).

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The menu also includes five changing onigiri, with grilled salmon remaining a staple. “Dining in, we make them to order,” he says, “but there’s also a grab-and-go option for takeaway.” Beyond the onigiri, the standout item is the dashimaki tamago katsu sando – fluffy Japanese rolled omelette that’s breaded, fried and layered onto soft shokupan with a house-made mayonnaise.

The drinks reflect Tomoya’s passion for Japanese ingredients and include a selection of hot and cold teas that match the menu’s mild and earthy flavours. Coming soon, there’ll also be an evolving sake selection, including muroka nama genshu, an unfiltered, undiluted sake that has only recently made its way into Australia. “It’s an old-school, fermented sake that you need to drink fresh,” he explains. Alongside the sake, expect Japanese beers, plum wine, and, eventually, a few house cocktails.

The fit-out nods to tradition with Japanese tea chests, Neko Neko’s old triangular communal table, and kitschy vintage items from Kawasaki’s grandmother. “Half of the furniture is from my grandma in Japan,” he says. “I had been storing it for 20 years, and now it’s finally found a home here.”

Obanzai Mama launched with just a lunch menu, and dinner service begins tomorrow. Tomoya also hints at future plans to sell house-made sauces for your pantry and introduce a changing ramen option in winter. “For now, we’re focusing on creating a space where people can experience real Kyoto-style cooking – something light, fresh, and full of flavour,” he says.

Obanzai Mama
83A Smith Street, Fitzroy
No phone

Hours:
Thur to Tues midday–9pm

@obanzaimama
obanzaimama.com.au