Nonbei Sake Bar & BBQ

Nonbei Sake Bar & BBQ is the famous Japanese BBQ restaurant located in China Town. Generous all you can eat buffet menu, consistent quality wagyu beef and energetic vibe has attracted a strong following for many years. The Tomcat Family & Espresso&Matcha was there for weekday dinner with one mission in mind: to tame the BBQ and Wagyu hunger!

We were greeted politely by waitress Suzuka and taken to our table. An ordering ipad was presented with the terms and conditions explained. Once you hit the “Yes, I Agree” button, menu item will appear with a 100min countdown clock.

Salmon sashimi: Fresh, thinly sliced in small plate serving. The sashimi showed vibrant colours with an appetising oily glow. Paired with wasabi and soy sauce, it presents a satisfyingly meaty mouthfeel sure to please the sashimi lovers. 4/5

Salmon yukke carpaccio: sliced salmon sashimi topped with flyfish roe, chopped spring onion and citrus sweet soy sauce. The dish adds a more refreshing taste to the normal salmon sashimi with a playful fish roe crunch. Bravo! 4.5/5

Gyoza: pork and veggie filling lightly pan fried in a six pc serving. The filling presents strong porky taste with hints of spring onion. Gyoza skin was slightly undercooked and lacks the anticipated delicate texture. As an overall package it was an average 3/5.

Chicken karaage: deep fried bite size chicken pieces with a touch of chilli powder. The delightful appetiser presents a crunchy outer crust with a moist and juicy centre. Seasoning was near perfection with the right amount of saltiness with touch of pepper & chilli. A great dish to pair with beer! 4/5

Agedashi tofu: deep friend tofu cubes served in a warm dashi & mirin broth topped with spring onion and bonito flakes. The tofu had a mildly chewy outer skin with a soft and tender centre. The broth adds a sweet and salty flavour to the tofu with enhanced fishy taste from the bonito flakes. A full bodied flavour hit this is! 4/5

Stewed beef: served warm in a small bowl with a touch of spring onions. The slow cooked meat presents concentrated beefy flavours with hints of soy, sake and mixed spice. Paired with melt in your mouth tenderness and perfectly balanced seasoning, you have a crowd pleaser for young and old. 4.5/5

Tempura Eggplant: lightly coated eggplant fried to order garnished with white sesame and Tonkatsu sauce. The eggplant was crispy on the onside with a soft and mushy centre. Paired with the thick Worcestershire sauce we find it to be overly salty but it didn’t stop Espresso&Matcha from finishing the whole lot. 3.5/5

Takoyaki: deep fried octopus balls dressed with Japanese mayo, Takoyaki sauce and bonito flakes. The hot and flavourful Takoyaki present a crispy coating with soft and mushy centre. A small piece of octopus hides in the centre which adds crunchiness to keep the dish interesting. The double hitting sauce excites the palate with rich creamy mouthfeel and well balanced seasoning. A Japanese party fav that’s for sure. 4/5

BBQ chicken meat selection: sliced chick breast and thigh lightly marinated with salt & pepper and a touch of corn starch. The meat cooked quite quickly on the BBQ with big chicken flavours and tender texture. A must order for sure! 4.5/5

BBQ Beef selection: thick slices of wagyu (oyster blade cut) & tongue ordered by weight. The wagyu meat presents excellent marbling (for buffet) and released fragrant BBQ scent whilst cooking. First bite and my eyes sparkled; the meat was melt in your mouth tender with concentrated beef flavours. For a buffet, the meat quality was absolutely outstanding! 5/5

Service: for a full house, very quick and efficient. Orders placed on the ipad were delivered within a good timeframe and empty dishes taken on a frequent basis. The traditional cheerful hospitality should be worked on abit more. 4/5

With my stomach happily 90% full, we called it stops with just over 20min on clocks. As a simple conclusion: simply the best BBQ buffet in Brisbane!

Hint: concentrate on the Wagyu beef and salmon sashimi!