A taste of Tokyo in Carrara – meet Kemuri Kitchen Bao + Yakitori, the Gold Coast’s hidden izakaya
While the Gold Coast’s food scene tends to be concentrated along the coastline, every now and then a quiet standout emerges away from the usual bustle. Kemuri Kitchen Bao + Yakitori in Carrara is that place, transporting your taste buds to a Tokyo backstreet izakaya.
Tucked behind an unassuming frontage, Kemuri Kitchen Bao + Yakitori is the kind of place you only discover by word of mouth – and then wonder how it stayed off your radar for so long. Run by husband-and-wife team Hiroyuki (Hiro) Okubo, a sommelier with decades of experience across Hilton properties and Paper Daisy, and Yuki Okubo, a talented chef who has trained in both French cuisine and Japanese cooking, this small but ambitious venue is quietly redefining the suburban dining experience.
The pair began their journey at Helensvale’s local night markets, where their signature bao buns built something of a cult following. Night after night, Yuki would hand-shape small batches of dough that consistently sold out – soft, pillowy parcels filled with everything from teriyaki chicken to miso eggplant or wagyu beef. The popularity of the baos became the catalyst for a more permanent venture. As Carrara locals, they knew the suburb’s charm and chose it as the home for their first bricks-and-mortar restaurant eight years ago.
Even now, the bao buns remain a cornerstone of the Kemuri menu. Yuki still prepares just 30 a day – when they’re gone, they’re gone. It’s a daily ritual of care and craft that threads through the entire experience. From the understated fit-out to the beautifully balanced dishes, Kemuri is all about intention and restraint – nothing showy, just excellent food.
Recently, the couple expanded into the neighbouring tenancy to create a dedicated izakaya-style dining room, complete with a charcoal grill that takes centre stage from Thursday to Saturday. On these nights, you’ll find yakitori skewers with clever pairings like zucchini and pecorino or prawn and pork, alongside perfectly caramelised wagyu short rib.
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Sundays are for Obanzai – a home-style Kyoto-inspired offering built around simplicity and seasonal ingredients. For $28, you can sample four small dishes like goma-ae spinach, Japanese potato salad, and mustard leaves with thin tofu and kinpira beetroot – traditional flavours done with subtlety and care. Occasionally, Kemuri hosts omakase hot-pot evenings, where diners can slurp on free-range chicken hot pots and kingfish shabu shabu alongside sashimi, yakitori and matcha desserts. These special events are announced via Instagram and the website, often drawing regulars eager for something a little different.
No matter which venue you sit, you can order from either menu. There are dishes like tempura soft-shell prawns with curry mayo, deep-fried octopus with dashi dipping soup, and charcoal duck breast with leek and pink pepper. Lighter options like sashimi, gyoza, rice bowls and ramen round out the offering, while meat-free mates can tuck into the miso-eggplant bao and vegetarian gyoza.
The drinks list reflects Hiro’s sommelier pedigree, with a thoughtful curation of sake, Japanese whisky, natural wines and boutique Australian producers. Whether you’re sipping a Two Tails gin and Coastal Dry tonic, a Nama Genshu sake or a funky pinot from the Yarra, the drinks are as considered as the food.
Although Carrara might not be the first suburb that springs to mind for standout Japanese food, perhaps that’s the point. Kemuri Kitchen Bao + Yakitori is a gentle reminder that some of the best meals happen in the most unexpected places.
Head to The Directory for opening times.