By Rachelle Boyle

Koh-Ya gets a five-chopstick rating.
 
For an authentic Japanese dining experience, Koh-Ya is a yakinuki restaurant on Anne Street, the Valley. Yakinuki is Japanese for BBQ but from the outside this place looks like a suspiciously silent karaoke bar. It becomes even more suspicious when you step inside and can’t see any diners. Take another step and you’ll be scared out of your skin as the waitresses, chefs and restaurant manager shout out, “Irasshaimase!” After you’ve recovered you’ll realise it’s not an emergency and see that most of the diners are closeted behind screens at the back of the room devouring a feast worthy of emperors.
 
And I do mean feast. My husband and I ordered sashimi beef and a BBQ platter for two that came with an entrée of miso soup and ox tongue. The platter that was heaved onto our table could have satisfied a pair of sumo wrestlers. It basically has a little bit of everything from the BBQ menu so it’s a great way to sample the exquisite cuts of beef, pork, chicken and seafood. There are some token vegetables and steamed soya beans so you don’t feel like a complete carnivore, and the plum wine is the perfect accompaniment to wash it all down.
 
I picked up a soya bean and plonked it onto the BBQ grill much to the distress of our waitress. After apologizing to one another in words we could only guess at, we enjoyed very discreet and well-timed service for the remainder of the evening. Being unable to speak the same language added some welcome authenticity of the experience and by the end of the night I felt less jealous of those lucky buggers who have grabbed those cheap fares to Tokyo. In fact, one of the biggest drawcards about Koh-Ya is the reasonably-priced food. Other Japanese joints can charge a geisha’s dowry for a bit of sad-looking eel soaked in soy sauce. But if you can tolerate the drab décor, you can consume the better half of McDonalds farm for thirty bucks. And the beef is no ordinary, moo-cow beef either. I’m talking beef that has been raised on beer and back rubs. The sort of beef that Angus calves can only dream of being when it grows up. The sashimi beef is so called because it requires no cooking at all and Koh-Ya’s offering was so succulent it melted in our mouths like the proverbial butter.
 
The BBQ tables can easily seat six so it’s the perfect venue for meeting a bunch of friends. Bookings for the weekend are advisable and parking is on-street though I recommend you find a spot overlooking the river so you can enjoy a magical view as you waddle back to your car.

So if you want Japanese food worth poking a chopstick at you can book a table on (07) 3252 3275 a

Level 6, 11 Ann Street
Fortitude Valley
Brisbane
QLD 4006
Open 7 days for Dinner
6pm - 11pm
Fully licensed