Kadota Restaurant Daylesford

Contemporary Japanese Dining

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Golden Plate Awards in 2022

  • STATE WINNER Best Contemporary Dining

  • MOST OUTSTANDING FRONT-OF-HOUSE: Risa Kadota

  • APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR: Alexis Saville

  • GOLD PLATE WINNER 2022

Golden Plate Awards 

  • State Winner Golden Plate Awards 2021 2022

  • State Winner Awards for Best Casual Dining

  • HIGHLY COMMENDED Best List of Wines, Beers & Ciders 

  • State Finalist Best Customer Service 

Street Address: 1 Camp Street, Daylesford

  • Category: Restaurant Contemporary Dining
  • Cuisine: Japanese (vegetarian and gluten free available).
  • Trading Days and Hours:
    • Wednesdays to Saturdays 5.30 pm to late
    • Sundays to Tuesdays: CLOSED
  • $$$
  • Cards Accepted: Visa and Mastercard
  • Street parking
  • Covid-safe measures in place

 

Judges reports for 2022 

Kadota lovingly fuses classic Japanese techniques with locally-sourced ingredients to deliver a dining tour de force of contemporary local dishes with distinctly Japanese-influenced presentation and flavour. In a cooly-elegant fitout of an historic Daylesford landmark, you could be forgiven for believing you were welcomed into the home of Risha Kadota and Aaron Schembri, such is the warmth of the welcome and the passion to provide an embracing dining experience. Seating around 40, in a pared-back dining room punctuated with a striking burnt black wall, Kadota exemplifies the concept of leisurely, considered dining.

At Kadota, you’ll revel in the freshest sashimi of Victorian and Tasmanian seafood, delicious rare herbage foraged from the central highlands and specialties like Sher wagyu, Port Fairy calamari and Murray cod like you’ve never had before. The adventurous diner will pair their meal with a degustation of sakes, or select from a list of fine wines, spirits and beers sourced from around the globe, but always at accessible prices. Kadota offers a choice of seasonal degustation menus, Classic or Luxury, and whichever you choose you’ll delight in each well considered and flavour balanced course.

Judges’ Reports in 2021

A warm smile and graceful welcome are the first of many treats you’ll receive when you open the door to Kadota. Settling comfortably into what seems is Daylesford’s own Japanese quarter, Kadota is the love child of globetrotting Daylesford wunderkind Aaron Schembri and partner Risa Kadota, who met while slinging hospitality in Japan.

Back in the ‘hood Aaron and Risa have transformed No 1 Camp Street into a calm and inviting casual fine diner and offer a fixed menu of Japanese dishes using the freshest local seasonal ingredients aided and abetted by a drinks list showcasing small independent Victorian winemakers and a sake list that will bring a tear to your eye. The service is Daylesford at its best; friendly, knowledgeable and intuitive.

Living and breathing the ethos of Omotenashi; meaning honest service and honest food, at Kadota you’ll enjoy “crafted Japanese flavours carefully produced using seasonal local artisan ingredients”. If you’re in for an umami kick you will swoon over the Osuimono and the furikake will have you begging for the recipe, and the sweet tooth will be rewarded with a finale so delicious you’ll be singing. The set menu will carry you through familiar and unfamiliar dishes with the common themes of delicious flavours and stunning presentation shining through. Before you finish, how about a house made Kadota tea using quality locally foraged ingredients?

Special strengths

Delicious Japanese flavours using local ingredients. Every plated element sung with bright flavour. Presentation reflected colour contrasts and visual appeal. Delicious umami of the Osuimono and the furikake. A very well considered drinks list of exceptional quality. The sake list is a blockbuster. Customer service was smooth, polished, knowledgeable and intuitive. The list of teas was very impressive. The set menu represents great value for money.

 

Wednesday - Saturday: 5.30 pm to late
Camp Street 1
Daylesford 3460 VIC AU
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