Azuma Den Canberra – Japanese & Korean Fusion Restaurant Review

Azuma Den Canberra – Japanese and Korean Fusion Restaurant Overview

Azuma Den is a Japanese and Korean fusion restaurant located in Canberra. It combines Japanese izakaya-style dining with Korean-inspired dishes, focusing mainly on set menus and shared dining.

We visited Azuma Den using a Christmas gift voucher and made an online reservation in advance. Even though we visited on a weekday evening, the restaurant was already quite busy. If you plan to visit Azuma Den in Canberra, booking ahead is highly recommended.  

Entrance of Azuma Den Canberra – Japanese and Korean fusion restaurant exterior view

Azuma Den Location and Parking – East Hotel Canberra

Azuma Den is located inside the East Hotel building in Canberra.

There is street parking around the restaurant, but because many pubs and bars are nearby, parking can be difficult during peak hours.

• Free parking is available inside the East Hotel building for restaurant guests

• It is best to inform the staff about parking when you arrive

Azuma Den Interior and Atmosphere – Japanese-Style Fusion Dining

Although the menu uses Korean dish names, the interior feels more Japanese and slightly Chinese rather than Korean.

The lighting is dim but comfortable, and the space feels modern, fresh, and well-maintained.

There is no dress code. From what we saw, casual outfits and even slippers were fine, making Azuma Den an easy and relaxed place to visit.

Azuma Den interior – Japanese-style design with Asian materials and decor

Dining area at Azuma Den Canberra – cozy seating with guests enjoying their meals

Table setup at Azuma Den Canberra

Azuma Den Menu Overview – Set Menu Focus and Prices

Azuma Den offers individual dishes, but its focus is on set menus.

Azuma Den Set Menu Prices:

• Fire Feast – $110

• Dasom Feast – $85

• Pulmaru Vegan Feast (Vegan) – $80

For our visit, we chose the Dasom Feast ($85).

Fire Feast set menu at Azuma Den

Dasom Feast set menu

Pulmaru Vegan Feast at Azuma Den – plant-based Korean and Japanese fusion

👉Please note that set menus must be ordered by at least two people, and everyone must choose the same set.

Azuma Den Ordering Tips – No Half-and-Half Korean Fried Chicken

The Dasom Feast includes Korean fried chicken, and you can choose between Soy Garlic or Sweet Chilli. However, it is not possible to split flavours like traditional Korean half-and-half fried chicken.
For example, I wanted Sweet Chilli and my husband wanted Soy Garlic, but

👉 we had to choose only one flavour for the whole table.

Before visiting, we noticed many reviews mentioning the dumplings, so we also ordered the Lobster · Prawn · Scallop Dumplings as an extra dish.

Azuma Den Service Speed and Dining Experience

Service at Azuma Den was quite slow overall. After placing our first order, it took around 30 minutes for the edamame to arrive.

If you are looking for a quick meal, this is something to keep in mind.

Edamame Review – Shichimi Edamame Starter

This was a simple plate of edamame topped with shichimi spice. It is a very basic starter, but if you like edamame, it is an easy and enjoyable snack.

Shichimi Edamame starter at Azuma Den – lightly seasoned Japanese-style snack

Silken Spicy Tofu Review – Korean-Style Appetiser

This dish featured soft silken tofu topped with a soy sauce and chilli flake mixture. The seasoning added a nice salty depth to the silky texture of the tofu. The addition of Korean perilla leaves gave the dish a fresh finish.

👉 This was the most Korean-style dish on the Azuma Den menu.

Silken Spicy Tofu – Korean-style appetiser with fresh perilla leaves

silken tofu – soft texture with flavourful Korean-inspired sauce

Fried Calamari Review – Yuzu Mayo Sauce

The calamari was lightly battered and not greasy. The mayo could have been greasy, but the yuzu sauce balanced it out, so it didn’t feel heavy and tasted fresh. A final kick from Sichuan pepper added mild heat and made the dish well-balanced overall.

Fried Calamari with Yuzu Mayo – lightly battered and fresh, non-greasy seafood dish

Lobster, Prawn and Scallop Dumplings - 3 pcs Review – Best Dish at Azuma Den

These seafood dumplings were ordered separately from the set menu.

• Thin, chewy dumpling skin

• Well-balanced mix of lobster, prawn, and scallop

• Very juicy and moist inside

• Not oily and not greasy at all

• Finished with a slightly spicy sauce

• Salmon roe on top, popping in the mouth

👉 This was the best dish of the night and the most recommended menu item at Azuma Den.

Seafood Dumplings – lobster, prawn, and scallop combination, recommended dish

Cross-section of the dumpling of seafood dumpling - juicy and flavourful lobster, prawn, and scallop filling

Korean Fried Chicken (Soy Garlic) Review – Disappointing Flavour

The soy garlic fried chicken looked very dark in colour when it arrived.

After tasting it, we noticed a burnt flavour in the sauce, and the garlic aroma was very weak.

• Lacked crispiness

• The crumb felt dry and heavy

• Soy sauce flavour was too strong

👉 Overall, this dish did not meet expectations.

Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken – The exterior looked dark and slightly burnt, partly due to the sauce, but overall it lacked the golden, crispy appearance typical of fried chicken. The inside was moist and juicy, but the salty and slightly burnt flavours overpowered it.

Broccolini Review – Overly Salty Side Dish

The broccolini was grilled well, and the sesame seasoning on top was flavorful. However, the sauce underneath was also salty, making the overall seasoning too strong.

Even when eaten with rice, it still tasted salty.

Grilled Broccolini side dish

Ssam Pork Belly Wrap Review – Different from Traditional Korean Bossam

Based on the menu description, this dish seemed like Korean-style bossam using pork belly. However, the texture was very different from the soft, moist bossam we usually expect.

• The meat side was heavy and dry

• The other side had a very chewy, gelatin-like pork skin texture

The pineapple salad served on the side was not very appealing. While I understand that Korean food in Australia is often fusion-style, I personally felt the meat would pair better with something crisp, rather than the soft, mushy texture of the pineapple, as a ssam dish.

The salad served with the Ssam Pork Belly includes oakleaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, and Korean perilla leaves.

Ssam Pork Belly Wrap – served with side pineapple salad and vegetables

AZD Brûlée Review – Mandarin and Ginger Dessert

I am not very familiar with crème brûlée, but the caramelised sugar on top tasted burnt. After checking other photos on Google, it seems this is how it is usually served.

When removing the burnt sugar layer, the inside was smooth, creamy, and lightly sweet, which was enjoyable.

Mandarin and ginger-flavored crème brûlée

Breaking the caramelised top of AZD Brûlée – creamy Mandarin and Ginger dessert

Azuma Den Opening Hours and Surcharge Information

Azuma Den Opening Hours

• Lunch: Wednesday – Saturday: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

• Dinner: Tuesday – Saturday: 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm

• Closed: Sunday & Monday

Azuma Den Surcharge Policy

• Credit card surcharge: 1.65%

• Saturday surcharge: 10%

• Sunday surcharge: 15%

Azuma Den Canberra receipt – shows credit card and weekend surcharges

Final Thoughts on Azuma Den Canberra – Worth It?

Azuma Den in Canberra is a Japanese and Korean fusion restaurant worth trying at least once. While the seafood dumplings are highly recommended, the quality of other dishes varies, so overall satisfaction can be mixed.

👉If you’re looking for refined Vietnamese cuisine in Canberra, you may also want to read [my honest review of The Q Dining Canberra], a modern Vietnamese restaurant I’ve shared before.

👉For a completely different dining experience, you can also check out [my honest review of Naadam Restaurant Canberra], featuring authentic Mongolian food and a traditional yurt dining experience.

*This review is based on my personal experience, and results may vary for others. Please take it as a friendly reference.