Karaage Me
Their Story
Kenji Usui, a native of Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and his New Zealander wife, Rachel, moved to Nelson in December 2009. They initially owned and operated the Balmoral Motel in Tahunanui until 2019. After selling the motel, Usui, deeply missing his favorite Japanese snack, was inspired to…
What They Make
Mister Karaage specializes in Japanese fried chicken (karaage) made from small pieces of chicken leg meat. Their core offerings include Regular Karaage, Black Pepper Karaage (inspired by Nagoya-style *tebasaki* chicken wings), and Shichimi Karaage (featuring *shichimi* spice). These karaage options are served either on their own, on rice as a Karaage Don (e.g., Jalapeño Karaage Don), or as part of a mixed bento. Essential accompaniments include Kewpie mayonnaise, alongside other sauce variations developed to appeal to local tastes.
How to Get Their Products
Mister Karaage operates from a food cart at Kirby Lane in Nelson. Customers can purchase directly from the food cart.