Sydney Dining Hotspot Nakano Darling Is Hosting a Luxury 6-Course "Catshimi Omakase" Just for Cats
Cat lovers, try to stay calm. To celebrate the launch of RAWR Food for Cats—fresh, artificial-free raw meals crafted from 100% raw Aussie meat—Sydney dining hotspot Nakano Darling is set to host a first-of-its-kind “Catshimi Omakase”, treating the true rulers of the household to a luxury 6-course raw degustation. It is a love-letter to raw cuisine, catered exclusively to kitties, in purr-fect portions.
Nestled in Haymarket, the cult-favourite Izakaya normally seats human foodies, but on Sunday 19 July, their cats will be the guests of honour, served and fussed over across three exclusive sittings, with their owners along strictly as chaperones.
What’s on the Menu?
Furry VIPs will be treated to a 6-course degustation, inspired by RAWR's 100% Aussie meat range, featuring Ocean Fish, Kangaroo and Chicken. Every course is a feline riff on a Japanese classic, made in consultation with pet nutritionists. They are reimagined cat-safe and plated in delicate 5g bites, with RAWR's nutrient-dense collagen broth drizzled through as a sauce or pooled as a garnish. The menu will include:
- Catnip Miso: A cat's-eye take on miso soup: a nutty kinako (soybean) "broth" dotted with boiled scallop and, of course, catnip.
- Raw Liver Nigiri: A hand-pressed nigiri topped with raw chicken liver, served with edamame paste and boiled zucchini.
- Raw Chicken "Yakitori": Tender chicken thigh over a smooth carrot purée, finished with fine ribbons of zucchini (skewer-free, naturally).
- Seafood Paw Roll: A maki-style roll of thinly sliced tuna and salmon, cucumber and a paper-thin egg crêpe, wrapped with rice and nori.
- Kangaroo & Liver Gyoza: Kangaroo mince, chicken liver and catnip dumpling deconstructed.
- Kangaroo Bowl: A donburi-style finale of raw kangaroo, strawberry, edamame, pumpkin and broccoli over rice, crowned with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.
A Feline-Friendly Dining Room
The event serves as a playful celebration of the craft, taste and health benefits of raw cuisine, which is preferred by domestic cats. To ensure the event is the cat's pyjamas, and truly feline friendly, every element has been re-worked with cat behaviours and preferences in mind.
Dividers will separate kitties during service, as they are solitary feeders. Additionally, dish sizes will be shrunk to 5g raw bites, to mirror cats' preferred portions. Cat calming diffusers will be deployed, as well as dim lighting and cat-specific music (in both noise, tempo and frequency) to ensure a calming space.
The Rise of Pet Humanisation
Founder of RAWR Pet Foods, Pru Thompson, said: “Japan has given us both the joy of cat cafés and the pinnacle of raw dining. With Catshimi Omakase, we’re bringing those worlds together. Our unique cat dining degustation will help us highlight the real cat food that RAWR has created to mirror a cat’s natural prey diet - high in protein and fat, low in carbohydrates, and naturally high in moisture to support hydration.”
“Raw feeding remains one of the most underutilised categories in pet nutrition, and this is our invitation for pet parents to expect more. The same freshness, culinary craftsmanship, and health benefits we seek in our own food are exactly what our cats deserve in their bowl,” Thompson continued.
In preparation for the royal arrival, acclaimed human chef and Executive Chef, Hideyuki Kato from Hatena Hospitality Group, has turned his talents to an entirely new clientele. In what may be the most unexpected chapter of his career, Chef Kato worked alongside RAWR’s nutritionists to create a luxurious raw degustation menu for cats, meticulously refining the aroma, texture and palatability to satisfy even the most demanding feline divas.
"We are excited to welcome Sydney's most demanding diners," said Chris Wu, Managing Director of Hatena Hospitality Group. "Bringing authentic Japanese culture to Sydney has always been our thing, and cat cafés are a huge part of that culture, so for one day, we're leaning all the way in!”
Catshimi Omakase encourages cat parents to ponder the difference between cat food and real food for cats. It leans into the booming "pet humanisation" phenomenon, the cultural shift where pet parents project their own lifestyle choices onto their furry best friends. Our pets now dine with us, do yoga with us, ride in prams and take their own wellness supplements. Yet for all our label-reading and rising nutrition standards, we'll still tip our beloved companion a bowl of ultra-processed gruel and call it dinner.
Bursting onto Woolworths shelves this month, RAWR champions the biological power of fresh, raw feeding: meals developed by pet nutritionists from 100% Aussie meat, egg and gut-loving extras, then snap-frozen to seal in every bite of goodness. The result? Shinier coats, smoother digestion, less waste and happier cats.
How to Secure a Front-Row Seat
To ensure the feline guests can enjoy their meals stress-free, seats at Catshimi Omakase are incredibly limited, with entries strictly capped. Cat-lovers who want to secure a front-row seat at the counter for their furry rulers can RSVP for a session via the booking link here. But you’ll need to be quick!
Entry is entirely free and every single feline patron in attendance will go home with a free month's trial box of the new RAWR range to keep the raw food party going at home.
