Sesh Mafia gang behind Subiaco’s Shui unveil ‘boisterous and fun’ underground Japanese joint, Papi Katsu

In a subterranean den deep in the bowels of the city, a weathered journalist interrogates two members of the mafia. Sounds like a scene straight out Japanese crime anime, but the reality is more delicious. The mafia men are chef Chase Weber and cocktail king Eoin Kenny from Sesh Mafia, the team behind popular Subiaco eatery Shui. The den is Papi Katsu, Sesh Mafia’s new Japanese restaurant and bar, which is located just below ground level at Brookfield Place and is due to open on May 30. It’s hardly a yakuza den in Shinjuku, but it might just be the next best thing in Perth dining. Weber and Kenny certainly think so. Like Shui, Papi Katsu — a noir-ish space partitioned into semi-private dining rooms adorned with neon-lit Japanese cityscapes and vistas — will be a “boisterous, fun place”, according to Weber. “There’s no rule that says you can’t have great food in a fun, loud place,” Sesh Mafia’s culinary director says. “We want you to have incredible food and a f…ing good time. “We’re pitching to a market that wants more atmosphere. I don’t think there’s an atmosphere at Nobu, to be honest. “You go there, the food’s great … but you sit there, have your food and then leave. “We want people to come in, sit around, drink bottles of sake, have a good laugh and settle in for the day.” Papi Katsu seems like the sort of joint where, after a few of Kenny’s “alcohol-forward” Japanese whisky soda highballs, you might lose all sense of time. Created by Weber and Sesh Mafia group executive chef Leigh Power, the menu builds a bridge between WA produce, particularly seafood, and Japanese cuisine. There’s Glacier 51 toothfish, whole fish sashimi, whole crayfish tempura and poached Cambinata yabbies — you won’t find those in Osaka — on a hit-list ranging from bento boxes and sushi snacks for lunch, and massive share dishes designed for long sake-soaked sessions in the evening. (Papi Katsu’s original head chef Masahiko Yomoda had to return to the east coast for unspecified personal reasons, Weber and Kenny said during our interview.) Kenny admits that the Sesh Mafia team almost disappeared “right down the rabbit hole” exploring Japan’s alcoholic beverages, ranging from plum wines and fruit liquors to top shelf whiskies, including the Kurayoshi Single Malt Year of the Dragon only available by bottle. The bartender with local experience at Rockpool, Long Chim and the Ritz-Carlton as well as stints in London and New York has been cautious with sake, starting with 25 different bottles before expanding in line with Perth drinkers’ tastes. Papi Katsu will have four signature spritzes, four martinis and four highballs, including a traditional Toki whisky highball. “They’re bright and colourful, but they’re booze-forward,” Kenny explained. “We don’t want to make them sweet, or acidic. They’re not cocktails, they’re highballs. “The spritzes are all based around Japanese fruit liquors,” the Sesh Mafia operations and beverage coordinator continued. “They’re light, bright and really easy to drink. Here at Brookfield Place on a Friday afternoon, they’re going to be really popular.” Kenny added that “martinis are the future”, promising that his take on the classic at Papi Katsu will be one of Perth’s best. Stocked with a good range of whiskies, gins and other spirits, the city diner will do full bottle service and has a sake master en route to Perth. Weber, who has experience with Japanese-influenced cuisine via his stint at Fleur at the Royal, also plans to import top chefs for guest omakase dinners. “Japanese cuisine can be a bit polarising at times,” Kenny offers, “but with our menu and what Chase and Leigh have done, it’s really brought it back to something that’s accessible for everyone. “We’re not here to be gimmicky, we make proper food and we make proper drinks.” Both Sesh Mafia men are currently working on several projects, with the rapidly expanding hospitality group also poised to open venues serving Palestinian charcoal chicken (Larry’s), modern Baltic dishes (Margots Wine Bar and Cellar Door in Northbridge), Mediterranean (the old Wagamama site in Subi) and Mexican (Lupe’s in Brookfield Place). Weber is also doing pop-up Malaysian-inspired barbecue feasts with his side hustle, Gorilla BBQ. While his head must be spinning, the chef says he’s loving it after spending 18 months travelling and becoming a dad following his departure from the Parker Group. “After 10 years in one group, I was getting to the end a little bit,” Weber says. “I was done for ideas and COVID blocked us from going overseas and exploring. “I had that time to reset the body, reset the mind, have the little one and change the lifestyle a bit. “It doesn’t scare me, going from one cuisine to the next. The base principle is the same — make it tasty and make the restaurant fun.” And boisterous.