We had the gutan (oxe tongue), buta no shogayaki (pork ginger strips) & katsu nabe (fried pork…read moresoup). The last two were excellent, on par with the best i have had in japan. At these prices together with friendly service, clean and japanese styles setting what more could you want?

A great find for a sneaky Wednesday lunch. We (a table for two) shared a hotpot. It was spot on…read more Lovely food and lovely service. Thank you!

My wife and I are visiting from the States. We love sushi and were lucky enough to find Shoya on…read moreour first night. The fish was incredibly fresh and delicious. We sat at the sushi bar and watched Chef Shigeo work. What a treat! The man is wizard with a knife. I think we're going back tonight.

We would never have discovered Shoya at all had it not been for the small write-up it received in…read moreThe Age Good Food Guide. So off we ventured to Melbourne's Market Lane one Friday night with a strong craving for good Japanese food in our bellies and our minds. Shoya is a large, multi-levelled restaurant so there's never much trouble getting a table. We opted for a regular table rather than the horigotatsu style (sunken tables) or seating by the sushi counter. I have now been to Shoya twice and the only seating I've yet to try is the by the sushi counter, but I can tell you that the sunken tables are more fun than the regular ones. Their sake list is excellent and I really recommend overlooking the wine list for a good sake (not that the wine list isn't good, but you know, when in Rome/a Japanese restaurant...) or placing your order with your very professional waiter and letting them match a sake to the dishes you've selected. By the way, if the menu gets to be too much, there is no shame in opting for the degustation or omakase. This way you know you're letting the chef show-off his best and finest dishes to you. Order from the menu though and you will be rewarded with immaculately clean and balanced flavours. Try the agadashi dofu and the Hokkaido spider crab legs (lightly battered and fried, and to die for).

We were visiting Melbourne and wanted to visit a more unique kind of place. Supernormal fit the…read morebill! Here's what we noticed: - You'll definitely want a reservation as the place gets packed. For our party of two we were seated at the bar, which is a really long bar and appears to be the primary area where parties of two get seated. It was nice, fun to be able to watch the action behind the bar. - They had a great cocktail menu and so we ordered some unique drinks. Both were really good. - The menu is pretty broad with small plates to share and larger entrées too. We end up starting with the Korean Rice Cakes, which was probably a highlight of the meal. It was also a pretty generous size. Then they brought out the Lobster Roll, which was good, but probably a poor ordering choice for us since it really wasn't that unique...although it was very yummy. And finally, we had the Duck Bao, and it was excellent. There were so many other things we would've liked to order from the menu, but this was a lot of food for just two of us, although we saw other parties of two order so much more. But, we wanted to save room for the peanut butter parfait. It was worth the weight/wait! - Service was good. At first, it seemed like they were rushing to move us along, but then as more people came into the restaurant, it calmed down a bit. - The place has a great vibe, but it's a little bit loud as you would expect with a place like this. Bottom line: This was one of the best meals we've had so far during our trip to Australia.

Supernormal had been on our list to try before leaving Melbourne. It's a whole vibe. We didn't…read morehave a reservation, so we ended up waiting about 30 minutes. Not awful but also not something I normally do. The food was good, though I suspect some of their standout dishes lean heavily on seafood, and because I have a shellfish allergy I missed out on the items people most likely are raving about. We ordered the white chicken with potatoes and spinach. It had good flavor, but I'm not a fan of cold dishes and this one is served cold. The greens and broccoli ended up being the most flavorful dish we had. I was not a fan of the rice cakes. They were very rich/sweet/thick???? and they give you a lot of them. We also got the dumplings, which were really good. The peanut butter parfait was delicious. Overall, I'm glad we experienced it. The vibe and atmosphere definitely lived up to the hype, even if the food itself didn't completely wow me. I wouldn't mind returning for lunch to try their ramen, since it's a special only on the lunch menu.

The food here was amazing, ambiance was very street Korean and comfortable, and the service was…read moregood - Sunday surcharge was a bit steep, but the meal made up for it.

Cute little Korean restaurant on Rose Lane, the "new laneway" in the Upper West Side building…read more Korean Table is surrounded by I Love Chicken, Hakoya Ramen, Kyoto Mart, and Rolling Nori - and it holds its own for sure! I came here on New Years Day for dinner. The menu is 6 pages long, but there is a picture of every dish, which makes it really helpful to decide (I assume especially if you're not Korean). I kept it classic and went with the beef bibimbap, and boy am I glad I did! The only adjustment I made was no bean sprouts. Served in a sizzling hot stone bowl, you'll have to control yourself for a couple of minutes to let the rice continue to cook and get all crispy on the edges. The server was quite sweet and asked me if I knew how to eat it when she delivered the bowl. I sheepishly said, "um, mix it all together?" and she nodded in approval and skipped away. All of the ingredients and flavors blended together perfectly, aided by a generous helping of gochugang (sweet/spicy red sauce). I added a grapefruit soju to wash it down. Like many places, you'll self serve cutlery (chopsticks, spoons, napkins) as well as water from the counter. Someone takes your order either at the register or your table (didn't seem to be rhyme or reason to which or why), and then drops off your food when you're done. Space is tailored to groups of 2 or 4, though one group of about 6 or 7 kids came in together looking worse for wear after NYE. Prices are about $15 each for most entrees. The food was delicious (see photos) and I will be back!

The best matcha latte i have had so far, service was fast and the store was very beautiful. The…read moreteriyaki shiitake rice ball was delicious and worth the cost.

Spending your Sunday morning at Kuu feels like finding a slice of Japanese culture in a city full…read moreof cafes. It's peaceful. Situated right across a tram stop on Wilson St. and Park St, this cozy spot may not be fancy in any way, just cute and intimate comes to mind! Upon entering, I instantly fell for the ambiance as it feels like being in someone's home kitchen. Kuu also serves up all kinds of Japanese comfort food that are just as heartwarming as the rest of their cafe. I came here just right when they open at 8 a.m. before heading off to St. Ali nearby. Taking advantage of their weekend-only special, I ordered the breakie platter (small) for $13.99. First of all, the presentation was as cute as expected! You can tell how serious they are by the amount of meticulous details they put in their food, it was pleasing to the eyes. Taste-wise, it was a tad bland for my liking, but overall, still humbly satisfying. For my drink, I had the green tea latte, which I thought was pretty weak. Despite of the alluring latte presentation, it was very milky and watery with just a little hint of green tea. Not my favorite~ Overall, my visit to Kuu wasn't a complete hit, the food and drinks were just average. But the one thing that I really enjoyed above all was the ambiance. Kuu Cafe is definitely a perfect spot to escape from the bustle of the city with their homey minimalist interior as well as their simple, unpretentious dishes - definitely a haven for those who takes delight in a little solitude.

What a surprise! I was looking for a bite to eat late one evening and happened upon this wonderful…read moresushi restaurant in CBD Melbourne. It wasn't obvious from the sidewalk a night, and I wasn't sure what I'd find as I walked down the steps to the basement location, however I was amazed at the size and cool vibe as I turned the corner into a large and modern restaurant. The food and service were great, Including offering to provide 1/2 servings because I couldn't decide between the two recommended main dishes. Definitely an "I'll be back" experience.

Disappointed with this choice. hard to find with just a simple easel sign in an office type…read morebuilding entrance. Absolutely empty on this Tuesday night. Red flag. No one at the sushi bar or anywhere else. Moldy smell throughout which is a problem since this place is below ground. But to save a star, a great selection of sake. Menus are dirty and disorganized. Not easy food selections. Food was just ok. Too many other better options in the areas.

This place ticks all the boxes for me…read more The staff are lovely and friendly, the design is simple and really works with the space they have, relaxing and reminds me of somewhere like a tea-house. Then of course there is the food, Japanese comfort food at its best! The curries are fantastic, Gyoza is juicy and perfect, and the sweets and teas just yum! Oh and not to forget a good selection of Japanese beer with Kirin on draught too. I'm addicted and will be visiting a lot!

Another great addition to Bridge road adding yet more verity to the area…read more My first visit was with a group of friends over dinner and we ordered a good selection of the menu. We're all surprised with the execution of the dishes from portion size to flavor they've got this right. The curry serviced with the mains or on the side is different but it really works with the fresh vegetables that are found with a lot of the meals. Coffee wise they hit the mark easily, and I'm sure I'll be back for more.

Great ambiance, vibe, and decor. A visual and audible treat. I especially liked the 80's music…read moreplaying throughout the dining room. Service is quick, friendly, and attentive. Good menu with a lot of interesting options. Tried three different appetizers and the winner was the sashimi. Wonderful flavors with king fish. The butter chicken with curry was excellent. Just wish it came with some naan to soak up that wonderful sauce. Cocktails are creative and great. Just a bit measured and small, but I get it. Would dine here again and again.

The ambience was very social. Seemed like everyone wanted to be here as there was a wait list and…read morevery limited seats for walk ins. Make reservations! They also have a downstairs bar too with seating that was also booked and packed. Nice variety of dishes, chef curated plates that were visually pleasing to the eye. The drinks while good and unique were carefully measured and extremely small for the price points. 3 cocktails and I didn't feel buzzed. I feel like Australia is very big on preventing intoxication. One of the few places that had knowledgeable staff and to my surprise actually nice and welcoming. I tried the BBQ Salmon wrapped in a banana leaf, braised beef curry, and a couple of drinks. Rather your traveling or a local who hasn't tried this place, it definitely should be on your radar. I was traveling from California and ChinChin was by far the most memorable dining experience I had.