This is a hidden gem down McKillop that boasts a good selection of Korean dishes and the…read moreopportunity to grill your own meal! Not to mention the decor is classy and chic. I went with the bi bim bap, a classic that was cooked to perfection. Loads of toppings on purple rice. It was so delicious. You also get to add as much hot sauce as you desire. Plus there are unlimited sides like kim chi, pickled radish and seasoned onions. For a dinner meal coming out at under $20, it can't be beat! I would gladly come here again.

Having been to a number of Korean BBQ places in Melbourne (Oriental Spoon, Hwaro, Marroo) I would…read morehave to say this is one of the better ones. It's decked out decently enough; kind of has a warehouse feel complete earthy tones. I'd recommend dining in the basement close to the front for 2 reasons: 1. The smoke that inevitably billows out in korean bbq will rise and so if you're one of those poor buggers on the top floor, you will be copping 3 levels worth of bbq fumes 2. It's very close to the kitchen so your food comes out amazingly fast. One thing I must share are the desserts at this place which are absolutely amazing. The desserts are only 6 bucks a pop and you can have everything from black sesame ice cream, green tea cakes and ice-cream, lemon sorbet with jelly and black and white chocolate mousse. You'd easily expect to pay $15 for comparable desserts elsewhere. To understand my complex voting system, this place is a 4 for food, plus 1 for the dessert and minus one for the service, which was about as interesting and engaging as a wet lettuce leaf. They are attentive enough in that they bring out the food fast, and replace your grill as soon it gets blackened like coal, but as I've stated elsewhere, to get a 5, I need an experience with friendly casual banter! TIP: this place has unlimited lettuce and side dishes if you run out.

Amazing food! We ordered two evenings in a row because it was just that good. Tried the veg…read moredumplings (crispy and perfect!), the kabocha bao and the sweet potato fries and my husband had the boneless half and half KFC and the brisket bao. SO GOOD! Both the chili sauce and the garlic soy are wonderful and I would recommend getting a few extras to dip everything in! Already looking forward to ordering again, and can't wait until lockdown is over and we can dine in!

This place is one of my absolute favourite restaurants. The…read moreFeed Me option is really great to try all of the dishes that this place offers. My partner and I often do this option, however come hungry as there are around 8 dishes with the Feed Me option. The Taste Jan Chi is another great option, where you select 5 dishes to share from the menu. We have yet to get a dish that we haven't loved. Usually with places there's always a few dishes you don't like, but I have loved every dish we've tried. The waitress is fabulous. Excellent service. On busier nights she still manages to keep waters topped up and takes orders and make all the drinks. A definite recommendation.

Our first meal in Melbourne! My cousin was looking for a restaurant that took reservations near…read moreour Airbnb and had some vegetarian options for the parents and found this place! They're locals so she must like this place to make the suggestion! They had our table ready and the service was great - our food came out in a timely manner and they were able to accommodate our large party fairly easily. My seafood tofu soup was delicious, the tofu was soft and silky. The Korean hot pot was large and able to feed 2+ people! We also ordered the seafood pancake, which was a little too doughy and soft for my liking, but the kalbi/short ribs were seasoned well on a hot sizzling plate and pretty delicious! My parents seemed to like their tofu bibimbops. The squid bulgolgi was spicy but the dish was large and had lots of squid and veggies in it! We ordered more than enough food and everything was pretty satisfying! Apparently there's like 2-3 different Oriental Spoon locations in the same area so if one is busy, you can always walk down the block for the other!

My wife met up one of her friends in Melbourne and we wanted to treat him out to Korean BBQ for his…read morebirthday. This place proved to be a good decision. They cook the BBQ tableside. We got the beef combo, came with prawns, beef ribs, and mushrooms. Solid. It also came with 4 side dishes. I wish they gave you more options, but this was the 2nd place in Australia that we have had Korean BBQ and I guess the sides just aren't as a big deal. We also, got the seafood pancake, it was crispy! We celebrated with raspyberry soju, the pitcher is huge and goes down really smooth. Be careful, as it will creep up on you. My favorite was the korean fried chicken. We got the soy garlic and the spicy.

In my never ending quest for amazing Japanese restaurants outside of Melbourne's CBD, I decided to…read moretry Akita Japanese restaurant in North Melbourne. ~ What's with the small menu? Honestly, there were six mains. Their "specials" menu was larger than their regular menu by a long shot, and I was kind of disappointed they didn't have a more diverse or comprehensive selection. ~ VEGETARIANS BEWARE. None of the mains were vegetarian compatible; they all had meat/seafood in them. Even the vast majority of the entrees were meat based. This is particularly peculiar for Japanese cuisine. When we asked what was on offer for vegetarians, they recommended three dishes, mostly from the specials menu. The only positive I can attribute to Akita in this respect was that the waiter did come back a few minutes after ordering to confirm that egg was okay in the vegetarian dish. But I probably wouldn't come back here with a vegetarian person; the difficulty of working out what is edible and the severe limited choice makes the whole thing too much hassle. ~ From the outside, the door is somewhat hidden the place looks relatively small. When you look around the main entrance, you also get the feeling of smallness. However, there is actually a labyrinth of seating areas, all hidden away in their own rooms. In this respect, Akita reminds me a lot of Stalactites in the city, except more enclosed. This causes the environment to feel more intimate, and probably reduces noise too. The atmosphere was of a high calibre here. A++. ~ Overpriced. We all know that Japanese cuisine is expensive, but even for Japanese standards this place was overpriced (especially for its location). If you can, check out the photo of the entree sashimi to this venue. You can get better quality fish at a cheaper price than $18 from elsewhere. ~ Forgot the drinks. Unfortunately I forgot to check the bill to see if they had charged us, but we ordered tea twice and we didn't end up getting it either times. ~ No ginger with the sashimi. What! For a so-called *authentic* Japanese place you kind of expect them to provide some ginger with the sashimi; they didn't, which was a little disappointing. Upside was that they gave me so much wasabi. Overall the food (albeit small and expensive) and atmosphere were good. The location is convenient for drivers (heaps of parking), and the staff were kind (although they forgot drinks). Would I be back? Probably not -- the limited menu is a dealbreaker.

I was craving food so I did a quick search and found this establishment closeby! I love Japanese…read morefood so I was good to go. Ambiance: Very very good. The restaurant is large and spacious with a series of different dining rooms. It has an old feel to it, but very clean and modern at the same time. They have light Japanese music playing which makes for a really incredible dining atmosphere! Customer Service: The servers were very polite, courteous, and attentive. However, I do have to remark that the kitchen staff is a bit slow. The wait time for the food is EXTREMELY long. Food: One thing I have to note is that this place is probably good for large groups, but I would avoid it if you're only going by yourself or with 2 people. The menu comprises of large platter-like dishes of sashimi and sushi rather than anything that is convenient for an individual set. The only thing I pretty much can order is Nabeyaki Udon Soup (udon noodles with tempura shrimp, egg, veggies, thin slices of beef, and mushrooms) for 12 dollars and a plate of Gyoza for 8.50. Like I said, the wait time is long. I ended up getting my Gyoza after my main... when Gyoza is an entree. What's up with that? When I picked up a piece of Gyoza, I thought to myself "This better be worth it". It was good... but not worth the 30 minute wait. The Gyoza wrap was very thin, which is a bit unique I suppose but I prefer thick wraps. The Nabeyaki Udon Soup at first glance was rather tiny - so it was very alarming. However, it was absolutely delicious! Probably the best Udon Soup I have ever had. The meat was good, tempura soft and tasty, and the egg accented the dish really nicely. I absolutely loved it. Things they can improve on: ~ Adding more variety to their menu. Where are the bentos? The ramen? And donburi? Everything is pretty much just a platter, which excludes the people who just want individual meals. ~ Upping their efficiency! I'm not sure how exactly they can do that, but at least bring out the Gyoza before the main so my stomach isn't growling like mad. Overall, I did enjoy my meal - the atmosphere was great, the service was nice, and the food was tasty. However, 1 star off for the lack of variety and another star for the horrid wait time. I would come here again, but only if I'm with a large group of people ready to order some platters.

This place is an extremely confusing From start to finish I…read morewas a bit complexed about what this place was trying to achieve Came here drawn by the nice aesthetic and vibes good mood lighting and big sign saying Veganism outside Sitting down we were given a menu with WAY too many menu items - this is usually a recipe for disaster but once again it was confusing in how it didn't disappoint but didn't really blow us away either ... The dishes we ordered were massive servings but while they were good in some areas like taste perhaps, it failed poorly in areas say how well the dish was put together. Eg the laksa was tasty but way too rich, the Udon was nice in balance but lacked flavour in the soup Super confusing Extensive drinks menu (very extensive) And a bit on the more expensive side but definitely portion sizings to match Very interesting and confusing :D

Updated review after eating there a second time. I was a bit overzealous the first time whilst in…read moregood company and enjoying a couple beers. This time I came in for lunch and was greeted with the same fast service. I tried their signature tonkatsu shio ramen, which was as described as a milky broth with a decent amount of toppings. However the broth could have had a bit more pork taste, not sure how long it is cooked to really draw out the flavour. I was a bit disappointed when enquiring about condiments commonly found on every table in a ramen shop, there was none (chilli oil, pepper, sesame seeds, etc.). They were going to charge $2 for chilli oil. What?! I accepted the togarashi red pepper instead for free. Thankfully the beer I ordered was up to par. Their selection of craft beer is quite uncommon for most ramen shops and is a definite draw here. I still feel it's a decent place for entrees and ramen, especially standing out amongst the long road of Vietnamese shops.

Chiba used to occupy a much smaller venue on Hall Street closer to the Mt Alexander Rd end. They…read morewere pumping then, always having a full dining room so I was interested when they moved to see if they could keep it up. They can! The food is fresh and tasty. The Kaki Fry (fried oysters) is one of my favorites and never fails to satisfy. The sushi is delicious and creative. The staff are friendly and helpful. The restaurant decor creates a good atmosphere however this is let down whenever the phone rings. The ringing tone sounds like a poker machine and gave myself and my guest an unfortunate vibe last time we visited. This aside Chiba is a great Japanese restaurant that i will continue to visit.

As someone who consistently seeks new flavours, experiences and techniques, Chiba Japanese…read morerestaurant has again proven its longevity after I've returned for yet another of its simply and expertly executed meals. The decor is modern and the furnishings clean, with finesse that is uniquely Japanese, setting the tone for the meals that rapidly flow from the kitchen. Fresh & traditional dishes are served by polite wait staff who weave through the often fully booked restaurant efficiently and professionally. All levels of flavour preferences can easily be met; you will often see children with their parents at the first dinner sitting, and popular Western favourites like hand rolls and teriyaki chicken also grace the menu. This however, is not what should be expected as the standard from Chiba, as they offer dishes for a more refined palette like takaki beef and octopus sashimi. Comfortable, impeccable and very reasonably priced, Chiba Japanese restaurant never disappoints.

Loved it! Would definately come back again soon!! Had the $29 set with unlimited meat refill…read more Excellent value. Staff were friendly and very helpful. I do worry about the potential OHS though. One of the waitresses almost tripped on a loose cord from under the table. Meat selection was of quality unlike others. The dishes that came with the set were also very good. Corn cheese, soup (either kimchi, am spicy soft tofu, soya bean) we tried the soft spicy tofu, KFC drumettes! i would go back for the KFC and soup alone. KFC was crisp not dry and one if the best I've had in a while. Soup was spot on for a cold wintery night. I could have a whole pot if it was available!! WIR? Definitely!

Love their fried chicken and the environment, so relaxed and cosy. Great for couples and small gang…read more(maximum of 4). The dishes are very tasty and traditional, love it, love it, love it!

No obvious signs or bright lights…read more Sitting near the corner of Waverley and Warrigul Road, boy am I glad to have stumbled upon this place. With both indoor and outdoor seating, this small restaurant welcomes people of all sorts and has Japanese beer on tap! Wooden chairs and tables with menus on wooden boards, Cafe Carpenter combines Japanese and Korean flavours and does it well! I have found a quiet hideaway near home!

Oh..where to begin. Korean, Japanese and everything in between, the sheer variety is a bit…read moreoverwhelming at first. If I could order everything I just might. Normally I am a bit skeptical about places with too many choices, but at this place they do not disappoint. If you are looking for a friendly neighborhood restaurant and drinking place (Like an Asian Fushion Cheers?), but maybe are unsure of what you want, but just know that you want good food, then Cafe Carpenter is the place for you. It is not easy to find a place with a classically trained chef from Japan and someone who also actually lived and breathed the Korean street food scene. Food wise, from the LA Ribs, to the Donkatsu, and Takoyaki everything is excellent and authentic. Wide selection of alcoholic drinks, coffee, as well as desserts. The pricing is also very reasonable for comparable quality. While the quality, variety and service were all excellent, the one thing that stood out most for me was the friendliness and warmth of the owners and staff. I highly recommend.