We came here after we were blown away with with Niku Ou, their sister restaurant located in…read moreMelbourne CBD. In fact, Wagyu Ya is the first branch! They have similar menus but over here, they cook the meat inside and not on the table.  The chef was very kind and suggested that we order the foie gras fried rice to try and it absolutely knocked our socks off because it was literally one of the best things we've ever eaten. You HAVE to try it at least once in your lifetime, we HIGHLY recommend it!

This venue just opened, steps from Cafe Republic. Downstairs serves standard sushi and similar…read morefare, upstairs is the grill tables. We chose the grill and were seated at a pleasant two-person table. We had arrived early for dinner and the room was mostly empty when we sat down, but it rapidly filled to capacity as we ate. And ate, and ate, and drank! We started with edamame and marinated wasabi octopus. The octopus was lovely, as the Aussies like to say. Next we has a small dish of Unagi, which is my wife's favorite sushi. It was quite good, on par with other fine sushi shops I have visited. For mains, to be self cooked on the charcoal grill built in to the table, we had Ox shoulder, fillet, and sirloin, with a variety of small vegetables and corn coblets. All of the meats were excellent, along with the selection of dipping sauces that were provided. Cooking the food in the table grill was a bit of fun and the very attentive wait staff helped us thru the process. We finished with black sesame ice cream with almonds, which was exceptionally good. All of this was washed down with an excellent bottle of sake. This restaurant is a welcome addition to Toorak Road!

Great place for sushi!! Found this on Yelp of course and had to try it. My first time in Melbourne!…read more Very impressive menu and reasonable prices. There was a nice selection of sushi, sashimi and hot dishes. See my pics of the menu! We tried the Sushi and sashimi special combination first. Everything was excellent. I also ordered some yellowtail nigiri and salmon. Service was prompt and friendly. It wasn't too busy when we were here but when we walked past later it was packed. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Will definitely be back next time am in town!

I had a highly enjoyable experience eating at Kanpai Japanese Restaurant. It all began with a quest…read moreto find a decent Japanese place near the city -- but not too close to the city that parking would be impossible. I think Kanpai is in a great location for the perfect balance. ~ Inside, its dimly lit, warm atmosphere is relaxing and the staff are welcoming and understanding. ~ The drinks come in big glasses, the food is well presented, and orders come out quickly. ~ The open kitchen style is nice, albeit not particularly unique, finding comforts in the more traditional teppanyaki-styled Japanese restaurants. The downside of this is that when the restaurant is busy, I imagine the kitchen sounds could get quite noisy for the seating environment. ~ The restaurant is open 'late' on some nights -- and they mean it more than other restaurants in the area. Kanpai was actually my second choice of places to try, however arriving at the first restaurant at 10.15pm on a Saturday night and finding it closed made me give Kanpai a try. On the Saturday night I was here, the kitchen closed at about 11pm. ~ Sadly, the entrees and mains did not come out at the same time. It's a little pet peeve of mine, but if I'm eating with someone else and my entree arrives ten minutes before theirs, I have the choice of either being rude and gobble it up without waiting for theirs to show, or allow it to go cold while waiting for my dining partner's dish. Overall, the food was tasty, the environment was quiet and clean, the experience was positive, and the staff were kind. I even had a laugh at the waiter who I witnessed using an array of chopsticks and sticky-tape to rescue a receipt that had fallen behind the fridge. A positive dining experience. I will be back.

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 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.

As this is a review for the food/service/ and ambiance, I shall discuss all of these different…read moreissues. I recently visited Kazuya Cuisine and I wish I could go back to December. The service was so bad, it was like they had bad blood with me. They never gave me a reason for the way they treated me. They just acted like I was invisible. They made me feel like I was the last great American dynasty, but not in a good way. The quality of the food was poor and not at the correct temperature. It was a cruel summer for my taste buds. The dishes were bland and boring, nothing like the sparks fly I expected. They served me cold as you sushi and wildest dreams noodles. The restaurant was not clean and well-maintained. It looked like a place where the lovers go to hide away. There were stains on the tablecloth and dust on the shelves. It made me feel like I was in exile. The atmosphere was dark and gloomy, like a haunted house. The lighting was too dim, the music was too loud, and the design was too cluttered. The restaurant lacked a clear brand story and personality. It did not impress me with a great view or a remarkable ambiance. I would not recommend this restaurant to others. You need to calm down and find a better place to eat. Don't say yes to this place, just run away now. You deserve something better than this. You belong with me, at a restaurant that makes you happy. A place where you can shake it off and have fun. A place where you can see the daylight and feel the love story. A place where you can be fearless and speak now. A place where you can be yourself and not worry about anything else. Kindest Regards, Vishkuma Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour - Melbourne Night 2 and 3 atendee.

Seriously great Japanese. I came here on many…read morerecommendations from work colleagues. We had an an assortment roll selection, tempura prawn bento and chicken teriyaki bento. All absolutely fresh and super delicious. Probably the best Bento I have ever eaten. The chef is super nice and will make anything you like really. My friends always have the chicken katsu don and they love it. This place will definitely be our go to place for Japanese now. They don't deliver but you can order ahead online and pick up later.

We arrived excited to be finally at this very highly regarded modern Japanese restaurant. We left…read morereally delighted and satisfied. We loved our experience at Miss Kashmi. The food and service are excellent. We liked the restaurant space itself. The decor is modern, stylish and attractive with appropriate reference to tradition. We both chose banquets, me the indulgence, the world's most beautiful woman, the premium. Both are superb choices with numerous common elements that allow for ample choice throughout. We began with the chef's assorted seasonal platter which had three elements - pork belly, pickled radish and seaweed. All were superb. The dishes are served in a three tiered glass structure and their presentation involves a lovely moment of theatre. The pork belly is smoked and uncapped before your eyes testing sight and smell as the food is unveiled revealing pleasant puffs of smoke. We adored the dish, our favourite element being the radish which was exceptionally fresh, beautifully tasty with a delicate hint of crispness and deep flavour. I've never had it's like. It was absolutely gorgeous. Next, for cold appetizer, I had the Kashmi famous shooter, a fresh oyster served in sweet saki and lime, and the beautiful one had Angus beef tataki, consisting of flames black angus scotch fillet, sliced and served rare with fried garlic, onion and garlic vinaigrette. The oyster was lovely in the saki, the lime nicely evident. The angus beef was highly enjoyed as well. The beef melted in the mouth and had a nice garlic tang. My partner had Nama Shii Hotate as her hot appetizer selection. This consists of a mashed baby scallop surrounding a quail egg topped with shiitake mushroom and deep fried. This has delicate flavour and the quail egg was cooked superbly. My hot appetizer selection was an unusual one, prosciutto wrapped oysters. This was a highly attractive dish with three pieces and is a superb combination that is both delicate and lovely to eat. Next was the Sushi entree. I selected the deluxe sushi selection. This dish was astonishingly good. Put simply, I've never tasted sushi as good as this. It's amazing. One piece rates very special mention. The O-toro is underbelly of blue fin tuna and was beautifully presented with a touch of gold leaf and is wonderfully tasty. I've eaten Japanese food hundreds of times. I've never tasted anything as delicately beautiful as this piece. It is beguiling. We then both had the premium assortment of sashimi. This consisted of tuna, salmon, kingfish and snapper. This dish induced the sort of indecision in both of us that you only get at the best Japanese restaurants. This fish is of the very highest quality and each piece is exquisitely beautiful. The fish is so lovely to eat that it's seriously hard to choose between them, hence the indecision. This is a magnificent dish that we both adored. Next dish was the tempura entree, tempura moriawase, consisting of prawn, fish and vegetables - enoki and shiitake mushroom, sweet potato and bean. The batter was light as a feather and each piece was nicely cooked. Our joint favourite here was the shiitake mushroom piece. It was delectable. Next was soup, and we both had the mushroom red miso, advertised as a rich version of miso soup served with mushrooms and tofu. This is another easy one. It absolutely lives up to the hype. This is hands down the best miso soup we both thought we'd ever had anywhere including at pricier Japanese restaurants. An astonishingly lovely miso soup. I'm not sure you could make a better one. I had an added dish on the next course which was Kasumi's Rice called Kinoko Gohan, tasty steamed rice with mixed mushrooms. This is a delicate and wonderfully seasoned rice. I enjoyed it very much and kept a little to use with the next course. Main course was next. My selection was wagyu steak. This was beautiful and extremely tasty. My partner had the miso crusted lamb cutlets. The cutlets were very tender and also very lovely. Both excellent mains. The final course was dessert which tonight was a modern and fun course consisting of a cute mini macaron, matcha mouse and raspberry cheesecake. Again, it was all expertly made and immensely satisfying. A terrific way to end a great meal. A final word for the staff led by Olivia. They were wonderfully attentive, affable and very efficient throughout. If the app allowed it, I'd rate Miss Kashmi 4.7 out of 5. It's a super restaurant. This is a lovely spot. The banquet menus are lovely and chock full of gorgeous and innovative dishes that delight the senses. Kew is most fortunate to have this excellent modern Japanese restaurant in its midst. We'll be back. (I would like to thank Miss Kasumi for inviting us to this superb restaurant.)

I was looking for some genuine Japanese cuisine and found this gem! Just newly opened, the interior…read moreis spacious and elegant. Food is genuinely Japanese style and delicately prepared. Sashimi are so fresh you can almost feel them melting in your month. Love this place! Will come again next time!

Just finished a quick lunch at my favourite Japanese joint. I'm a big fan of their bento box…read morespecials for lunch, at $18 I haven't needed to go any further. The Tempura bento is great, with veggies and seafood tempura, miso soup, sushi & sashimi, rice salad and a small starter it's bento heaven. The ingredients are fresh service is friendly and fast, making it a great place to eat. The volcano roll at $17 is a little pricey but just about my favourite sushi. Yeeees

I went to Hibachi for lunch after seeing its 5 stars on Yelp. And what a disappointment it was!…read more I'm vegetarian, and restaurants can usually cater to me pretty easily. But not at Hibachi: the waitress repeatedly asked me if I was allergic to sea food. No I'm not, but being vegetarian should be reason enough not to put fish in my dish! The chef couldn't whip up something without fish stock in it, making me question how fresh things really are there... I ended up having a vegetarian roll, which was quite good but cost me 18$! My friend had a bento menu and was not that amazed by the flavours, although I have to admit there was a lot of food on the tray. One place I'm sure I won't go back to!

2.6 is fair. Things…read morewere poorly coordinated here today for our group of 12 despite plenty of assurances when the booking was arranged. Tables hadn't been configured for the group so we had to sit in groups of 8 and 4. No attempt was made to fix the issue which resulted in a less than satisfactory catch up of former work colleagues. I chose the bento box. You get a choice of protein and I chose wagyu beef drawing on advice in previous reviews. The serving of meals of wasn't coordinated. One arrived 15 mins early and others in 5 minute intervals which was awkward for all as those that had their meals didn't know when to start. The wagyu beef was tough and near cold by the time it appeared. I did wonder if it really was wagyu. The rest of the bento box was just ok. Sadly, I'd rank it as one of the most ordinary bentos I've had in my time. This was a pretty pedestrian experience. There is much better Japanese food in Melbourne would be my view.

Came here to try the 10-Course Japanese Degustation offered on Groupon and got to say there were…read morequite a few grouponers that night. A few moments after we sat down the dishes just flowed to our table. The meal itself was good. The 10 course is basically made up of 5 prepared dishes and 5 self cook dishes over hot coals. I expected that when they brought over the hot coal dishes that maybe they were either going to prepare it for us or at least provide some details of how you should cook the following dishes but that didn't happen. All in all it was quite an enjoyable experience and made it difficult to walk especially after having 10 courses.