The bright lights, the happy smiles, the cute anime character logo...am I in Tokyo or Dixon St?
Walking up to the counter I'm greeted by the female host not with "Hello welcome to Tama Yaki, can I take your order please" but instead "Tama Yaki" and then on-queue all the staff call out "yummy yummy". Brilliant warm welcome to everyone that comes to their shopfront to order.
Naturally they speak Japanese just adding to the pot of authentic atmosphere and drawing me more into it. I am biased towards a pro-Japanese culture so I dove right in. The menu is simple with pictures (what's a menu without pictures?), prices clearly marked. No EFTPOS or card - cash only (go to an ATM first) which can be a bit of a nuisance because the sign is at the register but the buildings around you have a selection of ATMs to choose from making getting cash easy.\
Upon order completion I was given a "yummy yummy" token with my order number on the back. Though not mine to keep, I almost wanted to pocket it and not pick up my order. Keeping a beautiful souvenir from my experience here. The current order display wasn't very reliable and jumped all over the place - so listen out for your order number.
Taste was exactly what I expected and reasonably priced. The drinks are cheap and full flavour without being sickly sweet. Good presentation and there's no skimping out on any condiments. Everything is prepared fresh to order, so if there's a line, expect up to about a 10 minute wait whilst your order is prepared.
Instead of walking past next time, I urge everyone who's never tried takoyaki before to stop in and grab some. Try the meats if seafood isn't up your alley. It's a vibrant atmosphere that is almost certainly going to draw you in and your camera to your hand. read more