I've been told for a while now to enjoy a nice meal here, and I finally had the chance for a late…read morelunch. I selected their 'from the sea' lunch menu for just $17. Soup was a lovely start to a winters day meal. I wasn't disappointed with the lovely tasting main either. Everything was at a high standard. Service was friendly. Atmosphere was welcoming. Menu was extensive and I'll be back for sure to try more next time!

Clean, simple and well priced-2 of us ate here last Friday night and we thoroughly enjoyed our…read moreexperience. Remember to look on the specials board when you arrive as half of what we ordered to share was from the blackboard and the dishes were oh so delicious. -Hamachi seared scallops and scallops on nigiri: smokey and fresh -Thin waygu slices on silken tofu: refreshing on the palate -Seared moment tofu and miso infused eggplant: I pretty much gobbled this one up by myself -Tuna sashimi with soy and wasabi dressing: dressing may be a bit strong for some however I would have preferred to have an additional kick! I must say the food is better than the service as the waiter's did not seem to know what to call each dish when they served but it attempted to describe them to us however I would return as the service was still friendly.

Amazing Japanese! Professional sushi chefs at the front…read moreslicing and making fresh sushi when you order. Great traditional Japanese dishes like udon, bento, tempura etc Order off iPads which make it super easy, efficient and fast. We got a little carried away with the iPad and ordered to much. We got in just before the dinner rush and it was super busy and pumping. Would highly recommend this place next time you're in Carnegie and not after Chinese or Korean.

I loved the food and the service, I highly recommend going here. But I did have one small problem…read morewith the how the seats were a little torn, but otherwise I had a wonderful lunch here.

I like this place. I am a little bit addicted to their Curry Katsu Don, so much so that I have not…read moreeven tried anything else as I can not go past it. I have uploaded a pic of said dish, sometimes they don't as much delicious curry / gravy but its still amazing :) Their sushi looks great too - one day I shall try it :D

For a shopping centre canteen style take out place Kyoto is great! Japanese inspired dishes are…read morefresh, hot and delicious. The fried lemon chicken is one of my favourites, and it's one of the only Asian take out stores I know where the chicken always tastes fresh, looks fresh and doesn't have pink or gristly bits. It's usually a testament to how good the food is at a place when it's always chock a block full of people waiting and Kyoto is one of these places. I don't like waiting though, and you don't have to long because Kyoto is always well staffed. I'm always pleased to see just how often they bring out freshly cooked food and they don't just throw it on top of what is already there, the old stuff is replaced with the new stuff which adds ticks for me! You can't go past the fried chicken with lemon or sweet and sour sauce, sweet and sour pork, beef with black bean sauce, noodles, rice and stir fried vegetables. And if you're a fan of sushi Kyoto has a delectable and large variety...the Californian rolls are simply superb.

We found this little place in the midst of a shopping escapade - my partner loves Japanese,…read moreauthentic Japanese and so we "yelped it" to find one. This restaurant has Great presentation at very reasonable prices. The waitress is so lovely and friendly. Loved the Miso soup - you'd be surprised how many times this is actually done pourly but they had they flavours on point. The sashimi plate consisting of tuna and salmon was ample for two people The octopus balls were a tad creamy for me but the salmon and avocado sushi rolls were really good! See the photos I've attached - for two of us we struggled to get through it all including a nice little seaweed salad Honestly it doesn't look like much from the outside or inside but it's the actual food that counts and the price was right as well as the flavours

Shoubu does cheap and cheerful Japanese food in the vein of nearby Peko Peko…read more I just had a quick bento box for lunch and it was tasty and fresh. The service was fast and friendly. The menu had everything you'd expect from a Japanese cafe but none of the bigger, more exotic 'restaurant' items you'll find in Wabi Sabi. I really liked the vibe inside Shoubu. I'm compiling a mental ranking of Smith Street's Japanese and I'm thinking Shoubu may knock out Peko Peko for the number two spot - with Wabi Sabi being number one, naturally, and Wooden Spoon Kitchen sadly being at the bottom (I feel bad saying that, but I've just never had good service there). Japanese rankings aside, Shoubu is a great budget friendly option on Smith Street.

Tucked away in a side entrance to Melbourne Central is the busy little Menya. Little is right -…read morejammed in between other tempting eateries, Menya barely has any room to seat her patrons. Tiny block tables, each seating two run along the kitchen bar and out into the lane. Large flames are visible as the many chefs cook your order in minutes, dramatically tossing the contents of wok's into the air before it's brought to your table by one of the several cashiers. If you choose to take away - like I do often - you'll be waiting in the laneway with your ticket, dodging shoppers and listening for your number to be called. A cashier will bring you your meal, complete with utensils and inside a carry bag - she'll take your ticket so don't lose it! If you choose to eat in, you must try the curious chilled water, served in jugs with a slice of lemon/lime, a large sprig of parsley and one lonely cherry tomato. The food (like any O-Bento franchise) is simply fantastic. It's super delicious and enormously big. When I eat in, I ask for a container to take the rest home. I mostly order the Gyu-Tan Don (Ox tongue on rice) making sure to say YES to fresh chilli! It's possibly the best thing I have ever tasted and I eat it religiously. It is the more pricey of the meals at $12.30, but very worth it. When I'm feeling cheap and cheerful I'll pick up a nice katsudon ($8.50) chicken or pork on delicious omelette and rice, served with bulldog sauce. I first though they might water down the sauce, based on the consistency but it's very flavourful and you are given a generous amount in a separate container. Their standard sides are great, gyoza pretty nice, maybe a bit undercooked sometimes and awesome miso featuring tiny mushrooms and fried tofu. Price: Great value if you're tight, considering the free tomato-water jugs and huge size meals. Service: Lovely, fast and polite. Cash only, know what you want before stepping up to the counter. Pros: Open til 9.30pm weeknights, good for dinner after the movies, not in a food court, authentic Japanese bottled drinks available. Cons: Two small for groups, to loud for a date, no desert items HOURS: Mon - Thu: 10.30am - 9.30pm Fri : 10.30am - 10.00pm Sat - Sun: 10.30am - 9.30pm

Only come here if you don't mind cramped seats and rude staff with non-existing service (other than…read moredelivering the food). This place is ALWAYS crowded at lunch time, so be prepared to be turned away 9 times out of 10. However, if you are lucky enough to get a seat, you'll appreciate the quick service, delicious food, massive servings and great value for money. My favorite is the tempura udon. The generous portions of tempura including two big prawns, tasty and warm soup make this a perfect winter food when you are cold, hungry and short on time.

With ramen joints springing up left right and centre, we are really spoilt for choice! Spotted this…read moreplace when visiting the Target Centre earlier this week, thought we'd check it out. Checking out the website gave us a few giggles, with the emphasis on "first slurp" philosophy, but it did show us what delicious delights await us. Having just opened this week, Ramen Bankara is still in the process of sorting out their liquor license on our visit. We got some Japanese lemonade with the marble in the bottle neck instead - fun! Between the three of us, we tried the signature Bankara, the Tonkotsu, and the Tonkotsu spicy. Bankara had lovely springy noodles with good bite, lovely, rich soy broth, presumably with the braising broth of the kakuni (braised pork belly). Tonkotsu noodles were different - thinner and quite eggy in taste. The broth was smooth and velvety, creamy and white. The spicy version packed a punch, though you can opt for the level of heat when ordering. The only downside was probably on the charshu (sliced pork) - so delicious, but only one slice. But for the price and the size of the bowl, it is not a cardinal sin in my book. You can get extra goodies (two types of egg, bamboo shoots, spicy leek, woodear, pork slices or belly) to pimp up your noodles, or opt for the "premium" version that has extra egg and pork belly. Service was helpful and efficient - you order on a form then take it up to the till. They were extremely apologetic on the lack of liquor license, and when they ran out of pork belly :( There are still a couple of options on the menu (Tsukemen with the thicker noodles, with a dipping sauce, and a broth that's a mixture of pork and seafood base), so definitely keen to visit again. Hopefully we get to try the pork belly next time. Watch out for the opening hours - they close at 8pm!

I was excited to try their signature Bankara broth, a combination of soy-sauce and pork soup bases…read more However, it didn't quite pack the flavour I was expecting. It tasted as if it were not simmering for several hours and lacked depth. The noodles were average. Cooked to the right consistency, however they did not taste fresh and showed signs of being a typical food court level dish. At $14, the Classic Bankara came with just one slice of pork, sliced onions, one piece of seaweed and a few bamboo shoots. All other toppings are sold separately, so you can easily spend up to $20 for a complete bowl of ramen. This was a decent place that may be worth trying their tonkatsu soup base to compare. However, for the price and location to other worthy ramen shops, I would go somewhere else.

Love this spot. Almost across the street from our hotel…read more I ordered the chicken nanban Nice service and ambience

We ended up here since the other place we wanted to go to was busy. The restaurant is quite…read morespacious and has a private room too. I ordered the yuzu kosho tonkatsu. It came with spring onion, pork, seaweed, and black fungus. When I received the bowl, I was disappointed that it had thin noodles. I prefer thick noodles. The ramen was average to me overall.

There are so many reasons why I love Thai food. The richness of coconut cream, the spiciness of…read morechilli and the tangy flavour that comes from ginger and lemongrass. Great Thai food should be able to combine all of those flavours and not let them overwhelm one another. Narai Thai comes pretty close to delivering. The menu may look pretty standard but the flavours are definitely present, and several dishes are brilliant. I recommend the calamari salad ($9.90) as an entrée, followed by either the Muu Yang ($14.90) or the sweet chilli jam stir-fry with chicken ($12.90). Narai offers take away, but it's always nice to dine there. I love being in the restaurant surrounded by purple and silver decorations, and the polite and hospitable staff. While Narai may not be able to keep up with the fusion fine dining Thai venues in Melbourne, it holds its ground well amongst hundreds of local Thai restaurants where the customers go just for a serve of pad Thai.

Been here four times and loved it each time. Basically it's the best mid priced Thai I know of and…read moreI know quite a few. Tonight we ate two of the specials - red curry duck and slow cooked lamb Massaman - together with mixed seafood basil. They were each absolutely delectable and the serves are generous and not expensive. Add really friendly and efficient service and you've got a fantastic local restaurant. It's a beauty. I can't wait to return.