We came with a Groupon voucher for an 8-course vegetarian banquet and it was excellent value for…read moremoney. We requested everything to be vegan, which was no trouble for them. The courses included miso soup, edamame, agedashi tofu, nasu dengaku (eggplant), vegan fried chicken, rolled-up crunchy tofu skin with rice, sushi rolls, and dessert. It also included house sake, which tasted like rubbing alcohol, but hey, alcohol's alcohol. Some of the dishes were definitely better than the others. I liked the "fried chicken" and the eggplant (the sauce with the eggplant was amazing!!! I practically lapped it up.) The sushi rolls were OK, kinda generic. Wasn't crazy about the agedashi tofu for some reason. The miso soup was tasty, and the edamame was pretty much your usual steamed edamame, nothing special (although they gave us a LOT of it, which was nice!) The crunchy tofu skin with rice was very bland, and my boyfriend didn't like it at all so I ate pretty much the whole thing myself. For dessert, we skipped the typical ice cream that comes with the banquet and got vegan desserts instead. It was basically a peach-flavored jelly thing (made with agar agar, not gelatin). It was tasty, but I was honestly SO FULL at this point that I couldn't finish it. In general, I liked the meal. But I think some of the flavours could be improved (especially the sushi rolls, agedashi tofu, and crunchy tofu skin with rice). I'd also just gotten back from two weeks in Japan and I'm not sure how "authentic" some of these dishes truly were. They definitely tasted like they'd been a little bit Westernized, but maybe that's just me being picky because I had just been in Japan and had such amazing food there. The two girls who served us were also very sweet and nice. The atmosphere was nothing fancy, just a cozy little place with no frills, but it was nice. I'd definitely recommend the place if you're wanting a vegan or vegetarian Japanese banquet, especially because most Japanese places use dashi or fish in almost every dish, so it's hard to find a good vegetarian Japanese banquet. Just go wearing stretchy pants because by the end of it, you will be FULL.

We came here late on a Monday night when all other restaurants were closed and loved it. The food…read moreis very delicious and high quality. The service was excellent and I got more sake than I could finish for a very reasonable price. Also the ambience was cozy, funky and traditional all at the same time.

Excellent place for fresh Japanese food ! I have been there so many times and never been…read moredissatisfied. Panko Salmon is my favorite! This place is being more and more crowded, but you can still order food to go if no more seats are available ! Enjoy!

Great healthy and tasty option while I was in Melbourne. Cool decor if you like cats.read more

Lovely meal at Aka Siro!…read more It was my last day in Melbourne, the brother and I ventured to Collingwood to visit the restaurant that we've always been curious about, Aka Siro - A quaint Japanese eatery situated on the quiet corner of Peel St. and Cambridge St.. We arrived just a little after 1 pm and judging from the long queue of people willing to stand outside in the cold, you could definitely size up the popularity of Aka Siro. The restaurant has a petite physicality with half of its seating capacity dedicated to the bar seating, and the other half to tables/dining areas. The menu was equally limited, but all seems very tempting. We ordered several dishes to share: * Karaage Curry: This was a foolproof plate of curry. The chicken was deliciously crispy and tender, the curry was also very hearty! * Nizakana Teishoku: Fish fillet braised with soy, sake and ginger. Fresh and tender fish, but the flavor was nothing too special. * Gyu-Teki Teishoku: This dish was freaking delicious!! The beef was tender, succulent and juicy, the house made sauce was very delicious and addicting. We love every bite of this. Aka Siro certainly satiate our appetite for traditional Japanese cuisine. The food was authentically Nippon, the space was cozy and homey, the service was also hospitable. The Price, on the other hand, was more on the higher side of the scale (each costing between $ 17-22) especially when you witness the (tiny) portions, but the overall flavor was on point!! Aka Siro was well worth the travel! Tip: RSVP is recommended & cash only.

Had dinner at this lovely Japanese restaurant in Collingwood. Very good authentic Japanese cuisine…read more It's the second time we've been this trip. It's a small place and is always busy so make sure you make reservations ahead of time. #maneklady #manekeats #manektravels

If you think that Japanese food is about something more than sushi then this is the place for you…read more Friendly atmosphere, intimate dining and an excellent menu that is regularly updated. The sake is excellent and if you need advice ask the staff. Well worth the effort.

As much as I prefer the contact of wait staff when I order there is a novelty and some advantages…read moreof the iPad menu and ordering system. Worth a go. I'm a big fan of the mix on this menu with sashimi, off the grill and classic Japanese favorites. Absolutely delicious and easy to over order, which really isn't a problem as far as I see it. The drinks list is one you want to work through for obviously sake but also beer and cocktails. I indulged in the beer list as you'll see with my pics cos I got too excited and forgot to take any photos of the food.

The food was killer (in a good way). I went with my family--five people--which includes three…read morevegetarians. They were quite happy with the availability of vegetarian/vegan food on the menu. I (not one of the vegetarians) would highly recommend the "Crispy Coconut Cups" (a seafood appetizer) and the "Crying Tiger" (beef flank with a spicy sauce). Make sure you get an order of the roti too. The rice was bottomless with our banquet meals--so while I tried to keep room for the meals--the rice was quite good! Our server was nice and funny, not shy of cracking jokes. The seating is quite spacious and there are outside seats too--many of them covered by space heaters and under a shelter during the winter. Overall, I'd definitely recommend stopping here for dinner. Their "banquet style dining" worked well for us, and the portions ended up being exactly right for somebody who walked in on the slightly hungry side--which also makes their fast service and speedy kitchen helpful!

Absolutely fantastic! We had dinner as a group of 9 (reservation needed) on a Saturday night and it…read morewas so good. Great service and stunning food. I love the banquet style of ordering that feeds everyone at the table. We had 5 different dishes as well as some spring rolls and everything was delicious.

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.

Ate here with 2 of my homegirls when I was in town, I guess she picked it cus it's rated really…read morehigh lol... it's actually really good and of course I ate most of it. It was really good Japanese food. The sushi rolls, to some of the raw fish, and even the karage was just really textured well. It was exceptionally good for being a in a low key quiet area on a

Mid-high end Japanese restaurant, located in the same building as a hotel (Hyatt I think?)…read more I went there for a weekday lunch, as they do lunch specials. I went for the sashimi and sushi set ($48) which was good value for the amount of food you get, but the quality of the sashimi and sushi was average. For the set, you get quite a bit: chawanmushi, miso soup, a yakitori skewer, pickles, and the food you order. Extremely good value for the cheaper sets (I think like a bento for 20-30?) The sashimi and sushi set was a bit disappointing. The fishes given for the sushi and sashimi were on the cheaper end. I don't think there was even a tuna. They did give two pieces of scallop, which was tasty. Overall, I would have either expected one or two pieces of pricey fish, or a few extra pieces of sushi or sashimi. The rice was also cold, rather than slightly warm. Overall, it felt like an average sushi lunch, not fitting the mid-high end positioning they are going for. Tip: don't forget they have 20% off on EatClub; which if you use with the lunch offer, is great value for money.

Delicious ramen & gyoza My husband ordered a tonkotsu chashu…read moreramen and I ordered the gyoza for lunch. The ramen was excellent - the broth was very rich and porky and the toppings (soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, nori, bean sprouts and spring onions) were super tasty. The gyoza were excellent too - super thin skins with a moist tasty filling.

Decent Ramen spot if you don't mind crowded spaces and a bit of a wait. Service was very good ,…read moreEverything tasted fresh , and I would say the tonkutsu ramen was dine in a classic style. I personally was surprised to see all of the Asian influence in Australia. If you are looking for great Ramen and don't mind a bit of a wait, this place is worth it for sure.

Love love love cibi! Seems like this is a new set up, where the shop and cafe merge into one and…read moreit's phenomenal. You can shop around while waiting for food or vice versa. The shop is filled to the brim with goodies flown straight from Japan! This includes chop sticks, incense, pots, pans, portable grills and pottery. You name it, they have it! The women working it is very knowledgeable and can help you find just what your looking for. Now for the food- so good! I had the traditional Japanese breakfast set which included salmon, egg omelette, rice, curry potato salad, and pickled veggies. Perfect balance, great flavors, and filling. Feels like a healthy home cooked meal. Will definitely be a goto the next time I'm in town.

Oh Cibi.. how you delight me every time. Having been away for a year, it's good to see some things…read morenever change. Tucked away on a side street, drive by too fast and you might miss it. Everything about the space bows to good design, from the workbench communal tables to the mismatched industrial chairs to the sleek, clean modern kitchen. Let's not forget the picture of one of the greatest architects Le Corbusier hanging on the wall. Not enough cafes have a kitchen where you can see in to but with Cibi it's all out in the open. They also have a gallery/shop at the back with different Japanese wares including enamelware pots, cutlery, knives and glasses). Oh and the food is scrumptious and wholesome as well! Give me that green tea muffin any day of the week! In super exciting news it looks like they're opening a new project called Minanoie on Peel Street this month. Can't wait. Cibi, You had me at Hello!

love this place, always a treat!! great selection of food…read moreavailable, warm and fun atmosphere as well as incredible service. i think i can safely say ive tried most if not all of the menu items by now and nothing ever has disappointed.

Chotto Motto is a really cute new Japanese gyoza & craft beer bar in Collingwood. It's impossible…read moreto walk past and not want to have a look inside. On the outside there's a cool Japanese language inspired black and white mural, and inside there's lots of art, ornaments and fun things to see. Gyoza are the main item on the menu, and there's quite a few different types to choose from. We also loved the fries with tasty sauce and cauliflower karaage with a delicious sauce. You need to order food and drinks at the counter and there's not too many seats available, though we did spot some large communal tables for groups. The craft beer selection is great. Lots of Japanese beers and Melbourne craft beers that fit the theme. You choose which beer you want from a big vending machine and pay at the counter. There's also a "mystery beer" option if you can't decide. The food & ambience were really nice, and despite a few opening hiccups you can tell that they will iron these out and it will be a great addition to Collingwood. It would be great to have a couple more vegetarian options on the menu (maybe one more type of gyoza), table service and some more seating. Despite all that, I'm looking forward to visiting again soon.