Friday night the boyfriend and I were craving Japanese food and we both avoided sushi and lunchtime since we knew we were going on the hunt for a Japanese dinner. I didn’t feel like going to the usual places we eat at, so I got out the Cheap Eats guide for inspiration.
Trying to find somewhere near my place we decided on Asakusa. It was rated best in it’s class and the review convinced us we should try it out.
We were seated quickly (since we had phoned up earlier and made a booking), and were shuffled through the front of the restaurant to a smaller room where there were a few other diners. We were promptly given menus and began trawling through the menu to find out what we should dine on.
I immediately suggested Gyoza since I’m obsessed with them:
Gyoza – Japanese style fried dumplingsThey were so fresh, we practically inhaled them and were immediately wanting more. I could eat Gyoza all night every night if I had my way!
Next up came the sushi & sashimi:
Asakusa Sushi & Sashimi Set (small)As the pieces were not evenly portioned we had to split the pieces somewhat evenly. It was pretty good; I enjoyed the sushi & sashimi set better at Maiko in Armadale to be honest.
This was immediately followed by the beef sashimi:
Gyu Tataki - Tender fillet of beef sashimi served with ponzu sauceSo, so, so delicious! It had an almost prosciutto like flavour to it with the smokiness, and it didn’t feel like you were eating raw meat at all. This was probably our second favorite dish after the gyoza.
Finally we finished with something hot, ramen:
Ramen (Miso)The chef himself brought this out. He was lovely, warning us the bowl was hot and not to touch it. The noodles and broth were very tasty in the miso soup. A nice staple meal to be had in winter.
We left feeling full but not bloated, which we always love when we eat Japanese. We don’t feel the need to go for a long walk after dinner to start the digestion process.
The staff were very friendly, service was a little slow but understandable due to the amount of diners in. Not really somewhere that I would say I must go back to but I would without any hesitation.
Asakusa Japanese Restaurant
127 Waverley Road
East Malvern VIC 3145
Ph: 9569 2051
Open Tuesday- Sunday 5:30pm – 10:30pm
The dumplings look so yummy!
So I ate at Dumpling King... and it was REALLY good!! We must go there one night. I had Beijing-style (pork & leek I think?) and chicken fried dumplings... Singapore noodles... Mongolian beef and satay chicken... mmmm!