• 3
• more schmick than soul

Took my partner out for lunch here after a Sunday stroll along the foreshore. It was pumping but we still got a table right away. I'd describe the atmosphere as more shiny than soulful and, coming from the northside, VERY St Kilda. Shiny stainless steel tables, long wooden bench seats along the window that runs all the way along one wall. It's certainly bright and airy. We both started with the white miso soup which had a warming touch of ginger. My partner had the okonomiyaki, which he said was the best he'd ever tried - crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. I had the fried eggplant salad. Chunks of eggplant were silky inside with a slightly chewy surface and not too oily. The dressing was tart with black vinegar and the salty bite of fermented black beans. Sweet, fresh tomato and loads of Asian green herbs finished it off. The tastes were so intense that it might have been nicer balanced with a side of brown rice. An enjoyable dining experience that I probably won't repeat - proximity and price make it a bit inaccessible.