Emilia reviews her favourite place to impress mates (without an exorbitant price tag)
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Cost of living crisis and nice dinners out don’t always go hand in hand, so I was particularly determined to find somewhere that had the quality of fine dining without the exorbitant price tag this week.
This joint is a local of mine that I’ve been dying to review. When I want to impress mates but don’t want their wallets to hate me, I take them here.
They don’t have an air of arrogance but they could definitely afford to; they often feature alongside Nobu, Kisume, Yakimono in making ‘best Japanese in Melbourne’ lists again and again.
Kumo Izakaya on Lygon Street in Brunswick East immediately feels like a place to gather. Kumo means both cloud and spider, if you’re feeling particularly arty you can interpret that through the many beautiful pieces of art on the walls (but I’ll leave you with the challenge on how it links). They really embody the feeling of what an izakaya should be; somewhere to eat, drink and socialise. The place used to be a bank and was constructed in 1956 (they know because the bricks have the Olympic rings marked on them!)
The restaurant itself is broken up into sections so you can find the right setting for the night you’re after – from intimate two-seater tables, or beautiful glass booths to a mess hall style table in the middle of the restaurant and a private dining room.
Their menu is extensive, it has the perfect balance of fun and adventure as well as traditional. They have small and large dishes on the menu so you can take the night as it comes and order how it suits you. Majority of the menu is under $20 and although you can easily spend up big by gathering a table of sashimi and starters if you want to have a more frugal night there’s larger meals still under that $20 mark.
They’ve got a $12 kids menu that I know my niece is a huge fan of – they even provide kids chopsticks, so truly everyone can get involved. There’s bento boxes for the indecisive, vego and gluten free options as well as some Italian/Japanese fusion for your friend that really wanted to go to the other end of Lygon but got dragged this end.
Ross, there’s even raw dishes you could get around. We started with the Kingfish carpaccio with yuzu ponzu and the wagyu beef tataki (9 point!! For only $20). The wagyu is one I would order to wow a table, I don’t think I’ve ever had the pennies to afford wagyu but for $20 you can be convinced to buy into the hype too.
One that I always get to produce ‘oohs and ahhs’ as they bring it to the table is the scallops. They arrive plated in the shells on a bed of rock salt, a fitting frame for an amazing dish. There’s a couple of scallops on the menu but you have to get the hokkaido scallops, they’ve got a light crunch on the outside and the creamiest inside. We also tried the whole squid and I cannot leave this place without some of their karaage chicken (secretly one of my very favourite foods, how can you go past fried chicken?). In the past I’ve had the slow cooked pork belly and beef rib with potato salad.
We had to try some of these Italian inspired dishes for you boys too. We tried the ramen gnocchi which were essentially squishy fried pillows of ramen topped with crunchy padano disks and the shiitake sushi rice risotto which tasted like fancy two minute noodles. I love a restaurant that isn’t afraid to include experimental, fun dishes and push the envelope. I especially love that you’re eating this amongst the array of traditionally made sashimi and bento boxes.
There is a multi page drinks list with a bit of everything; wine, spirits, cocktails, beer, sochu, sake. I tried a couple of the cocktails that mixed the eastern flavours in; I tried the Ikebana and the Eastern brew. If you’re a fan of sours, the Ikebana is your choice and if you like ginger the Eastern Brew is your winner.
Kumo Izakaya does the job of bringing people together. As dinner out might be the first thing left out of your budget, it’s nice to know if you do get your family or mates to a restaurant there will be something for everyone and a space for you all. You can use it as a ‘treat yourself’ or stay within your means depending on how you order and all whilst being served with fabulous service and fine-dining worthy food.
For that, it’s at the top of my ‘best Japanese in Melbourne’ list!
Kumo Izakaya
152 Lygon St Brunswick East