16-17 The Causeway, Melbourne
Phone (03) 9650 4144
There is something decidedly homely about Japanese diner fare; cheap, tasty comfort food served in small cafes and family restaurants. Dishes such as omuraisu (fried rice in omelette), katsudon (pork on rice), donburi (rice in bowl), kare raisu (curry on rice), hayashi raisu (beef hash on rice) and hamubagu (uh huh, hamburger), to name just a delicious few. Diner fare is definitely not sushi or sashimi, or other such delicate dishes usually associated with the higher forms of Japanese cuisine, such as kaiseki ryori.
Tokio Cafe, like most cafes in Japan, takes up a tiny space in The Causeway, a little alley that runs off Bourke Street Mall. There is minimal seating and utilitarian ambience, and you can choose what you want to eat from the requisite pictorial food menu on the wall.
I have developed somewhat of a “thing” for katsu kare raisu, a deep fried breaded pork loin fillet submerged in a thick brown curry gravy. The Tokio version is spot on - chunks of beef, carrot, potato and onion inflitrate the roux, and a good wad of fukujinzuke (pickles) adds a foil of sour and sweetness. This setto (set) also comes with an ice-cream scoop of Japanese potato salad generous on the kewpie, slices of cucumber/tomato, and a pile of finely shredded cabbage doused in Japanese BBQ sauce. Oishii!
Meals like this make me nostalgic for Japan.
New blog post: Tokio Cafe http://bit.ly/z0BwY
Oohhh! I love Tokio. I used to go there all the time when I used to work in the city. I can’t find another katsudon that is any where as good as theirs. Any suggestions?
Oooh Cherrie….you must try Don Bay Japanese Lunch Place. They do a great katsu curry rice there as well. Unfortunately, it’s only open for weekday lunches
I love love love Tokio! Ever since my first visit on my first trip to Melbourne years and years ago (when the store was double the size!), I’ve religiously made my pilgrimage every single trip.
I feel like they’re my foster parents and that I’m coming ‘home’ to have a meal… which is always katsudon. Best katsudon I ever tasted in Oz!
Aw, man. I know where I’m going for lunch today. Right now!
Oh Mellie, I’d forgotten about Tokio…sometimes it’s good to remind us about the good old places! I will plan to visit when I get home.
Thank you for this blog!
I just went to Tokio Cafe for lunch and it was superb. Cycled into the city from fitzroy. Not the longest jaunt, but a good meal makes it worthwhile.
Spot on with the katsu kare raisu!!! And such cute elderly proprietors. Felt like I was in a Miyazaki movie.
I’m sorry to say I defected from Tokio to Sushi Monger next door. I feel darn guilty if the owners every see me queuing up there but even with the ridiculously long line you still get fed quicker than at Tokio. I really wish they’d take on more staff
The food is fabulous, the owners are lovely. I’ve been going here ever since it opened ….hmmmm a long long time ago! My son is eighteen now and he visited the place in mums tum…. wonderful!
I have to agree with ‘another outspoken female’ – the sushi at Sushi Monger is amazingly fresh and good value for money. They have awesome lunchtime specials and you can get two rolls of sushi and a miso soup for $5. I was in there one lunchtime while they were slicing up the salmon, you could read the freshness in the colour of the fish! The service is fast and pleasant, although there is usually a long queue during the peak lunch hour. I don’t know why I haven’t gotten around to reviewing this one yet, I should probably get some photos first!
Hey AOF and Jenster – thanks for the tip on Sushi Monger. I’ve very much noticed the long lines snaking out the door, so is one I must put on my todo list.
Mellie – I wrote about the defection here http://confessionsofafoodnazi.blogspot.com/2009/03/in-search-of-lunch.html
I do feel guilty about it, at heart I am a loyal customer but in the end even the tattered copies of Readers Digest couldn’t tempt me anymore…