DekoBoko — Restaurant in Melbourne

I'm usually a regular at dekoboko but unfortunately the last 2 times I went were not pleasant experiences. This mainly came down to the service from the staff.

The first time, the server didn't input one of the orders and didn't notice or ask if we had everything since one person didn't have any food despite all of us ordering. At the time it wasn't busy and there really wasn't much of an excuse but it happens, so I let it slide and hoped the next time would be just as good as it usually was.

The next time we ordered 2 donburi and 2 drinks and waited a total time of 40 minutes for our food. This was completely unacceptable and there was no communication from the staff about the wait which was more infuriating. I know they were pretty understaffed and I think (assume) the rice from the rice cookers ran out or something and we had to wait for the rice to be cooked but again, this is speculation because we weren't told anything. Other customers were getting their food and we weren't and it was just an awful wait. In the end we got our food and stuffed our faces and paid and left. No change to the bill or anything to make up for what was meant to be a quick easy lunching.

I really like this place and want to support it but they really need to communicate better with customers and have more staff on when things get busy so that customers aren't left in the dark waiting!

I hope they can rectify these issues because I want...

If you grew up eating Japanese curry made from those convenient curry roux cubes, you'll be in for a treat. The curry here is homemade and you can taste it! Generous portions and you'll leave with a taste of nostalgia, feeling warm and full. The 2-in-1 deal of getting half donburi and half curry is an absolute steal, perfect for the indecisive eater who wants to try more than one menu item.

I like that the spice level is customisable, so it can cater to everyone's tastes. (Note that Japanese curries are mild in general. Two of us ordered the '3' level but it was not spicy at all. Just the perfect amount of 'heat' that doesn't steal away from tasting the flavour of the curry itself, unlike some foods where the excessiveness spiciness ends up detracting away from the dish itself!).

The soy matcha latte was thick and creamy. Despite ordering no-sugar, the natural sweetness of soy milk lended itself beautifully to the earthiness of the matcha, so the drink itself was not bitter at all.

We were too full to try dessert, but there is also an in-house pastry chef making delightful Japanese-style cheesecake and other sweets. You can watch them at work behind a glass screen as you eat!

My only qualm is that this place isn't open on weekends, so it's hard to take friends/family here during the working week! But we will...

Dekoboko on Bridge Road is doing some seriously good Japanese comfort food with care and consistency. The team — which looked to be all-female in the kitchen — was smashing it during my visit.

I ordered the Japanese Hamburg steak with curry sauce and rice. Everything was great, but the fluffy egg on top really stood out — easily the best I’ve had with this kind of dish. The hamburg patty and katsu chicken could’ve been a bit thicker, but the flavours were spot on, and the pricing was much more reasonable than other Japanese cafes in Melbourne.

The rice was cooked perfectly, and the overall plate came together really well. I also grabbed a couple of onigiri for $4.20 — the lobster mayo was packed with flavour, and the tuna mayo was also a solid choice. Great value for a quick bite.

I also tried the rice burger, which wasn’t for me — the rice bun stuck to the wrapper and the texture felt a bit off — but everything else made up for it.

The staff were warm, kind, and attentive, which added to the experience. You can tell there’s pride in what they serve.

Quality food, generous portions, and fair pricing. I’ll definitely be back to try more off the...