Machi — Restaurant in Melbourne

Visited here for an impromptu bday dinner. We were excited to come here after seeing some positive reviews on ig and google but unfortunately we found it was not what it was chalked up to be.

The positives were the front of house (didn’t catch a name but they were super lovely and friendly, seemed prepared for our reservation and throughout the night, looked like they were trying to be on-top of it all), as well as the variety of fun and interesting sounding dishes on the menu.

Unfortunately, the actual food and dining experience was in many ways a let down. I’m aware this review will sound nitpicky to many people but I think for the prices we paid, it’s justified to be fussy about the details.

We picked the spanner crab as our starter dish and I think this was the best of the night; fluffy warm flatbreads, paired with a rich prawn butter and nicely seasoned crab which was both creamy and fresh/ tangy. Really loved how luscious the butter was and how it was packed with the flavour of prawn.

Unfortunately it was all a bit downhill from there.

Miso cod was tender but I found I actually enjoyed the vegetables more than the fish in the dish. The sauce was overpowering, and instead of umami notes from the miso and cod, overall I just found it too sweet.

The wagyu donburi was just okay. We enjoyed the quality hoshihikari rice used, which was a great medium to soak up all the fat being rendered from the beef and had charred nicely at the bottom. However balance was off; the sauce was again too sweet and the dish lacked something (even the presence of a few humble pickles would have helped) to help cut the fattiness and richness. We also do understand premium produce equals small portions but with the wafer thin slices of wagyu, you could barely enjoy the actual quality of the beef.

We were still fairly hungry at this point so partner suggested ordering another main. We decided to try the lobster donburi was our biggest regret. I think we really felt the rush and carelessness when this dish came to the table… the whole thing smelt fishy, it was missing half a claw and antennae and the shell was dripping water out the tail liked someone had just rinsed it and dumped it on. (I wouldn’t comment on this usually but when the shell is on the plate purely for aesthetics…) Lobster was way overdone and quite tough and chewy. Sashimi came slathered in sauce which still didn’t hide the fact it didn’t exactly taste uber fresh. We also really questioned the choice of serving sashimi on a hot dish; warm raw fish just isn’t pleasant.

Final thoughts are that Machi is a bit confused about its identity and needs to figure out if it wants to lean traditional or go fusion. I would say while the concepts for dishes sounded good on paper, the execution wasn’t great. I want to think that we just ordered the wrong dishes off the menu, but I don’t think that is the case. Overall attention to detail, and also the idea of simplicity and highlighting fresh and seasonal produce which are generally characteristics of good Japanese is very lacking here.

Re the service, it was quite prompt, but felt impersonal, inattentive and also came across as disorganised for a small and compact venue. There was no consistent wait staff serving a dedicated area which led to multiple people coming up asking the same questions, no particular introduction to the menu or sense of interest from the staff in the food on menu, no offers to swap out plates between different dishes, requests for soy sauce or condiments forgotten, water being sloppily poured and a general sense of rush towards the end (perhaps our fault for visiting closer to kitchen closing time).

Again, at the end of the day, all small things and not generally issues I’d complain about but overall after paying over $200 for a meal and having had expectations pre-set by the quasi-fine dining marketing, we left disappointed.

TLDR: As passionate foodies we were pretty disappointed, but YMMV if you don’t mind shelling out for a dining experience that values aesthetics more than balance...

Had an awful experience when I called the store last Thursday 1/12. When I called up the restaurant, I wanted to make a reservation for the next day, I intended to make a 8pm booking but was then advised 1.5 hours dining. I then asked if I could change it to a 8:30pm booking instead because my partner might be running late from work (he’s a health worker, he sometimes needed to stay back) and again was advised “but you can only do 1.5 hours dining experience”. I then proceeded to explain that I understood that there is going to be a time limit, and was not trying to be difficult as my concern was that my partner might run late. The waiter/receptionist stated again that we could only do a 1.5 hours dining, this is when it got frustrating. He then suddenly said that the restaurant will be closed at 9:30pm hence we could only stay until 9:30pm no matter what time we booked it at. This frustrated me, if the restaurant is closed at 9:30pm, why didn’t he say so from the first place? Why did he have to repeatedly explain about the time limit but not that the restaurant closes earlier than I expected? At that point, I didn’t think of it much as I was desperate to find a restaurant to celebrate my partner’s birthday. I continued to ask about the closing time because it contradicted to what it says on the website. He then started raising his voice at me, questioning me where I got this information from as on their website, it has always been “until late” and it was never made clear of the exact time. Again at that time, I did not intend to pick a fight and answered that I just saw it on some website. The waiter might have then picked up that I stood down and started lecturing me that I was wrong and that they “have nothing to do with it”. At this point, I was exhausted of explaining and simply trying to make a booking for a table so I told him that I no longer want to visit the restaurant. After finishing the call, I re-visited their website and indeed it stated their business hours was “until late”, however after I clicked into ‘make a reservation’ on their website, it brought me to another website where it stated “open until 22:00”. I understand that sometimes websites can be glitchy and you, as a business, might have overlooked of certain things. But it was such an unpleasant experience that I was told wrong and felt rejected in some level by being told the different time as supposedly. Maybe the website should have changed it from “until late” to “until we want to...

Tucked away on Inkerman Street, Machi Restaurant & Bar is a standout destination for contemporary Japanese dining in St Kilda.

The menu is a harmonious blend of traditional Japanese flavours and modern culinary techniques. Signature dishes include the Wagyu Niku Maki—pan-fried enoki mushrooms, carrot, and beans wrapped in thinly sliced wagyu with a sweet teriyaki glaze—and the Moreton Bay Bug Maki, which offers a delightful fusion of textures and tastes. The Gyokai Seafood Platter, featuring a mix of sashimi, baked scallops, oysters, tempura prawns, and Moreton Bay bug maki rolls, is perfect for sharing and showcases the kitchen's commitment to quality seafood.

For those seeking a curated dining experience, Machi offers Omakase set menus. The Tokyo Set includes a chef's selection tasting plate, sushi and sashimi, a choice of main course, and a dessert of chocolate spring rolls with homemade green tea and sesame ice cream. The Osaka Set features miso soup, pork gyoza, chicken karaage, a main course choice, and the same delectable dessert.

The ambiance at Machi is both intimate and inviting, with a modern interior that complements the culinary offerings. The open-style kitchen allows diners to observe the meticulous preparation of dishes, adding an element of engagement to the dining experience. Service is consistently praised for being friendly and accommodating, enhancing the overall atmosphere.

Whether you're a local or visiting St Kilda, Machi Restaurant & Bar offers a memorable dining experience that celebrates the artistry of Japanese cuisine. With its innovative menu, quality ingredients, and welcoming environment, it's a must-visit for food...