Midori by Tao's — Restaurant in Melbourne

Decided to try this place out as I've seen a lot of great feedback. The food we ate was okay, however the service really ruined the dining experience. When seated we were not explained how the ordering works, the price of the different plates of sushi, how we can distinguish between what is and isn't vegan, or when the kitchen closes (keep in mind for later). We had to get a different person over to explain to us how things worked which was fine, however we were still not told what time the kitchen closes. At 8:18 we ordered hot food, but were subsequently told 5 minutes later that the kitchen closed at 8:15 so they weren't taking anymore orders. We were then referred to a small sign going around the sushi train that we were supposed to read to know about the kitchen closing time. Why not inform patrons when you sit them down, or let them know 20 minutes before close? The sign can easily be moved around or missed which is what happened in our case. Following this, food was removed from the sushi train at 8:30 when closing time is at 9, which again we were not informed about. When I asked staff about being able to have food after 8:30 it was almost as if it was a nuisance. All of this would be fine if it was communicated. We would've bought a lot of hot food if we were verbally informed of the kitchen closing, and I was really looking forward to trying out a variety of their dishes. It's so important to support vegan or mostly vegan restaurants but service like this really lets a place down. Hopefully in future I can update this review to be a...

I recently had the pleasure to visit this great sushi train experience in Balwyn and it honestly didn't disappoint.

The restaurant has a very contemporary design with a small seating area available for the sushi train experience, maybe 40 seats in total. They also have a function area available upstairs too.

This is a mostly vegan menu, with some vegetarian options available that include dairy or egg - these vegetarian options are clearly labelled and the vegan options are labelled with 'VG' on their hot menu.

Midori has the popular sushi train experience where you can grab a plate as it approaches your table. Each plate is coloured and prices vary. Green = $4, Red = $5 and Yellow = $6. They also have a separate 'hot menu' where you can order items such as laksa, ramen and crispy battered mushrooms, and a drinks menu.

Overall, the food was beautifully presented and the flavours were truly spot on - what they can make with plant based ingredients is amazing.

We had a variety of sushi options from the train, oat milk ramen and the crispy mushrooms were hands the best!

The staff were super friendly and constantly attentive, and was kid-friendly (they also have high chairs for the little ones).

Definitely a great experience, and I can't wait to...

Dining at Midori by Tao's was a delightful journey into creative vegetarian cuisine. We chose to sit at the sushi train, which offered a vibrant array of dishes, most of which are vegan, with vegetarian options clearly labeled . The selection was both diverse and inventive, making it easy to explore new flavors.

Standout dishes included the chawanmushi, a silky steamed egg custard that was both comforting and flavorful; the agedashi tofu, featuring crispy tofu in a savory broth; and the crispy mushrooms, which provided a satisfying crunch and depth of taste. Each plate showcased the kitchen's commitment to quality and innovation.

The pricing was reasonable, with our meal totaling approximately $40 per person. The sushi train uses a color-coded plate system, making it easy to keep track of selections and costs .

The ambiance was welcoming, with a modern and clean interior. Service was attentive, and the staff were knowledgeable about the menu offerings. The restaurant also features a unique delivery system for hot dishes, adding a fun element to the...