Melbourne's Midcity Centre on Bourke Street is home to Tokyo Motto, an eatery offering an enticing experience, transitioning from a casual Japanese restaurant by day to moody izakaya bar by night. The brains behind the operation is Spring Chee, a seasoned pastry chef and restaurateur with more than two decades of experience in Melbourne's hospitality scene at venues such as Le Mille Creperie, Sugar Labo and Sweetie Moustache. With Tokyo Motto, Chee brings everyday Japanese-style dining to Melbourne, with a menu focused on championing locally sourced ingredients. During the day, patrons can expect a mix of traditional and not-so-traditional Japanese dishes. A menu highlight is the Japanese curry made with "Golden" curry sauce infused with a blend of stone fruits and fresh bee honey — a recipe discovered by Chee during her travels in Japan. Other menu highlights include the omurice, showcasing a tornado egg omelette and thick-cut katsu — a take on a recent Japanese trend using a pork loin done sous vide-style for 24 hours. For those looking to have some fun, the Ice Cream Spicy Miso Ramen offers a blend of spicy and sweet, thanks to the literal ice cream cone floating in the middle of the spicy ramen bowl. It's all about balance. As evening approaches, Tokyo Motto transforms. Starting from 9pm, the venue becomes an izakaya bar, offering a range of classic izakaya snacks, including everyone's favourite karaage, alongside a selection of Japanese cocktails, beer and sake.
