Overview
For the past two years, Prahran's Toko has ranked among Melbourne's best Japanese restaurants. And with good reason — the Melbourne offshoot of the top Sydney and Dubai fine dining establishment, it served up everything from fairy floss cocktails to sashimi matched with pork crackling. Alas, the Greville Street favourite has now closed its doors, but for a quick rest rather than a certain goodbye, with a new venture in the works.
Come September, Toko will be reborn as tokosan. The new iteration of the venue will favour a more casual food menu and a focus on beverages in a space that will boast neon lighting, art installations and DJs spinning tunes. A highlight of the move will be a new karaoke room, which will also be bookable for functions — so prepare to give your lungs a workout (as well as your stomach).
Scheduled to open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, as well as hosting weekly Sunday sessions from 11am, tokosan will keep things cosy with its 100-person inside capacity. Outside, what was once a courtyard will be converted into a lounge garden, catering for up to 60 people — with heating in winter, of course.
And fans of the OG Toko need not despair as it will relocate to the CBD in the near future. The exact details have yet to be confirmed, but we'll keep you updated on this one.
tokosan will open 142 Greville Street, Prahran in September. For more information, keep an eye on their website.