Chotto Motto

Overview

If you've ever ventured down Collingwood's Wellington Street, you have probably been intrigued by a certain eye-catching corner building, decked out with a bold black and white façade. 

You'd be looking at Chotto Motto. The lively Japanese haunt is a joint effort from Dylan Jones and Tomoya Kawasaki, the latter who is behind fellow mod-Japanese hits Wabi Sabi Salon and Neko Neko.

At Chotto Motto, it's the humble gyoza that reigns supreme, specifically crisp-based Hamamatsu-style dumplings that are served as a group, flipped upside down. Grab a 10 or 20-piece feed, in flavours like spicy pork in crispy chilli oil, prawn and ginger with yuzu ponzu, or the vegan-friendly impossible pork with shiso and sesame.

Small plates might include the likes of Japanese curry chicken salt fries, king prawn with shredded leak tempura, or seasonal veg wrapped in tofu skin with a side of yuzu pepper. 

The drinks are fun, also, with a range of cocktails including a yuzu margarita, a Japanese slipper with melon, orange and lemon, and a ume plum negroni with gin, Aragoshi Umeshu Plum Wine and Campari. There is plum wine, sake and beer as well, plus a single option for each colour of wine.

The space itself is equally upbeat, between the Japanese slot machine, the neon glow and an assortment of knick-knacks scattered throughout. You'll catch a vibrant mural by Mitch Walder gracing one interior wall, while outside's head-turning paint job is the work of Melbourne street artist Chehehe.