Marble Yakiniku

Overview

Designed to look like a traditional Japanese tea house, Marble Yakiniku is the best place to be in Melbourne if you're after authentic Japanese cuisine prepared with locally sourced wagyu cuts (plus some hailing from Japan). Its tableside barbecuing — from which it's taken its name, Yakiniku — is also one of the highlights of the whole experience. 

The menu is enormous at this haunt as well, so give yourself plenty of time to gaze over it. We suggest starting off with the sashimi — some of the best in Melbourne. The platter is the highlight, consisting of 12 pieces of the chef's selections and four kinds of daily fresh fish. For something unique, try the sea urchin sashimi paired with a miso soup. Elsewhere on the menu is a selection of nigiri, deep-fried and hot pot dishes. As well as wagyu and seafood, there are plenty of vegetarian options — the grilled eggplant in white miso sauce is a big win here.

Steaks are also king here. The Marble Yakiniku menu gives you the option of Mayura M9 wagyu with cuts including tri-tip, oyster blade and short ribs, as well as Japanese A5 options such as rice yes and sirloins. Lost with this steak jargon? The front-of-house team know what they're talking about so let them guide you. But no matter your choice, this will be one of the best steaks you've ever eaten. The meat will be barbecued to perfection and will quite literally melt in your mouth.

Pair it with an Asahi or Sapporo or a bottle from Marble Yakiniku's extensive sake list, which includes the impossibly hard-to-find Juuyondai Honmaru Honjozo.