Tokyo Tina
The third sister has been born, and she brings a Japanese edge to the family.
Overview
Sometimes you want a little fun, sometimes a little maturity and sophistication. Luckily, the team behind Hanoi Hannah and Saigon Sally are very good at pairing the two together in the one dining experience. Tokyo Tina is placing itself right between the Vietnamese sisters: slightly more sophisticated than the playful Hannah, but a little on the cheaper side when compared to Sally. We're not going to lie, we love them all. But there is something about eating Port Lincoln kingfish sashimi while staring at an Astro Boy figurine that really sold us on Tokyo Tina.
The subtle entrance, signed only by graphics, is a nice hint at what's to come when you enter. A busy but well-designed space, you'll feel part of the street food culture of Japan, but like you have an area all of your own.
The food is not what you'll find on your garden-variety Japanese restaurant. The team tasted their way around the streets of Japan to make sure they were bringing us something unique, but relevant to what's happening over there at the moment. Port Lincoln kingfish is served with pickled daikon, cucumber dashi and shiso, while the rainbow rice bowl brings a bit of everything with its blend of kingfish, tuna, salmon, furikake, avocado-mousse and tobiko.
Share plates range from the hearty miso baked cauliflower with walnut puree and yuzukosho, to the hibachi grilled striploi with nori miso butter and spring onion. For bigger groups with big appetites, the set menus are a must-try. There are three levels (and a vegan alternative) to these menus, ranging from $68pp to $88pp with hits like spiced edamame, kingfish sashimi, crispy chicken with five spice, lime and kewpie mayo and pork and kimchi gyoza on offer with plenty of other courses pending which menu you opt for.
The cocktails keep things interesting with classics available on request, or a range of house specialties like the Mizuchi Margarita (tromba tequila, lime, lemongrass, ginger, togarashi salt rim) and the Kazuma Kazuma (killik silver rum, killik gold rum, kazuma umeshu, lemon myrtle). The wine list sees plenty of variety organised by tasting experience and even offers a 2022 Palmetto sauvignon blanc on tap. Beers see a lot of imported Japanese brews with a few locals — Moon Dog, Coopers, Hop Nation — making the list.
Tokyo Tina is the kind of chick you'd want to hang out with. And by the looks of the lines at 6.30pm on weeknights, Melbourne seems to agree.
Appears in:
The Best Bottomless Brunches in Melbourne for 2023
Visit Tokyo Tina this April and May to experience a Suntory Toki Whisky Highball and snack pairing. More details at the Suntory Time hub here.
