Chotto Motto, Robata and Koi Toy Have Dropped An Unexpected Menu Of Detour Dishes
Lizzie Scorer
Contributor | Urban List, Sydney, NSW
Three of Melbourne’s coolest Japanese restaurants are taking a detour from their usual menu. From 3 June to 1 July, Chotto Motto in Collingwood, Robata in Melbourne CBD and Koi Toy in Coburg are punting one-off dish specials with unexpected plot twists.
We tasked the top Melbourne chefs, Kazuyuki Uchida (Chef at Chotto Motto), Lily McGrath (Head Chef at Robata) and Alex Meimetis (Owner of Koi Toy), to whip up an inventive konbini-inspired dish to celebrate our launch into Urban List Osaka with Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
Detour Dishes is inspired by those unpredictable moments that make travel, food and life in general more memorable, flipping them into a fun dish, just like how having Southern Cross Travel Insurance can turn your most unfortunate travel tale into a funny story later. Let's dig in.
Chotto Motto | Mozzarella Kushikatsu
287 Wellington Street, Collingwood
Get ready for a honey-dripping, cheese-pull, but not as Melbourne or Japan know it. You may or may not be familiar with Kushikatsu, a classic Osaka dish usually made of meat or vegetables, but this time at Chotto Motto, mozzarella is in the spotlight.
A salty spin on the OG, panko-coated mozzarella is fried up golden and served with a pairing of crispy chilli hot honey, ramping up the dish with an unexpected sweet sidekick.
Robata | Robatachiki
2 Exhibition Street, Melbourne CBD
If you’ve been to Japan, chances are you’ve lined up at a FamilyMart for Famichiki; the cult-favourite convenience store fried chicken that’s become the stuff of late-night legend. Inspired by after-hours snack runs through Osaka, Robata’s Head Chef Lily McGrath is giving the nostalgic street food bite an unexpected twist with her own version: Robatachiki.
Juicy boneless chicken thigh is wrapped in an ultra-thin, crisp coating. Then, instead of serving it the traditional way, Robata plates it with a curveball, a rich mayo injected with Japanese curry flavours that completely transforms the experience.
Koi Toy | Blue Eye Sashimi
Pentridge Shopping Centre, T16, Ground Floor/1 Champ Street, Coburg
Bringing a fusion of Asian and French flavours to one plate, Koi Toy is serving immaculate sashimi-grade blue eye fillet with a kaffir and lemongrass-infused crème fraîche, yuzu chilli smoked salmon roe emulsion, prawn floss, nori furikake, shiso, and lemon balm micro herbs.
The experimental combination blends Japanese ingredients like yuzu and shiso with a French-inspired crème fraîche using thickened coconut cream infused with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for an unexpected, South Asian-influenced zing. The result? A mouthwatering contrast of creamy, spicy, citrusy, herbal and umami flavours, not bound to any borders.
Swerving in from 3 June to 1 July, the Detour Dishes are here for a good time, not a long time, so get in quick.
Planning a culinary trip of your own? If you're heading overseas, don't leave your holiday to chance; take out a comforting policy with Southern Cross Travel Insurance for peace of mind if detours arise.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Southern Cross Travel Insurance and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why, read our editorial policy here.
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