Izakaya Den

Downstairs past a nondescript door in the corporate heart of Melbourne lies perhaps the trendiest restaurant on the scene. Izakaya Den is the stuff of movies and it also packs it in with substance. It is quite simply atmospheric high-end dining at it's best. As a result it served as the perfect backdrop to catch up with an old high school friend who had recently moved to Melbourne.

Upon entry to the Den we were quickly greeted by the friendly staff who guided us to seats at the bar. I presume this is where all groups of two end up, but it's the best seat in the place. Watching the chefs in their element sitting a mere metre away from the grills is thoroughly enjoyable.

Sake

Naturally we opted to start the night with some sake. I'll admit I'm no expert in this domain but I'll say I quite enjoyed it and I especially loved that it came in an erlenmeyer flask. It's now a full 6 months since I've been in a lab so flashback tokens are very welcome.

As for the food we decided to order a bit of everything; hot, cold, snacks and vegetables. Probably should've got dessert too - the apple millefeuille looks bluddy amazing.

Token vegetable dish

I'm not going to lie, things started of a bit shaky. We were left a bit unimpressed with the vegetables. Maybe if we had've known what we were getting our expectations would've been different.

Kingfish Sashimi

The kingfish sashimi was a beautiful dish in every respect. Tasted great with looks to die for. To save time on my behalf, the rest of the dishes were superb. The pictures serve them better justice than I can.

Ox Tongue

Umaki - I think

Den Fried Chicken

End Verdict: A must visit for every cosmopolitan out there. Just writing this review I'm thinking of when I can next return.