The dramatic transformation that occurs as you step from hectic Lygon Street into the upholstered serenity of Kazuki's is one of Melbourne's great dining overtures.
Looks like Lygon Street got the memo that it was time for a change. Kazuki Tsuya raised eyebrows when he planted his Franco-Japanese flag on the strip six years ago, but his self-described “slow restaurant on a fast street” has led a renaissance. His aesthete’s vision approximates Zen with treacle-coloured carpet and moody grey walls and continues the refinement across five- or seven-course set menus posing for their close-up on bespoke ceramics. The union of French technique and Japanese sensibilities finds the delicacy in ingredients like tamarind, galangal and finger lime. Surprises are delivered with a steady hand – puffed quinoa bringing toasty crunch to a jewel-like tranche of raw tuna with a shiso hit; lotus root layered, Miró-like, on miso-spiked toothfish. It’s a singular experience, grounded in the verities of snowy white linen and scarily delicate stemware, with a standout wine and sake list rounding out a reliably noteworthy meal.
This review was written independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, head over here.
