Mr Miyagi Playful Chapel St Hotspot with Serious Technique
Mr Miyagi is a playful and eclectic Japanese restaurant in Windsor that delivers on food savvy and brings loads of technique to the table. Mr Miyagi is appealing for all but is 18-35 yr old heaven, with choice music, funky cuisine with a twist and chic wait staff traversing the floor attending a patronage of young and trendy. Mr Miyagi hums and sings. Check out our Best Sushi in Melbourne. Also check out our Best Japanese Restaurants in Melbourne.
It needs to be understood for what it is - that is turning formal Japanese dining on its head and serving Japanese cuisine with a twist. The World Loves Melbourne was invited as guests of Mr Miyagi to sample its dinner menu with some new options. We enjoyed the new shared dishes presented artistically and full of flavour, technique and concern for texture and balance. After 15 months Mr Miyagi still has its mojo, and is in fact ever evolving.
What is amazing is that Mr Miyagi will often remember you from your last visit including where you sat and the food you enjoyed (I don't want to put pressure on them though). As we scratched below the surface we found Mr Miyagi more than delivers. The beer list is excellent with mainly Japanese beers, the Orion above a great choice.
The vibe here is perfect for that catch up or romantic soiree. Pop art, even a splash of neon, exposed brick walls, chic ceiling, sexy booths, polished cement floor, and long bar and naked bulbs, make Mr Miyagi fashionable. Even on a Wednesday night Mr Miyagi swings. Of course we remember Mr Miyagi from the Karate Kid movies, bringing his sage like wisdom to the younger generation.
The menu comprises of 3 "rounds" from which to select shared dishes. The Edamame even has a twist with blow torched soya beans with shiso salt. These are moorish and a great start.
A showstopper is the Nori Tacos. This was revolutionary. Grilled salmon belly, vinegar rice, spicy nappa cabbage, Japanese mayo and chilli oil. The combination of tastes and textures is compelling, and presentation spectacular. For us this was a great rendition of a fish taco, with technique and flair. With a hint of chilli these tacos have a bit of kick...
Mr Miyagi brings the colour and vibrancy to your evening, with a touch of theatre. The Sashimi Combo will blow your mindset of sashimi merely presented on a plate - with this spectacular offering featuring spherical ice, flashing lights and a broad range of sashimi including Kingfish, King George Whiting, Salmon, Blow torched Wagyu, Calamari and Fish Cakes to name a few. Of course served with wasabi and delightful pickled ginger. Again this was a play on textures and flavours.
The little touches...
We couldn't resist another photo of the Sashimi Combo, an impressive dish indeed. Apart from the theatre, the sashimi itself is high grade and prepared by expert sashimi chefs (7 years training).
Sake is a feature at Mr Miyagi, with depth of selection. A bevvy of top grade Sake is available, as well as, to our delight, a top selection of Japanese Suntory Whisky. This particular sake was matched for food with smooth characteristics without the big burn.
Another delight is the Tonkatsu Pork dish featuring crumbed pork goodness, chardonnay pickled pear and celeriac and apple salad. The fresh salad brought balance against the pork, as well as crunch to complement the creamy inside. An almost rustic dish.
As the night falls the ambience in Mr Miyagi changes again... It's almost like a club atmosphere as the music, conversation and lighting takes over.
We enjoyed a new dish of Wagyu brisket on the menu. Crunchy on the outside this wagyu brisket was top notch, along with beetroot on top.
This Cuttlefish dish with hakka spice, kimchi, snake beans, fired peppers and Japanese eggplant tasted as good as it sounds. This was a new dish on the menu - a triumph and one of our favourites for the night. We love to enjoy cuttlefish when we get the chance! Just squeeze the lime over the seafood for a fresh and zesty dish.
Mr Miyagi is famous for its MFC - Miyagi Fried Chicken. Tender pieces of chicken perfectly fried, served with Japanese seven spice and with compelling kewpie mayo. Hard to go past on a visit to Mr Miyagi!
Dessert brought another delightful surprise and twist, with this Easter dessert. This dessert took us into chocolate overdrive with rich cake, creamy chocolate and a chocolate egg, along with icecream. So good.
The Head Chef Kyle Doody is Melbourne chef royalty (ex Fat Duck, The European, Gills Diner and Jacques Reymond) and has kept up the fun and innovation with high quality fare that is consistent. Kudos. He has brought his fine dining background into a playful context with flair.
Staff here are first class and most have been with Mr Miyagi for years , which says it all. They each exude their own personality and are given space by management to bring their own style in service.
Our perception is that its the Windsor part of Chapel St that has emerged when it comes to standout restaurants and Mr Miyagi is a premium hotspot example of modern trendy dining.
Mr Miyagi is a go to place for a young savvy crowd who enjoy the experience and playfulness, but are serious about high quality food and beverages. Highly recommended.