Ajitoya - Review - Seddon

Ajitoya in Seddon (82 Charles St, Melbourne VIC 3011) is a strange beast.  It's kind of stylish (but not too stylish) and this is kind of a problem.  It raises expectations that it doesn't quite meet.  Still for a place sitting in suburban Seddon it's still pretty good and at least offers local a nice Japanese offering.  

Edamame Beans

The classic edamame side dish of beans is nearly almost a must have went dining out at Japanese.  Sadly the consistency across restaurants is lacking on the negative side.  Not to say they are bad here just not great.

As you can see Ajitoya has pleasant surroundings.  Better than the ubiquitous Japanese giant red lanterns you see around the place now days.

On the plus side Ajitoya do have an original selection of Japanese beers.  Not the run of the mill Asahi or Kirin here.  In fact this is one of the best features of the place.  The other being that it is well frequented so that adds to the positive atmosphere.

Karaage Set

Now the food definitely has that nice Japanese simplicity to it.  It all looks perfect on the plate and is yet a bit underwhelming.  Nothing wrong per se but just missing that X or wow factor. The food is good without being exceptional.

Sashimi Set

There is a reasonable selection of different dishes and the customer service is great.

I wouldn't really say this is a true specialist Japanese place.  It kind of has that standard menu with a few extra add-ons.  You are unlikely to find something truly unique here.

So while I may seem a bit downbeat I actually like the place.  It has a nice ambiance, the food is generally good, I really like the unique selection of Japanese alcoholic beverages and its local (well if you live inand around Seddon).  I wouldn't say it's worth a special trip but for anyone semi-local its definitely worth considering.

Ajitoya
Rating - 3.5
Would I go again - No
Would I recommend to a friend - No

Telephone: (03) 9687 1027
Address:  82 Charles St, Melbourne VIC 3011
Reviewed By: Howie Be