Tokyo Tina

Welcome a third sister to the family, Tokyo Tina - Windsor's newest contemporary Japanese restaurant-dive bar ! From the brains behind Hanoi Hannah and Saigon Sally, the guys have combined the best eats, beats and vibes inspired from the streets of Japan and brought us the exotic country as it is today.

Jade green tiles, distressed manga posers and timber features set the scene. The menu ? We're talking Japanese street food with a helping hand from neighbour Korea and touches of inspiration from other parts of the world. Tokyo Tina dares to walk the walk and walks a fine line between fusion and modern Asian cuisine.

Open California Roll / Crispy Avo Bao

We started off with the Open California Roll - a delicate wafer of crispy nori topped with plump sushi rice, shredded WA spanner crab, crunchy salad and toasted sesame seed. An elegant and light start to our meal - I could have only wished for more than a mouthful !

We also tried their Crispy Avo Bao - a soft pillowy bun encasing a battered piece of creamy avo, pickled ginger and gochujang. Unfortunately, this dish didn't really do much for me, with its aimless fusion of flavours which were easily overpowered by the pickled ginger.

Tonkatsu Croquettes 

In contrast, the Tonkatsu Croquettes drizzled in bulldog sauce were ever so lovely, crunchy and packed full with flavour. Accompanied by a refreshing coleslaw, these bite-sized morsels were easily my pick of the night.

Medley Tomato Salad

Next up was the Medley Tomato Salad with smoked tofu, slippery knot noodles and shiso. Sadly, a dish that I was not very fond of at all. I understood that it was a simple side dish, however I felt it was far too simple and a little too effortless. 

Karaage Chicken Ribs 

To finish off the night, we nibbled on Tokyo Tina's Karaage Chicken Ribs slathered in hot sauce and dotted in sesame seeds. Chicken ribs have a special place in my heart and with Melbourne's food scene offering such top notch chicken ribs and wings, I could not help but feel a little let down with the ribs at Tokyo Tina. Again, I felt that ingredients and sauces had just been thrown around, without allowing sufficient time for sauces and spices to marinate and soak in, resulting in rather dry and bland ribs. Luckily, the hot sauce and a spritz of lemon picked up its game. Whilst the overall dish was tasty, the results weren’t as amazing as I imagine they had hoped for. 

Regrettably, Tokyo Tina did not leave me salivating. The potential is definitely there so I'm just thinking of giving her a little more time to grow, learn and find her feet before heading back.

Tokyo Tina

66 Chapel Street  

Windsor, VIC 3181

http://www.tokyotina.com.au