Back in 2012, Machi opened bravely within close proximity to Mr Wolf and Newmarket Hotel on Inkerman Street, but has stood the test of time, proving to be a popular dining destination for fine Japanese dining. Machi is now under the care of head chef Michael, who has 15 years of experience in places like Nobu, Ichi Ni, and Mr Miyagi. The menu changes every three months or so to mix things up and keep it seasonal.

Machi Rainbow Maki is a platter of seven different maki – soft shell crab, prawns, daikon beef, Moreton Bay bug, salmon, kingfish, and seared tuna maki. The seafood is fresh, and the sushi rice is packed and seasoned nicely. We also enjoy the tangy zing of the yuzu and touch of chilli in the Beef Tataki.

We try the Crispy Tuna Nigiri. There’s a slight sweetness from the snapper sauce, and a lovely interplay of textures between the tuna and the crispy and chewy rice. One of my favourite dishes from the night.

Another highlight are the Machi tacos. They have a whole range of tacos to choose from, and are also available as a set. The nori shells are super crunchy, each filled with sushi rice and finished with the topping of choice. We have the kombu salmon and its savoury mayo and chilli oil, the BBQ eel, and the soft and creamy uni, which brings a fresh taste of the sea.

Kani Meshi is a mixture of sweet, steamed Blue Swimmer crab, sea uni, salmon caviar, tobiko and sushi rice, all served in a crab shell. It sounds like an interesting combination of ingredients on paper, and actually turns out to be much better than expected. Miso Black Cod comes with enoki tempura and marinated lotus as the chef’s selection of side dishes today. The pickled flavour of the lotus cuts through the beautiful rich and buttery taste and texture of the cod.

For desserts, Green Tea Tiramisu is the rich option, the strong cheesy flavour broken up slightly by the coffee biscuit crumb. The Black Sesame Panna Cotta/Pudding comes with broken green tea sponge cake, white chocolate and slightly bitter chocolate soil. It’s not completely smooth (probably the reason it’s not billed strictly as a panna cotta), but there’s quite a good hit of black sesame flavour coming through.

Machi may be a special occasion sort of restaurant, but it is very good, and artistically presented too. The fresh, high quality seafood is sourced from reliable suppliers, so you know you’ll be in for a treat.

Disclaimer: I was invited to Machi as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own, and are based on my experience at the time

Machi
14 Inkerman St
St Kilda, VIC, 3182
(03) 9534 5000
www.machi.com.au