Washoku Lovers is so excited to organise first blogger dinner event in Melbourne. Despite being based in Sydney, I know of so many great restaurants in Melbourne. We held a blogger event at Washoku Lovers Partnered Restaurant, Maedaya which is located on Bridge street in Richmond. I personally think Melbourne is very similar to Osaka, it has many great cafes, shops and restaurants!
Maedaya is our first partnered Washoku Lovers Restaurant in Melbourne. It was so exciting to see our Wahsoku Lovers sticker on their window! This sticker shows our guarantee that this restaurant is authentic Japanese restaurant. Maedaya’s Chef Nakamoto has had some amazing experiences that have built up to his position as head chef. Chefs like Chef Nakamoto will bring you the best authentic washoku cuisine, so make sure you bring some friends and introduce them to real Japanese food. Are you a Washoku Lovers Member? Absolutely free to sign up from here!
Let’s go to Maedaya as our first Melbourne washoku journey!
Maedaya, opened in 2007, has sake counter and can seat up to a huge 140 guests. The 1st floor is an izakaya style restaurant while the 2nd floor will have you eating yakiniku.
I found another Washoku Lovers Sticker 🙂 Always super excited to see this sticker on 🙂
Have you ever tried yakitori charcoal grilled skewers? Yakitori is a really popular food in Japan. Yaki means grilled and tori means chicken, it’s grilled chicken in the traditional way. However, there is such a large variety of yakitori like vegetables and beef, but nowadays in Japan they’re getting very creative with what goes on the skewers. Cooking with gas and cooking with charcoal creates totally different tastes. Due to the aroma from the charcoal it is much more tasty! It’s very unique.
Tonight, we enjoyed welcome drinks & appetisers, 3 courses and dessert with matching sake.
Started with Kirin Cider. Actually, I did not know Apple cider is alcoholic. It was nicely matched with wasabi edamame and prawn karaage as appetiser.
1st Course:
Tuna & Salmon salad which was a little bit spicy. Winston, one of the bloggers, could not stop asking the chef..what’s the secret ingredient?… it’s Ra-yu! 
Matching cold sake by the glass (Japanese way) ‘Saito Shyuzo Eikun Junmai Daiginjo Ichigin’ from Kyoto. This sake, some people might know, is amazingly tasty and smooth. It’s really good with fresh entrees like sashimi. 
Double cheese avocado croquette, which was really delicious. I regret not taking a picture of the inside… too hard to stop eating. Before I knew it, there was nothing left on the plate! I’ll have to come back again.
We didn’t want to miss the show from sake master Toshi, he showed us omake which is the Japanese way to welcome a customer. You put the glass in the wooden box and pour the sake inside. Anything that spills over the glass and into the box has to be drunk, too!
Please tell them “more!” when you see this omake style to welcome you. 
Another sake tasting, Yukinobosha Junmai Ginjo, Koro Tokubetsu Junmai and Rihaku Junmai comes with yakitori. Again, it was too delicious and I couldn’t not eat them straight away so I didn’t get a photo. Next time I will have to be more patient!
Toshi-san explained and demonstrated how to use Japanese technology, the touch panel menu. This is getting popular here in Australia. I love this style to compare many different menus with each pictures. Do you like it? 
Refreshment, You’s Time Light, Yuzu sake. This sake got Clarice completely! She said ‘I can’t drink much, just a little bit.’ at the beginning.. but soon after she started to drink You’s Time Light, she kept saying, ‘Yes, one more!’ ‘Why not?’.
After refreshment, I was very surprised and impressed by this vegetarian gyoza. This gyoza is made from quinoa! Yes, quinoa is one of my favourite healthy foods. It didn’t taste vegetarian at all! I asked chef Nakamoto how to make this…I will definitely try to make it at home! 
Sweet & Sour Sesame Fried Chicken, reminded me so much of Japan. Juiciest karaage ever. 
Japanese pork bao, yes please! Even though I do not like pork belly, this is really delicious. Very soft buns and tender meat. 
Washoku Lovers Benefit from Maedaya, you can have this Choya Classic Baby $1 only when you show your membership card, ume, the plum inside, is healthy to eat not only drink. Again:) Do you have Washoku Lovers Membership card? Absolutely free to sign up from here!
Are you a Melbourne foodie? Why don’t you try Maedaya:) I recommend to call them to ask if there is sake master Toshi on that day so you can book. If he is there, you can ask him for the best matching sake and foods just like our treat.
Enjoy your washoku journey, and looking forward to hearing your feedback!
yuri
