Akaiito Omakase at Your Table is Melbourne’s Ten Course Power Move
There’s something mesmerising about watching a restaurant run like clockwork when the entire show seems to be in the hands of one man. At Akaiito, that man is Winston. He moved across the floor with precision, taking orders, pouring wine, and somehow orchestrating the kitchen all at once. It wasn’t frantic. It was command. And for those of us lucky enough to be seated for the ten-course omakase at your table, it set the tone for an evening that felt both polished and personal.
Tucked away on Flinders Lane, Akaiito has long been known for its fine dining Japanese with a French accent. But their new “Omakase at Your Table” is a clever shift in tempo. Instead of the traditional sushi counter setting, dishes arrive one after the other at your table, each presented with care, allowing you to relax into the flow without missing the detail. It’s a $165 experience, though if you want a gentler entry, there’s also a $98 three-course menu during the week.
The night opened with a trio of snacks designed to grab attention straight away: a prawn toast that snapped, a salmon waffle with just enough citrus lift, and wagyu tartare perched on potato gratin. From there the rhythm built, moving through yellowtail kingfish with truffle ponzu, buttery Patagonian toothfish with clams, and a silken chawanmushi crowned with scallops.
By the time the king prawn risotto hit the table, perfumed with mushroom and bouillabaisse, the room was quiet in that way restaurants get when everyone’s too busy eating. A soft miso brioche with kombu butter followed, giving just the right pause before the palate-cleansing lemon granita. Then came the star: the Aurum duck, glazed, tender, served with apple and ginger compote. Dessert was light, bright, and refreshing — guava sorbet paired with nashi pear to close things neatly.
Akaiito’s omakase doesn’t aim to overwhelm. Instead, it feels curated. The French touches — beurre blanc here, bouillabaisse there — are subtle enough to support the Japanese backbone of the menu rather than distract from it. And Winston’s presence on the floor ties the whole night together, a reminder that hospitality is as much about connection as it is about technique.
At $165 a head, Akaiito’s omakase is one of Melbourne’s better value high-end menus. It’s not trying to reinvent fine dining, but it knows exactly what it’s doing — and it does it beautifully. For midweek diners, the $98 three-course taster offers a sharp introduction, while the return of the lunch menu gives city workers a reason to swap the sandwich queue for something far more memorable.
Sleek basement venue showcasing premium robatayaki and omakase, featuring an open charcoal grill for a captivating dining experience.
Sleek basement venue showcasing premium robatayaki and omakase, featuring an open charcoal grill for a captivating dining experience.
