Asukatei is a modest Japanese restaurant in the Balwyn Shopping district. As my high school was just up the road, Asukatei was a firm favourite of my friends and mine for a quick lunch.
There are various sushi rolls available, and the sashimi is prepared fresh by the sushi chef. However, their obento (lunch) boxes are the best value for money. Teriyaki Chicken and Tonkatsu (Pork) Bento boxes are my favourite, and these come with a solid serving of meat, a side salad of lettuce, cucumber and seaweed and a large portion of rice. Obento boxes are around $10 a box, as are udon soup noodles and these are decent in quality and serving size as well.
Also avalible are usual Japanese side dishes: gyoza (delicious Japanese fried dumplings), miso soup (vegetarian cloudy broth with seaweed and tofu) and okonomiyaki (Japanese vegetable pancake) just to name a few. However, these servings a relatively small and thus feel quite expensive. If one is having a dinner party, sashimi platters are also available.
The open kitchen gives a very homey-feel to the small restaurant, and although the Japanese themed decorations are cute, Asukatei is not somewhere you'd take someone you were trying to impress, especially since seating area is very limited. However, for a casual lunch with friends or a quick takeaway meal, this is a great place.
