Marae Izakaya @ Chadstone Shopping Centre

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With limited sushi train options in the suburbs, the opening of Marae Izakaya in the newly refurbished Chadstone Shopping Centre is a warm welcome for those not wanting to venture out to Melbourne CBD for their sushi fix.



Marae in Japanese means 'unique' or 'rare' and lzakaya is a Japanese gastro-pub.



The layout of the restaurant provides different zones for casual seating, a sushi train, a more formal dining and a bar with a dedicated sake master, as well as larger tables for special occasions.



At the time of dining, we observed patrons sitting at the dining tables needing to get up and grab their own sushi train plates off the conveyor belt. It does not have the convenience of the iPad ordering service like Tetsujin in The Emporium where you can order from your seat and someone will bring the plates to your table. Therefore, if you are planning to order primarily off their sushi train menu then it is highly recommended that you opt for a seat along the sushi train.



Dishes start from $4.50 per standard plate, with sashimi and other special premium plates being $8 each.

The variety of the dishes offered was limited at the time of dining and not super fresh. However the addition of sauces gave some sushi a unique kick that steered you away from the traditional flavour offering.



As the place can get busy, it can be difficult to flag down a member of staff if you need their attention. The interior décor is light and contemporary.

Overall, this place has room for improvement before it can rival the other sushi train establishments in the city.

The good: depending on whether the venue is busy, it can be a quick meal with variety. Perfect for if you need to catch a movie afterwards.

The bad: the long queues at peak times and price per sushi plate is slightly higher than other sushi train establishments.

The ugly: some dishes on the sushi train did not have a plastic cover. We observed one patron coughing straight into the line of sushi dishes which made us lose our appetite. The sushi train is really close to the diner's face so cross contamination is highly likely.

Address: Chadstone Shopping Centre, Level 1, 1341 Dandenong Road, Malvern East, Melbourne, VIC

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