Restaurant review: San Telmo Group’s Japanese grill Robata is even better post-lockdown

Edamame bunged on the barbie, rocking sake cocktails and some of the best sashimi you’ll try— this new Japanese grill injects a lot of fun and energy into Melbourne’s tired CBD.

Before the lockdown-go-round revisited Melbourne again, a swath of new restaurants opened, if only for a short while.

Chris Lucas’s Society only traded for five days, its siblings Lillian Terrace and Yakimono never stood a chance, while Nornie Bero’s second restaurant Big Esso by Mabu Mabu was open for just shy of one week.

Tuna sashimi. Picture: Jason Edwards.

The San Telmo group – best known for sizzling meat over flame at its Latin American restaurants Asado, Pastuso, San Telmo and Palermo – got a few runs on the board with a new venture, Robata.

The uber-cool Japanese charcoal grill had already been delayed for three months and opened for one week before our latest pandemic pause.

Before the tumbleweed set in and Melbourne earned the unflattering tag of world’s most locked-down city, I sneaked a visit – and I’m glad I did.

Already a very good restaurant, it was remarkable to see the improvement after four months on the bench. You’ll find the 120-seater on Exhibition St, where George Calombaris’ Greek flagship Gazi once lived.

Head chef Stephen Clarke called time at San Telmo to run Robata, swapping the Argentine parrilla for the Japanese robatayaki grill and bright lights of Shinjuku.

Here it’s a celebration of all things Japan.

Chicken meatball with tare and cured egg yolk. Picture: Jason Edwards.

Edamame bunged on the barbie. Picture: Jason Edwards

A jungle of neon signs descend from the ceiling, replacing the wave of terracotta pots once hoisted above Gazi’s dining room.

An electronic ticker beams “Welcome to Robata” across a wall. There’s even a vintage audio Japanese language lesson played out on the toilet speakers.

It’s all very modern, cool and futuristic, and a world away from Clarke’s traditional menu. Start with the edamame ($6) bunged on the barbie until charry and deliciously smoky with every salty taste. High-grade sashimi sliced by former Nobu chef Yosuke Furukawa, reminds me how wonderful fresh, quality seafood can be.

The Pork Katsu. Picture: Jason Edwards.

On first visit, the ruby-coloured Australian bluefin tuna was a real treat; soft, jelly-like tiles licked with soy and wasabi were almost unbeatable. That’s until I tried the seared salmon ($18), supple flesh countered by a fine layer of crisp, smoke-kissed skin and a mustard miso that should be bottled and sold.

San Telmo group swaps the argentine for the robatayaki grill. Picture: Jason Edwards.

Skewered meat is Robata’s game and the binchotan is where it happens.

Unlike other grills, these coals won’t impart flavour, which means the ingredients do the heavy lifting and take you to flavour town.

Yakitori (chicken on a stick) lets you build a meal out of the broken down bird. There’s breast, thigh, wings and, for the adventurous, chicken hearts dusted with fiery chilli and beating with umami depth.

Get interactive with the tsukune (chicken meatball) by chopstick-whisking a cured egg yolk and tare (soy and sake) into a sauce. It’s one of the tastiest sticks.

Larger plates include a golden crumbed pork katsu ($42), for two, balanced with a refreshing cabbage slaw and nostril-twitching yellow wasabi mustard (karashi).

The melt-in-your mouth waygu striploin slices ($89), served medium rare, are another standout.

Save your after dinner calories for the black sesame and green tea parfait. Picture: Jason Edwards

The ‘adults only’ spider. Picture: Jason Edwards

Asahi on tap, Japanese whisky, cocktails and sake lead the drinks line-up, alongside a largely Aussie-leaning wine list. Kagatobi sake drinks like a clean, dry wine with lovely melon flavours, while the sparkling Awayuki is equally good, also appearing in a yuzu sorbet dessert that’s theatrically poured into a coupe glass tableside to make an adults-only spider.

Save your after-dinner calories for the black sesame and green tea parfait ($15).

The two toned green Weis bar-looking creation has a luxuriously silky semifreddo texture and loud matcha and toasted sesame flavours.

Robata was always a riot of fun, but now it’s firing on all cylinders.

Robata was always a riot of fun— now it’s even better. Picture: Jason Edwards

ROBATA

2 Exhibition St, Melbourne

robata.com.au

OPEN: Wed: 5pm-late, Thu-Sun: noon-late

Go-to dish: Black sesame and green tea parfait

Try this if you like: Eazey Peazy, Supernormal

Cost: Small/ Yakitori ($6-$24) Mains ($42-$47) Dessert: ($10-$15).

RATING: 8/10