Looking for a quick and cheap meal on a Thursday night, we ended up in China Town, wandering down Lt Bourke Street when we came across Gyoza Gyoza. Hubby had been here before and raved about the food, so thought it was probably best we head back so I could see what the fuss was all about.
ATMOSPHERE & SERVICE
This is your typical funky Izakaya style bar and restaurant featuring a large dark wooden bar as you walk in, with small simple tables and bench seating filling the narrow restaurant. Hanging mismatch exposed lights hang from the black ceiling and a variety of different sake fill the hanging bar shelves.
The service was quick and friendly. We had a few different staff looking after us with one taking our orders and someone else bringing out food out and clearing our table.
FOOD
The menu is an Izakaya style, meaning all small dishes to share, mostly known for their 80 plus tapas style dishes for only $6.80. When going to Gyoza Gyoza, there is one thing that MUST be ordered and it’s all said in the name, Gyoza! Although there are a range of traditional Japanese dishes, everyone heads here for the flavoursome Gyoza always on special.
At any Japanese restaurant, it’s only natural to start with ‘Edamame’, which are lightly boiled soy bean with sea salt. They were perfectly seasoned and quantity was generous.
I am a huge fan of Karaage, so was a must to also order the ‘Chicken Karaage’ served with a light homemade mayo. It was perfectly cooked with a real crunch on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
I was quite keen to try the ‘Cauliflower Karaage’ since I love the chicken style so much. I was very surprised on how tasty the cauliflower was. The flowers were tender with a crunchy coating and a light seasoning to finish.
Once we had finished our variety of Karaage, it was time to get serious with the Gyoza. We were given a small place with several different ramekins on it all with different sauces. This was for you to make your own sauce to dip the Gyoza in. Everything from vinegar, soy, minced garlic and chili oil were all available to make the sauce your own personal.
We ordered both the ‘Miso Eggplant & Duck Gyoza’ and the popular ‘Minced Garlic & Pork’. All Gyoza are made using fresh local ingredients in house daily, all while incorporating traditional techniques.
There are two options when ordering, either steamed or fried and we opted for the fried option for both. Flavour was vibrant with the ingredients shining through the delicious dough.
Overall we absolutely loved it here. It’s a quick alternative to a full dining experience. The quality and taste are perfect and can be enjoyed in less than an hour. The name of the restaurant definitely showcases the amazing gyoza they pump out of the kitchen on a nightly basis. We will definitely be heading back for a quick and tasty meal soon!