I was new in Melbourne, and I wanted to get some yogurt. I went to the supermarket and I was temporarily taken aback. Where were my favourite brands such as Nestle and Dutch Lady?
Yes guys, I did it. I actually did it. After saying that I will do it since forever, I have finally made it happened. We made chocolate chip cookies!
Two weekends ago, we went cherry picking for the first time ever! Everyone was extremely excited, although we really had no idea what to expect. The hubby and I were a little bit nervous because it could potentially turn out to be a complete disaster if the kids didn’t enjoy it / if they weren’t cooperative / if they threw tantrums / if the weather was horrible.
If you’ve been reading my blog long enough, you’d know that I love New York. I’ve been there twice, and once I even thought of moving there. So when Sofitel Melbourne On Collins invited me to their ‘Modern New Yorker Lunch’, I was like, yesssss I’ll be thereeeeee.
I’ve always wanted to eat healthier, and to have more fruits and vegetables in my diet, but sometimes time does not permit me to chop and eat all the needed fruits and vegetables.
Enter Fruits and Roots.
Because I am pregnant, whenever I am to meet friends for meals, they would ask me:
“Nat, what do you want to eat? You’re the preggers mama. What are you craving for?”
Well. To be honest, I crave for random things at random times. But one thing I always crave for (whether or not I’m pregnant) is Japanese food!
So when Robataya invited the hubby and I for a meal, I jumped at the opportunity!
Robataya is unlike my usual choice of Japanese dining places, because instead of just sushi and sashimi and bento, they are known for robatayaki, which is a Japanese cooking style where food are slow-grilled on smoking charcoal.
The delicious slow-grilled skewers, from left to right, prices per stick: Momo (chicken) at RM4, sausage at RM6.50, tomato bacon at RM6, Buta Bara (pork belly) at RM6, and Gyu Tan (beef tongue) at RM8.
These are sold individually, so you would have to order them separately.
Besides the skewers, they also serve a variety of the usual Japanese dishes.
Kyushu Ramen, RM22
I loved this. I know how some people like their ramen broth to be super thick. But to me, this was light and just nice.
Goya Champuru, RM18
Fans of bittergourd and egg and pork would enjoy this.
Salmon Oyako Sarada, RM26
Salad, topped with salmon and salmon skin. Perfect as an appetizer or even as a side dish.
Buta Mayo Roll, RM20
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but no Japanese meal is complete to me without some sushi rolls.
Okan Sashimi Moriawase, RM70
I started drooling the moment I saw this platter. Unfortunately, because I am pregnant, I cannot take any sashimi. So my hubby had a great time downing them on my behalf.
Look at that salmon sashimi! I will be back you guys. I will be back once baby has been born. I will be back.
They also have a list of Japanese beer and sake available, for those of you who are not pregnant.
Robataya is also an izakaya restaurant. Izakaya is a type of informal Japanese gastropub, and it is known to serve interesting dishes to go with beer or sake. On the particular day we were there, it was pork uterus.
Yea. You read that right.
If you want to try it, all you have to do is ask for the otsusume menu, and the friendly Robataya waiters will let you know what’s being served that day. Just remember to be adventurous!
Overall, I really enjoyed the different dishes they served. They have a lot of other (delicious-looking) stuff on the menu as well as desserts (!) that I didn’t get to try, so I will definitely go back!
A heads-up: Robataya is quite popular and can be packed during lunch and dinner hours. I would suggest that you go a little earlier than the usual crowd, or be prepared to wait a bit.
SPECIAL OFFER:
Robataya is giving a special offer to NatalieSia.com readers! All you have to do is show the image above when you dine in at Robataya at Publika, and you can get a Banana Bacon skewer and Tomato Bacon skewer free of charge!
This offer expires on 31st October 2016, so do drop by and try them out!
Note: The offer is not available during weekday lunch hours though as the grilling bar is closed during weekday lunch time
Robataya
D4-G3-09, Solaris Dutamas Publika
Open Mon-Fri 11am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 11pm, Sat, Sun & Public Holidays 11am – 11pm
Tel: 03-62112785
FB: https://www.facebook.com/robatayaizakaya