To the left, there’s wall art – a collection of posters with Japanese movies and their stars.
To the right, Japanese light shades provide a point to hang origami cranes.
Ahead, there’s anime characters and scattered around the small Mazri Japanese restaurant are numerous cultural references, art and collectables.
In Japanese language, shokudo are small restaurants, and they’re scattered everywhere in the large cities of the country. Mazri could easily be one of those, with its own quirks and design.
A busy clientele moves in and out of the small restaurant, with just enough room for about 20 people. It’s closed on weekends and public holidays, so it relies on local traffic.
Everyone who browses the menu is given a helping hand by the owners, along with a friendly smile.
And the food is as creative as the decor, with a great feature allowing customers to build their own bento box. Choose from 14 main dishes, ranging from the basics such as teriyaki or katsu, right through to the more adventurous eel, sashimi or fried oyster.
The food is authentically Japanese. No westernised sushi train here.
To your main, add two side dishes such as karaage or spring rolls, then add a couple of extra sides such as a mini potato salad, lotus roots or seaweed salad. With eight sides and 15 extras to choose from, there are more combinations here than any standardised menu.
At $16.50 for the bento, it’s a great option. But if that’s not the way you roll (small sushi gag), there are main meals for around the $13-$15 mark.
They’re generous servings of standard Japanese favourites done well, and it would seem freshly cooked to order.
There’s mixed tempura, grilled salmon and a number of fried options.
While the price is definitely right, and food served with a smile, the real attraction about Mazri is the place itself.
The owners have taken a terrific amount of time to set it up as their own, sharing their culture with all who care to walk through the front door.
It’s a walk-in type of place, and while most choose to sit and eat in, a few people will wander through to pick up their takeaway orders.
Oh, and don’t forget to look up. There’s some interesting tiles on the ceiling as well.
