Naked Japan, Albert Park, Melbourne

Unagi don

Misuzu's up the road may look the part, with its coloured lanterns bobbing prettily in the treetops, but the prices have soared through the roof.  So on a balmy summer's evening,  crack open an Asahi just down the road, in the far more laid back Naked Japan.

This is not gourmet, and the chopsticks may not be as shiny as those at Misuzu's. But its reasonable quality at "cheap eats" prices. The unagi (eel) sparkles in a saucy glaze, filling the mouth with oily freshness, and although there's a little too much dressing on the seaweed and sesame salad,  hotpots of beef are big, rich and soothing, tempura is light and crisp and udon noodle soups come steaming and loaded up with goodness. 

Seaweed salad

True, this is not one to cross town for, but if you're after a decent casual midweeker on the shady streets of Albert Park, a stones throw from the beach, you won't find much better value around. Service is always sweet, and it's BYO.

VicAsia, Albert Park

The scene is subdued and sophisticated, but the food is where the action is. This feels like the best Chinese food I've ever had.

We shared the 5 course tasting menu for $50 per head. Light and crispy tempura calamari with coconut, scallops with ginger and spring onion, grilled prawns with almond sauce and the most divine Patagonian toothfish (my favourite piece of fish in memory) were absolutely gorgeous, if leaving us still a little peckish. Then 2 slices of steak marinated in a sweet plum sauce with Chinese greens and a bowl of fried rice (complete with its own bounty of big, juicy fresh prawns) saved the day.

A very respectable wine list completes the picture, with lovely wines by the glass for around the $10 mark.

In the end, we had just enough room for a stroll along the beach with a scoop of Jock's ice-cream (hokey pokey with massive chunks of real honeycomb).

I feel a habit coming on.

VicAsia, 95 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park, Melbourne (ph 613 9690 2390)