At some point in recent years Japan became uber-cool in the Western world. Everybody eats sushi for lunch, has the token anime in their DVD collection, wishes they had their own Harajuku girls like Gwen Stefani and to top it off every second indie band seems to have the word Tokyo in their title.

In Japan, an izakaya is a drinking venue, which also serves sufficiently substantial food to accompany the copious amounts of sake that is inevitably consumed. Hopping on the Japanese bandwagon, Izakaya Den brings this Japanese wining (rice wine, that is) and dining style to Melbourne and has successfully made all things Japanese seem even more appealing.

This chic Japanese tapas bar extends down a tunnel-like space with cement walls, exposed pipes and a completely visible kitchen so you can watch the chefs create their masterpieces in front of you. Patrons perch on stools at high black wood tables or sit along the bar, directly facing the kitchen. The space is set up flawlessly; its angular lines fitting together like a puzzle and creating an overall minimalist and clean aesthetic. Everything about it feels authentically Japanese, as though you could easily be in the centre of Tokyo, living it up in one of the city’s most fashionable eateries.

The menu consists mainly of small plates, which are designed to be shared. Crumbed chicken morsels, tempura-battered sweetcorn kernels with green tea salt or Kingfish sashimi remind you that there’s a whole lot more to Japanese cuisine than cheap sushi. The flavours are delicate yet full-bodied and there’s a range of sake to compliment any dish. 

The best thing about a feast at Izakaya Den is that when you're finished you can still walk, unlike the aftermath of a spontaneous pizza or pasta pig-out. The only reason you may have trouble walking out of Izakaya den is too much sake and let's be honest, that reason is a lot more fun.