Grand Lafayette

Solar Liang and Monique Wu opened the cosy Cafe Lafayette on Port Melbourne’s beachfront in 2015. In November 2018 they upgraded to the larger Grand Lafayette, an all-day Japanese eatery in a quiet side road just off High Street, Prahran.

The menu by head chef Jonny Wu centres on tempura, lightly fried to crisp perfection from a dedicated station helmed by its own chef. All manner of seafood (prawn, crab and whitebait) and winter vegetables are served alongside classic Japanese dishes including udon soups and curries.

There is also a range of sushi available, from classics to less traditional options. You might order handrolls filled with eel, tamago, yukari, avocado and yuzu miso; or a California-style number with avocado and yuzu maple. Joining them are a selection of pillow-y bao buns, filled with either ethically sourced King Ora salmon, soft shell crab, karaage chicken or tempura eggplant.

The look is seaside-in-the-city. The lofty ceiling leaves most of the pipes bare, and light comes in from the floor-to-ceiling windows that make up the front wall. Murals by artist Danielle Weber adorn the walls – there’s one inspired by latte art, and the other a map of the world. Much of the concrete is left bare, with a few potted plants hanging from steel grills.