EAT: CHOTTO, FITZROY [CLOSED]
When it comes to Chotto, the old adage 'simple is best' has never rang truer.
From the interior fit out to the ingredient compositions for each dish, everything about the Collingwood pop up space is very pulled back, clean and sans bells and whistles. But don't mistake simple for boring. The end game is anything but and makes quite the statement when it comes to flavour and impression.
The main attraction of the savoury menu appears to be the sets, comprising a main dish with a selection of two accompanying sides such as jerusalem artichoke agedashi tofu and tofu-stuffed lotus root. Top points for creativity. My brunching buddies both opted for the sakana gozen set which comes with a fillet of charcoal-grilled fish, dashi maki tamago (Japanese rolled omelette), miso soup, rice and their picks for sides.
Unable to choose between my immense liking for both raw tuna and an oozy egg, I ordered the tuna tartare and tamago kake gohan. Served on a wasabi leaf and with a blend of soy sauce, garlic chips, salmon roe and chives stirred through the tuna, each mouthful was fresh and vibrant. The star of the tamago kake gohan was no doubt the beautifully cooked (and yes, oooozy) onsen egg, but the accompanying toasted nori, bonito flakes and house made wasabi sesame furikake seasoning did their part to shape the overall flavour profile of the rice dish.
Be sure to save room for Chotto's airy light Japanese cotton cheesecake. Not overly sweet and with the rice balance of cheesiness, the cheesecake ended our meal on the same tasty note that was maintained throughout.
Chotto's run will most likely be coming to an end soon so be sure to visit (or re-visit) if you're after a tasty take on traditional Japanese breakfast.