Ocha Hawthorn, Melbourne

Ocha Details

Ocha Address

3 Church St
Hawthorn VIC 3122
Map
Ocha Website

Ocha Contact Info »

Cuisines

Japanese, Seafood, Sushi, Vegetarian

Chef

Yasu Yoshida & Paula Lawdorn

Prices

General Price
Entrees $6.50-$42.00
Desserts $6.50-$20.00
$3.5-$45
Lunch
$21-$38
Degustation
10 courses
Without wine $120.00
Last Monday of every month 6pm til late.
Prices last updated: 03/2012

Bookings

Bookings are essential

Hours

Lunch
Tue to Fri Noon - 2:30pm
Dinner
Tue to Sat 6pm - 10:30pm

BYO

Wine only.
Corkage Per Person $4.00

Ocha Awards

2011

The Age Good Food Guide 2011 - One Chef's Hat

2010

The Age Good Food Guide 2010 - One Chef's Hat

2009

The Age Good Food Guide 2009 - One Chef's Hat

2008

The Age Good Food Guide 2008 - One Chef's Hat

more…

Overview of Ocha

At Ocha, you get a fresh and contemporary menu of Japanese dishes that is prepared the traditional Japanese way—with major emphasis on best quality ingredients and utmost aesthetic sensibilities. Good Japanese cuisine is best enjoyed with wine, draught and bottled beers and cold or warm sake. You can choose from Ocha’s extensive wine and beverage list, a selection from the finest local and international suppliers. Once a month, Ocha also presents a Monday evening 10-course degustation menu.

User Reviews of Ocha, Hawthorn

Page: 1 2 Next

Displaying: 1 - 10 of 15 reviews

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 9 Service 10 Value 9

The modestly named 'Prawn dumpling' is infact a golf ball of gorgeous, fresh, succulent prawn meat caked in a light cornflake type crumb and fried to perfection! Little sprinkling of green tea salt and we are in heaven!... read more at my blog

Read more on my blog

Feb 11, 2012

FoodieAboutTown
98

5.5 Average

Food 9 Ambience 8 Service 1 Value 4

It's been a long time since I have visited Ocha since its early days back in Kew. Really look forward to my birthday dinner booked at least 3 weeks ahead for fond memories of the restaurant. The food was excellent and didn't fail to impress.

The evening was ruined by arrogant service:-
(1) The bill was settled in cash and the waiter didn't have the courtesy to bring back $11 dollars change, though I would have been quite happy to tip
(2) We were told promptly at 8pm by the maître d’to leave immediately as the table was due for a second sitting - we fully understand the need to vacate, but could they be more understanding as I was only waiting for my friend who was still in the washroom?

Sep 19, 2011

lpwy
1

5.3 Average

Food 6 Ambience 4 Service 6 Value 5

Ocha is popular and so you need to book weeks in advance but based on our dining experience, it doesn't deserve the hype. We booked into the 8 pm dining session, but were not able to sit at the table until 8:30 pm. When we were arrived (on time) we were told to go and get a drink at the bar next door and come back in a little bit. That was not a good start.

When we finally were seated, the staff seemed friendly and helpful, querying as to any food allergies or intolerances and explained that as were a large group they would bring selection of dishes for us to share. No problem, we were happy to have the wait staff to decide on our behalf. The first dish was amazing. A prawn dumpling, and could happily have had more than one dumpling.

After this promising start, the quality of the dishes ranged from good to horrible. One chicken dish was inedible, the chicken was fatty and tough and had a strange flavour that was quite offputting.

Aug 29, 2011

check12
41

5.8 Average

Food 6 Ambience 4 Service 9 Value 4

Been to old Ocha a few times previously, new Ocha a lot more sleek and modern minimalist feel. Dishes were well presented and most of the entrees we had were good but mains were disappointing especially the noodle hotpot. A waste of time. Service was very friendly and helpful but the wait was quite long.

Aug 02, 2011

Umame
10

3.3 Below Average

Food 7 Ambience 4 Service 1 Value 1

Really bad service! Never go again! They will kick you out even you haven't finish. Is unbelievable to pay for a $100/head with this bad service. Also, please remember to check the bill! They will add some extra $ on your bill!

Aug 01, 2011

NatC
2

7.8 Recommended

Food 7 Ambience 7 Service 9 Value 8

It was with great excitement that we approached our first evening at the "New" Ocha in its larger, more contemporary abode (just around the corner from me, yay!). While the new venue is great, we left a little sad and longing for the undeniably daggy but intimate, hand-made scale of Old Ocha.

The room looks good, but the painted concrete floor hard on the ears and cold on a winter's night. The tables are cheek-by-jowel. The service is attentive but the night we were there (a freezing Wedensday) it had a tinge of urgent desparation. The view into the kitchen is appealing, but we saw too many dishes sit "in the window" for too long, emerging looking tired and wilted.

Worst of all, and I implore Ocha to address this, was the "8 pm changeover". At 5 to minutes to 8, half the restaurant took to their feet and made their way out the door, which opened, and closed, and opened, and closed, bringing a gale of freezing night air with it. That was bad enough, but at 8 pm, the replacement patrons began to arrive. By 8.05 pm we had 18 people (we head-counted) wrapped around the wall next to us, looking at us, our food, their tables being reset. It was like eating in a train station.

The food varied from great to just good. At old Ocha everything was super-great. The waiter brought my selection of Oysters done three ways, started to explain each preparation to me, and then, peering uncertainly at one, whisked it away and replaced it. The original had been served with a granita which, sitting in the window, had melted into a soup. Really not nice.

My serving of Sukiyaki had also sat far too long and the broth was overly salted. Other dishes just didn't have the "wow" we were have come to expect of Ocha.
Overall, it felt like the organic beauty Ocha had been replaced by a large mechanism, churning people and dishes in and out.

I will certainly give it another go, and I would not put others off trying it. I hope I can replace this review with an absolutely glowing one in the not too distant future (if I can get a booking this year....!).

Sep 10, 2010

wingster
27

9 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 10 Service 9 Value 8

I was so happy to hear about the expansion of Ocha from the small digs in Pakinton street to Church street Hawthorn in the old beehive Hotel. I was initially a little worried that it wouldn't be the same that the service and food would suffer. I am delighted to say it has improve on both counts and they have taken the move like the true professionals they are. Yasu, Michelle and Paul must be thrilled as all the customers I have spoken too are.

The interior is stunning and the food and service remain first class. They deserve their chefs hat from the good food guide and I wonder if they may get 2 this year! My favourite restaurant remains just that. I have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who loves Japanese food with a classy twist. The stand out dishes I suggest are the prawn dumplings with green tea salt, the calamari, the Tempura, the sushi and sashimi and the must have soft shell crab roll.

Finish with the teriyaki duck and or the wasabi beef. I always get Paul to do my menu and have never been disappointed. Well done Ocha you deserve all the awards that will be bestowed upon you. They say that Tetsuya is humble well Yasu is too and deserves an award for his amazing Sushi and sashimi! Its only a matter of time that Paul is recognised and given a service award for the years of effort he has put into this restaurant.

Well done again Ocha and see you soon. Be warned it is no easier to get a booking even though it is double the size.

Jun 21, 2010

John12345
2

6.3 Average

Food 6 Ambience 6 Service 7 Value 6

Disappointing suburban Japanese based on 1 visit for lunch. Had the bento box which was expensive and mundane. Perhaps, the a la carte menu lives up to the rave reviews?

Feb 04, 2010

markd
22

6.5 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 6

Found this place under Cheap Eats! Its not really that cheap as suggested. Serving size is average. Avoid the fried foods, its very very oily! A good place to catch up with friends, you can actually hear each other talk!

Jul 24, 2009

blueroom
13

6.5 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 3 Service 7 Value 8

The best Japanese in town but avoid the fried food unless there is a "large" group. BYO or good short wine list. Cramped with prompt service. Worth booking in advance for Thurs-Sat dinner.

Jun 08, 2009