Images courtesy of Ototo
About the restaurant
Under Akaiito’s polished dining room lies Ototo, its mischievous younger brother. This basement bar channels Tokyo’s after-hours charm with a Melbourne edge: sashimi platters, truffled wagyu tataki, sambal-spiked prawns and buttery scallops cooked for sharing. Cocktails echo the menu’s savoury rhythm – try the nori martini or yuzu spritz – each built sustainably from kitchen scraps and eco-spirits. Between the heritage stonework and modern black-granite bar, Ototo manages to feel both grounded and glamorous. It’s the kind of place where a nightcap quietly turns into dinner, then something more.