Ajitoya has become a regular hot spot for locals to enjoy authentic and delicious Japanese food. Located in eclectic Seddon, the popular Japanese café, deli and eatery is approaching its one-year anniversary in October. “Ajitoya”, which translates as “a hide out shop”, is unlike most cafés. It is unique not only in flavour, but also in appeal. There is more than meets the eye when it comes to this anomaly on Charles Street.
Ajitoya provides the bare necessities of Japanese cooking so that customers can take the tastes of Japan in to their own homes. “We provide the ingredients on our shelves to make our dishes. We never ever intended to be a restaurant. We co-create with our customers,” says owner Adam Sleight.
Some of the dishes on the menu originate from friends and family’s recipes. It is very community based. There is a selection of Japanese tea and groceries available at Ajitoya, and they comprise one of the biggest ranges of Japanese craft beers, with around 40 different types to choose from.
“It’s really accessible to everyone,” Sleight says.
The eatery owners pride their business on authentic Japanese food. “The people working here are food enthusiasts, they love cooking,” says Sleight. “Everything is authentic, home cooked food.”
When Adam and partner, Maya Fujihara first opened the eatery, there was no Japanese food in the area. “My partner couldn’t buy groceries. We had to travel to the other side of Melbourne,” he says.
Sleight, who originally comes from a hospitality background, had been working for 10 years in web design marketing. He lived in Japan from 2003- 2006, and moved to the Seddon area with Fujihara, a Japanese native, when they returned to Australia.
The couple debated whether or not to open the eatery in the beginning. “[There was] an opportunity to buy a business here, it had the infrastructure already and we jumped on it,” he says.
The eatery started out with a very minimal menu and now boasts a colourful selection of Japanese home cooked food.
“Everything is quite popular,” Sleight says, of the handcrafted menu.
You can start out with a small starter meal, enticed to share, or a main meal set, which includes Japanese seasoned meat or poultry, accompanied by a Japanese deli salad, miso soup and rice. The menu also includes donburi dishes (which are rice based), Japanese soba, soups, and of course brown and white rice sushi.
There are also a couple of items on the menu that are vegan friendly. With notice, Adam and Maya are also more than happy to accommodate gluten free or vegetarian dietary requirements, as the menu doesn’t solely focus on this.
Ajitoya grows with its community, and is a refreshing approach to the norm of other cafés alike. The relaxed atmosphere is a comfortable and inviting setting for any local or foodie to enjoy the many tastes of Japan.
Ajitoya
82 Charles Street, Seddon 3011
03 9687 1027
www.ajitoya.com.au
Written by Jodie Kako
