Purple Peanuts

Purple Peanuts Japanese Cafe

620 Collins Street, Melbourne

(Ph) 9620 9548

On the night we left our Collins Street apartment we thought we had got to try out the super popular Purple Peanuts cafe downstairs again! We had tried it once before, takeaway - think we got the Teriyaki Chicken and can't remember what else but it wasn't very tasty, maybe because it was taken away or something, but since it was so popular we decided to give it another go =)

It's such a funky Japanese cafe with very interesting decor - octopus everywhere (on the name by the window and a massive scary looking one above the fridge), cat with waving paw statues and lots of Beatles posters on the wall.

There are only a few tables inside, but you can sit outside on Collins Street. It's usually packed at lunchtimes but we came for dinner so managed to get a table inside. You order at the counter (the menu is written on butchers paper on the wall) and help yourself to the self service counter of water, utensils and ginger.

Since P didn't like his Chicken Teriyaki last time he went for the Chicken Curry - flame grilled chicken in a mild Japanese curry with carrot, potato, onion, ginger, garlic + pickles. Served with rice. $9.20 with miso soup $11.20

$2 for a miso soup?! I know it's home made but no thanks =P The chicken was cooked perfectly with a slight char, curry was quite flavoursome - you can tell it's not packet stuff =)

I went for the Kakuni Pork - slow-cooked braised pork belly served with rice and salad with a hint of Korean chilli $9.50 with miso soup $11.50

The pork belly was delicious - so soft the meat fell apart with the slightest touch with your fork. The sauce looks scarily spicy but actually wasn't too bad and actually had a hint of sweetness. Not sure if the salad complemented the dish but overall was quite good =)

Food~
7/10 - quite good mains here with a twist. Their sushi is meant to be very good here but given we came here at night thought we should go for the mains. Wouldn't mind trying their onigiri rice balls next time - deep fried rice balls =)

Service~
2/5 - food came quite quickly but it is quite casual here ordering at the counter

Atmosphere~
1/5 - it was a super humid night and they don't have aircon (or heating) here! maybe we really should have taken it away home to eat =P

C.
xo