JAMON III
3 Murphy St. Sth Yarra
Melbourne, Vic
PH: 03 9804 5710

This is a first for the Hungry Hinch column. This is the third time I have reviewed the idiosyncratic Melbourne Japanese restaurant called Jamon. But it has been a peripatetic journey. Jamon One was a shoebox in Prahran. Jamon Two was a cavernous and overly ambitious adventure in Richmond.

With Jamon Three, Charles is – as the song goes – up where he belongs in South Yarra. On the corner of Station Street.

This is Charles at his best. Greville Street was a precious hobby. Richmond, beside the railway line, was a disaster. A fastidious foodie like Charles has to do it all himself. The Richmond Jamon was so big he couldn’t do it all. And fanatical patrons, who demanded Charles’ personal touch, got disgruntled when he stretched himself too thin and, under pressure, neglected them.

But Jamon is back and back in character. The new Jamon restaurant has the trademark bench, for diners to perch on and have sushi and sashimi, and only a few tables in the tiny site. The windows are floor to ceiling to give the place a phony feeling of space. And everybody can see the master at work slicing and dicing and shaving and paring as the mini-dishes are prepared for your table.

The night we went, just after the new opening, the place was packed. Well, with only seats for about fourteen people (and a couple outside) that wasn’t hard.

The traditional cubes of cucumber with sesame seeds were there for starters. And then Chinese mushrooms with salmon roe. There was a meticulous home-smoked tuna and then a whole shrimp in miso broth .

Some powerful fresh wasabi for the salmon sashimi and then a couple of exotic oysters – including a couple of delicious fried ones. Reminded me of the ones my Dad used to make on a Sunday night with Bluff oysters in New Zealand.

Charles is truly a Japanese food master. He would not be insulted if you called him a zealot. Every night there are portions of different fish. Slivers of heaven.

Raw fish, sushi rolls, cold saki. This is heaven on a stick. And healthy too. Plus the healthiest dessert: Sliced Nashi pear with fresh lime juice.

It is great to see the man back in an environment he loves. Back where he belongs. Jamon III is South Yarra’s gain.