Unabara has been on my radar for a while and they’ve opened up a second branch in Emporium (first being in Melbourne Central). Unabara in Emporium is on level 1 and it’s pretty spacious and lets you know that they specialise in lobsters and oysters.

The ponzu oysters came out with a slice of lemon. After having enjoyed oysters in Port Lincoln, I was super excited for these to come out. Unfortunately, they weren’t super fresh and had that fishy taste to them which was a shame because I liked the ponzu part of it.

Ponzu (3pc) – $9.90
Fresh oysters with Japanese style citrus based vinaigrette

The signature classic New York lobster roll came with beer battered fries, salad and a petite lobster bisque. The roll was soft, buttery and sweet and the lobster meat was mixed with mayo and celery, it did give it a zing. The chippies were super duper crunchy and seasoned very well. The bisque was very lobster-tasting and a touch on the salty side. The salad though, a touch sad tasting.

Classic New York Lobster Roll – $28.90
Hand picked fresh lobster meat, finely diced celery, red onion slice, mayo & chives served with beer battered fries, side salad & petite lobster bisque

The amount of lobster meat in the roll was quite generous.

The surf and turf consisted of grilled rock lobster with garlic butter and wagyu beef rump cap. The beef rump was tender and soft and cooked medium rare. The lobster though, it was crumbly and did not have any bounce to it at all. Shame it didn’t feel fresh.

Surf & Turf – $59.90
Grilled half Western Australia Rock Lobster with garlic butter and mash potato, Roast Wagyu Beef Rump Cap, served with beer battered fries, side salad & petite lobster bisque

Unfortunately, when we sat down we had an encounter with a cockroach at our table and when I notified the staff, they removed the box which had the cockroach in and did not come back until we waved someone over 10 minutes later. Even then, we had to ask for a whole new set of cutlery and get the table wiped down. The incident was handled quite poorly and coupled with the not so fresh oysters and the grilled lobster, unfortunately we won’t be rushing back anytime. The chippies were the BOMB though!

Disclaimer: I was invited to dine by Unabar and all opinions expressed are my own.

Verdict: 🍷 🍷
Food: 🍷 🍷 🍷
Service: 🍷
Value: 🍷 🍷

Level 1, Shop 36, Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9639 8888
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