Perhaps you are just looking to try something different, or maybe you have friends visiting from interstate and you really want to give them a true 'Melbourne experience'.
This is the situation I was faced with only a few Friday's ago. My brother and sister-in-law were visiting from interstate really looking for a good weekend getaway, so I endeavoured to deliver that to them.
But where to start...
The first thing you think of is Friday night football, and a classic Melbourne experience at the G. But this had been done so many times before. So then we thought, maybe we will splash out and go and see a show, we knew that Matilda was showing and had had a number of good reviews. However, after scouting through ticketmaster, the best seats we could find were $120 for back row tickets. So for us, we could not justify the cost.
So what was left, we knew that we wanted to do something different but we didn't want it to cost an arm and a leg.
So, this is what I decided to do for them.
When we arrived at Ginza they seated us around a bench in front of a large BBQ. The restaurant was designed in this interactive communal style with a square of up to 16 people centred by two BBQs and of course two expert chefs. There were about 5 other identical set ups to this. For me, this interactive style only further enhanced the theatrics of the restaurant as you engage with other diners in the restaurant. Theatre is certainly the word to describe this restaurant as you look around and see large flames blazing, pieces of egg launching at peoples mouths and bowls tossing through the air.
Each diner is equipped with a large bib which has been numbered with your individual menu choice. The chef personalises your menu and prepares and cooks everything right in front of you. It quickly becomes an artistic display of talented knife and cooking skills as they chop, slice and toss the meats in front of you.
At $56pp, I chose menu two. Like most of the menu options this starts off with a classic miso soup. A perfect start to get your mouth watering for what is to come. The next to follow is a delicious skewered yakitori. A small morsel of deliciousness but yet again, a perfect palate teaser.
Next we all got to feast in some juicy tender chicken pieces. Make sure you try dipping this in some of the flavourful satay sauce they provide for you. The sauce is so scrumptiously finger-lickingly good, I had to ask for more.
The next for our menu was the lamb cutlet. For me, this was the star of the meal. Our chef cooked the lamb perfectly, it was tender and juicy. It was especially good with a dip of that satay sauce. For me, the addition of lamb on their menu is one of the ways I think that Ginza is able to specially cater for their international crowd.
For the main, we had delicious cubes of beef. Each was perfectly seasoned and cooked the liking of each individual. This was accompanied by some mixed vegetables.
Whoever told you not to play with your food had clearly never been to teppanyaki before, as at Ginza Teppanyaki, thats the name of the game.
Next up, after the beef, the chef will prepare some egg slices which they will then aim to chip directly off the BBQ and into your mouth, if you can catch it that is. It's truly hilarious and entertaining as you watch your friends or others be smacked in the face with egg. If you're game the chef will up the pace and see how many you can catch in a row.
If food catching is not for you, following the egg toss, they also play a game to see how many bowls you can catch in a stack, try your luck and catch the sticky fried rice in your stack to finish, and make sure that you do, otherwise you could have a lap full of fried rice.
They certainly aren't far off, this small theatre in the heart of the CBD has a plethora of cocktails and spirits and of course a number of comedy and cabaret shows to choose from. I'd recommend booking your show in advance as these book up fast.
As you walk in you are overwhelmed by its extensive and interesting decor. The walls are filled from top to bottom with intriguing collectables and knick-knacks. The cluttered walls keep you fascinated as you cozy up in the corner in one of the antique lounges with a good cocktail.
If you're coming to see a show make sure you get here early so you can enjoy a cocktail or two and oogle at all the interesting objects scattered around the place.
We went and saw a Friday night regular show called 'The Big Hoo-Haa'. At only $20-$25 this show is worth every penny.
The Big Hoo-Haa is a weekly impro comedy show with some of Melbourne's funniest comedians. This show was a hilarious contest between the hearts and the bones each sided with three very different and very funny comedians. They thrive off audience suggestions a few props and a handful of prompts to evoke hilarious jokes, songs and punchlines.
We certainly left the show in stitches.
The next stop was over to find one of Melbourne's hidden gems.
I mean this quite literally, State of Grace's cellar bar, Fall from Grace is literally hidden by a book case that only opens if you can find the right book to read.
Quite an intriguing and adventurous way to enjoy a Friday night beverage.
Once you find your way in you head down a flight of stairs that make you feel like you are walking into a whole other world or back to another world I should say. The bar has a 1920s feel to it with oversized chandeliers, bohemian glassware and antique lounges and furniture.
The marble-like bar stretches almost the entire length of the room backed by an impressive wall of wine and spirits. In the dim light, the bar conjures a romantic and alluring feel.
The cocktail list is extensive and impressive, with a cocktail to suit everyone, however, if you're feeling extra fussy the lovely bartenders are also well-versed in classical cocktails.
I ordered an Eastside which is their modern take on the classic Southside. It looks purely sophisticated and tastes delicious. Something you'd expect to find on the Upper East-side of Manhattan. Witty, interesting and Perfectly balanced.
Clearly everyone else likes the cocktails too because the bar is absolutely bustling. The room is buzzing with relief and happiness as people consume their Friday night favourites.
A true hidden-gem.
We felt we had achieved so much already with our Friday night, we have had theatrics, laughter, entertainment and intrigue.
So, it was time for a night-cap. For us, this means a whisky or two.
What better place to get this than the Speakeasy Group's, The Boilmaker House. Specialists in craft beer and whisky, housing around 700 labels.
The walls are embellished with countless whisky bottles, the remaining wall space showcases the dilapidated cement walls exposing raw brick and wooden surfaces. This place has a rustic yet modern feel.
As I was sitting toward the end of the bar I ordered a Japanese whisky from the Y section of the bar. Yes, that's right, they quite literally keep the whisky's in alphabetical order to make it much more efficient to find. Being in hospitality myself, I found this aspect particularly impressive.
The gentleman who served us was funny and laid-back, yet incredibly proficient in the countless whiskies and accommodating to our limited knowledge.
Requesting my whisky on the rocks I received it in a fashionable rocks glass served not upon regular ice-cubes but rather one large rock of ice. Truly impressive.
So there you have it, for us, a very successful Friday night in Melbourne.
But most importantly, my guests were blown away with what Melbourne has to offer.
Your night does not need to be incredibly expensive and it certainly does not need to be repetitive.
Try mixing up your regular Friday night watering hole with somewhere new and exciting. Or maybe go catch a few laughs. Either way, your options a limitless.