How good is Momiji St this year!?

Momiji St. welcomes even more new eating and drinking spots this season, making it one cool little street. And the action starts to gather pace from this weekend, with several new openings. From the top, local legend Waza will be Emcee at the new [b]“TAMASHI,”[/b] a stylish local Japanese ale house serving up Japanese beers by tap and bottle with a "soul food" menu to match. Downstairs, cute local snowboarder Ikee-chan runs the Yakitori joint [b]"YOSAKU"[/b]. Across the road, big boy Peter Neo is opening up “[b]MONTY’S”[/b] steak house and sports bar in the old lonely fox building, and [b]"PANDA"[/b], a trendy new Chinese eat-in/takeaway spot with food prepared by real Chinese chefs! And that’s just the start of the action. Heading down the street, pop into [b]“TUK TUK,”[/b] possibly Hirafu’s smallest restaurant, a new Thai joint that also does take away run by local gal Tomoko Goto. Hitoshi is back for another year at the helm of [b]"BARUMBA"[/b], surfy bar that does some mean cocktails. And [b]"YAWARAYA" [/b]upstairs doing their “Okonomiyaki”. Right next door, James and Keiko have got the seafood action happening in Hirafu’s only Oyster Bar [b]"EZO SEAFOODS"[/b]. Across the road at party bar[b] "SPLASH"[/b], Shu is back in the house. Only 50 meters on you have [b]"SOUAN"[/b] -- a great value Yakiniku place that also has a good selection of sake and shouchu. And then heading down the street, you can’t miss "[b]THE BARN by Odin"[/b], headed up by Brett and Takayo (of Wild Bill’s fame), which has a real bistro groove going on and combines seriously good French food with an uber cool bar upstairs. Next door you have "[b]SOU"[/b], another superb value Japanese hole-in-the-wall place that does Sukiyaki – excellent winter Japanese tucker. And last stop on the street – [b]"HALF NOTE"[/b] – great local bar with pool, and live jazz several times a week. That's 13 reasons to pop down to Momiji St soon! Momiji says goodbye to the Icebar, which has migrated back to Sasayaki St., but welcomes many new spots, including Margo Bartley’s [b]"MOMIJI GALLERY"[/b]. An accomplished artist herself, Margo will host exhibitions of local artists and photographers, including Glen Claydon – one of the area’s notable photographers. And local outdoor company [b]"NOASC"[/b] will run its tour office out of its new premises about half way down Momiji. You won’t miss the sign. So take your pick. And however you skin it: [b]Momiji St = Eat Street.[/b]