You won’t struggle for conversation starters at Chotto Motto. The vibrant venue from Tomoya Kawasaki (who also co-owns Neko Neko and Wabi Sabi Salon nearby) and Dylan Jones is packed with pieces of Japanese junk shop treasure, such as instructional children’s Sega video games and ’80s pop records. And then there are the loud and busy murals by local artists Chehehe and Mitch Walder inside and out.
Chotto Motto specialises in the Hamamatsu regional style of cooking gyoza. The dumplings are arranged in rings of 10 or 20 pieces, pan fried, flipped and fried again until crispy. Then they’re topped with cheese (if you like) and served in a pizza box. Spicy kimchi and miso pork, chickpea and ginger, and shiitake and cabbage make for punchy fillings. It’s beer food, first and foremost, and you can nab yourself one (in typically Japanese fashion) from a refurbished Japanese vending machine stocked with a selection of local independents (Stomping Ground, Temple Brewing), Japanese craft beers from Hitachino Nest, and some adventurous picks such as matcha IPA and miso lager. The machine also pops out Japanese cola, umeshu, shochu and a sparkling peach jelly sake. No coins are required, just push the button and pay at the counter.
From behind the bar there’s also a small selection of cocktails including a Matcha Sour with Japanese whisky and white chocolate, and a Yuzu Margarita rimmed with shiso salt. A small selection of five minimal-intervention wines rotates monthly.
Besides the main-event gyoza there’s a selection of katsu sandwiches: chicken, prawn, pork, or edamame and shiitake croquette on white bread with cabbage slaw and tonkatsu sauce. Sides include snacks such as karaage – chicken or cauliflower – and fries topped with classic furikake rice seasoning. For dessert there’s one vegan soft serve flavour rotated monthly.
