In the past few years, hole-in-the-wall Japanese eateries, more takeaway ventures than dining-in establishments, have flourished. They're great for a quick bite but not quite the comfort zone necessary for an indulgent meal. Conversely, the better restaurants seem to be diminishing.

There are several city stayers such as Kenzan and Hanabishi offering some of the finest food, but sometimes we want to eat closer to home or just somewhere else other than town. Such places are few and far between.

One suburban stayer, Aya, is a perfectly reasonable choice. It is more a good local eatery than a place you would look for as exemplary in the way of Japanese cuisine and restaunt dining. That's OK.

What was tried this night was most satisfactory. And there's little pretence at Aya; families with young ones feel chipper here, couples, too, and without doubts, the large groups loudly celebrating birthdays and the like in the tatami rooms.

You sit at chunky tables that are clothless except for the napkins with proper chopsticks -not wooden disposable ones that are both wasteful and hard to use. The dining tables are segregated by very flimsy partitions resembling carrels. They don't work as noise barriers and they don't look particularly attractive as a decor feature. However, it's an airy space, and the waiters are eager to please; pleasant if a little casual.

So bring it on, starting with an Asahi beer ($6.60) and Yarra Glen sparkling by the glass ($7.70). There's plenty of choice on the wine list at very fair prices.

The menu has all the favourites listed, and each dish matched to a particular wine, although not the vintages. After a complimentary small bowl of pickles, there were plenty of entrees I wanted to try – raw beef with its tangy sauce ($11.80) perhaps, or the agedashidofu ($7.70), a delicate dish of tofu topped with ginger? Those forfeited this time with for chawan mushi ($8.80) – the much-loved Japanese savoury custard. Arriving in its attractive pot and lid, the custard was a little too firm but flavoursome, creamy and flecked with pieces of chickens and prawns.

Less successful was the gyoza ($9.90), pork dumplings. The pork farce was fine but instead of individual dumplings, the fried pastry, supposedly in segments, was stuck together and quite difficult to prise apart, and it was chewy.

Yet the sushi/sashimi platter was outstanding (see best choice). Nothing out of the ordinary but every morsel from the slices of tuna, salmon and garfish to the nigirizushi - slices of fish atop sushi rice with a smear of wasabi – and nori rolls were tops.

A feature of Aya, and all good Japanese dining, is the exquisite presentation of their sushi and sashimi, and other dishes using attractive often colourful crockery. So the other highlight, a main course of unagi kabayaki – grilled eel ($23.50) – arrived on an attractive square plate with the eel segments placed diagonally and looking lovely, shiny with its sweet soy glaze. Tasted as good as it looked. When properly prepared and not over-cooked, eel is a delicacy, and it was here, rich in flavours and a good bite to it, yet breaks apart easily.

The commonest vegetarian choices are available from tempura ($8.80), an OK batter covering a bean here, a slice of eggplant or potato there, or the most robust sanshoku dengaku ($8.00) skewers of tofu served with three miso sauces.

There are few desserts; always the weakest link in Japanese cuisine and again, forfeited for another Asahi.

Source: The Age Newspaper