It’s not easy launching a hip new Japanese restaurant in Melbourne’s oversaturated market. You may not get noticed by the cool crowd unless Instagrammable sushi tacos and sashimi pizzas are on the menu.

Richmond’s new Eazy Peazy is different. The playful name is, ironically, a nod to the hard slog of opening a business. Yet husband and wife owners Yuta and Shar Kobayashi – who launched Armadale’s Coin Laundry café and own sake label Toji Sake – show no signs of struggle after opening the 95-seater on Swan Street in June.

They’re banking on back-to-basics cooking from Niigata (Japan’s port city) and fun vibes to get you in the door. Bartenders shake up on-theme Japanese-flavoured cocktails like the Hello Kitty or Lost in Translation while bopping along to ’90s R&B. Eazy’s sleek concrete bar is the best seat in the house, with full view of the glass-box kitchen serving up dinner and a show.

Arm yourself with yakitori in one hand and a cold Kirin in the other and watch as chicken and vegetable skewers plume smoke from hardworking hibachi grills, imported from Japan.

White miso-licked charred zucchini is deliciously simple. Kingfish tiles are brightened with subtle wasabi and ponzu, while agedashi eggplant dunked tofu-style in hot oil make a tasty vegetable fix. The fried chicken karaage and the duck gyoza fly out of the kitchen, the latter recipe gifted to chef Dan Chan by his former boss at Hong Kong’s Yardbird. The snowy yuzu granita, ginger and black sesame meringue is a nice finale, although the citrus tang is a touch too powerful.

Much like the food, Eazy Peazy’s interior design is deliberately simple, seen in the raking of the rice-inspired walls and monochrome bar adorned with Toji Sake bottles. Add friendly service and Eazy Peazy delivers a clever and considered take on Japanese food and is a whole lot of fun.