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2015-09-15
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*******************Environment / Surrounding********************I first came across Moyo in an article about the new restaurants opening up in 2015. The concept, and pictures were instantly grabbing as I personally am liking Korean food more and more (in particular fusion Korean or new styled Korean). Korean food is a great cuisine to fit the modernised tastes of world’s food critics these days!On with the environment, the restaurant feels very cozy with a simple and modern design. Reflected thr
I first came across Moyo in an article about the new restaurants opening up in 2015. The concept, and pictures were instantly grabbing as I personally am liking Korean food more and more (in particular fusion Korean or new styled Korean). Korean food is a great cuisine to fit the modernised tastes of world’s food critics these days!On with the environment, the restaurant feels very cozy with a simple and modern design. Reflected throughout the small black plating they use to the tables and chairs and the lighting, the restaurant is meant to provide the customers an elegant, simplified yet relaxed feeling. Nothing too fancy around here.
The restaurant is of medium size (for the new restaurant standards the days) with a marble bar table at the end where you can eat and watch appetisers and deserts being made. If you have a large party of more than 6, you may feel a little cramped here.
As I made no reservations, I was seated at the bar table. Seated away, I started to observe appetisers being made and man they looks delicious!
Rating: 7.5/10
**************************Food******************************
Rating Scale from 1-5
I realise I am quite harsh on these, but for something to reach a 5 it has to be absolutely perfect. A 5 means la crème de la crème of its type and category; my point of view is that there is no such thing as perfect in texture, taste, presentation, smell etc and a 5 is virtually impossible.
0-1: Horrific, inedible
1-2: Will not order it again, and it's below average
2-3: Average joe food. Many places can replicate or make this.
3-4: Quite good and tasty. The higher end of 3 represents that the dish is identifiable to the restaurant and has its own distinctive taste and I will consider ordering again.
4-4.9: Very very tasty and the flavours of the dish is unique to the restaurant. In particular in the mid to higher ends to the 4, the food is almost proprietor-level good.
5: Pure bliss and so perfect that it's inexpressible.
Dinner menu
After glancing over the menu, you aren’t overwhelmed by the choices but you also wished there was more. However, many of the food items sounded good and makes you want to try quite a few of them.I immediately called up two other friends so that we can share more dishes! Hah.
Appetiser 1: Bruschetta - Kimchi, Tomato, Olive oil (3/5)
The kimchee bruschetta was refreshing, and a great combo but this is simply too easy to replicate. There was no particular complexity or hints of ingredients that was added to give it an extra layer of flavour.Appetiser 2: 4 types of Kimichies (3.3/5)
The kimchies were all very refreshing, and I enjoyed everyone one of the mini dishes that were made. Though these are normally provided for as a free appetiser in traditional Korean restaurants, these are well prepared and acidity in each of the kimchi dishes were just right. It's a great way to start the meal.Appetiser 3: Marinated Tofu Salad (3.6/5)
This salad dish was extremely refreshing and the dressing that was provided matches the tofu very well. The salad was fresh and the apples provided just sufficient acidity. They have also paired up crunchy pieces in the salad which adds up to the texture of the salad. I've always had an affinity of adding crunchiness to salads.Main 1: Spicy Moyo Ramen (3.6/5)
Always a staple dish in Korean restaurants, this bowl of noodles was cooked just right with ample of spiciness to it. It will give you the feeling of burning, and addictive sensation from the soup and the side veggies. The soup was not too watery as are some places, and it wasn't full of MSG...spicy, flavourful and mouth watering!Main 2: Korean Fried Chicken Balls (3.3/5)
What Korean restaurant can call itself Korean without some Fried Chicken? Well this is Moyo's rendition of its fried chicken which is more like a nugget (boneless) than the traditional fried chicken. It came with four types of sauces which frankly only one or two matched the chicken well. What I enjoyed about the nuggets were how they didn't feel overly fried, my throat didn't feel scratchy or swollen even after multiple pieces of chicken. However, it also needs to pack a bit more flavour to the chicken itself, and swap out two of the sauces which didn't complement the chicken too well.Main 3: Carbonara Rice Cakes (2/5)
This dish sounded interested as it used rice cakes and dressed with a very cheesy carbonara sauce. As a result of its efforts using rice cakes, the dish wasn't one of its highlights. The rice cakes were too soggy and soft, the cheese they used didn't blend in well as a sauce, and the dish was a thick mess. I spoke with the owner who was an Italian born Korean, and gave him my comments and feedback to improve the dish. It's not something I would order again.**Update: I tried the dish again (friends insisted on trying it), and there were vast improvements to the consistency of the sauce and the sogginess of the rice cake. Although you can never reach 'al dente' with rice cakes, it was a vast improvement from the previous one I tried. However, I still wouldn't order this as it is a) filling, b) still not the best dish at the restaurant.
**************************Service******************************
The overall service varies from great as I spoke and was served by the owners of the restaurant. He was a Italian born Korean who also grew up there, and he had real passion to the food he was trying to share ie. infusing italian culture to Korean food.
***************************Conclusion**************************
I would come to the restaurant again, but be more selective to what I'm eating as some dishes are significantly better than others. The food is simple and clean cut, there was not too much complexity and layering of flavours nor fancy plating that was particularly memorable. However I did enjoy my time there and the surrounding and decent food would bring me back again (and it has).
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