THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
Moi! No, I’m not calling attention to myself in French but rather to the restaurant in the heart of Soho. Pronounced moī (or even moy) the year old Japanese restaurant has recently been taken over by Executive Chef Robbie Jameson and doing quite well by the looks of it. It was packed out on a Tuesday night.
The open plan interior is sleek and alluring in warm shades of brown. Like being cocooned in chocolate with vibey music. The maître d’ made us comfortable and introduced our server, the charming Abdul. His innate sense of hospitality makes him exceptional.
I’ve been drinking sake for 50 years. Shodoshima, Hachi Hachi junmai (£26/180ml) was gorgeous. Complex, dry and fruity with lovely savoury notes.
Fire-baked buckwheat flatbread (£4) was an ode to Chef Jameson’s love of wood-fired cooking. Soft, smoky and served with a silky smooth aubergine dip (£6) infused with more smoke, sesame and shiso.
Tuna tataki (£19), lightly seared and thinly sliced was delicious in an umami packed dressing of white miso and rice vinegar, topped with slivers of pink grapefruit.
Agedashi tofu (£9) brought more umami to the table with silken tofu in a dashi broth packed with ginger and finely slices leeks. The moist nuggets of chicken karaage (£9) had a gorgeous crunch, spring onion and espelette mayo.
To sample the sushi bar, we ordered to temaki. Traditionally cone-shaped, the current trend is to serve them taco style. I prefer cones – they’re easy to eat with the hands which is the whole point and tacos are messy. Never mind, these were superb. A fine mince of fatty tuna (£9.50) with daikon and the fresh herb sanshō which added a bit of citrus and fresh, quality crab, with cucumber and yuzu kosho, blending citrus fruit with chilli.
Whole North Sea Bream (£58) really showed off Chef Jameson’s wood-firing skill. Beautifully charred with translucently moist meat. I decided to show my own skills at filleting and deftly decapitated the fish and ran my knife down the spine of the fish. I lifted the fillet only to discover it had already been boned! Silly me!
Wild mushroom and egg yolk clay pot (£26) has become something of a signature dish. With good reason. Beautifully cooked rice with enoki mushrooms, sesame, greens and a perfect yolk was sumptuous.
We finished with 2 quenelles of raspberry sorbet. A smooth flavour punch but packed with seeds that dampened my enthusiasm.
Afterwards, we went downstairs to Room 86 for a nightcap. The grand staircase leads to a divine lounge where the mood becomes sultry and the DJ brings the party. Electropop had us boogying on our banquette. That zingy herb again, sanshō, enhanced my margarita (£16) and The Brazilian happily knocked back a Missing Summer (£15) of vodka, fruit and ginger ale. There were a few groups, but mostly loved up couples having a romantic night out. It’s the perfect place for it.
Satiated, we made our way back to chez moi.
