More Mo’mor Izakaya, Please!
By Samantha Francis; Photos: Mo’mor Izakaya
Sharing seems to be encouraged at Mo’mor Izakaya, with signature small plate tapas like Hokkaido Scallop Tartare.
What’s in a name? Plenty, it seems.
At first impression, Mo’mor Izakaya brings to mind the word “momo”, which means “peach” in Japanese. It also sounds like “More, more!”
Led by F&B veteran Martin Woo, this contemporary izakaya (Japanese gastro pub) did leave us wanting more. Nestled in the trendy Tanglin Post Office building, its cosy space is bright and inviting with both indoor and outdoor seating.
Japanese Cuisine with European Influence
With Swiss Butchery located just above, it makes perfect sense that Mo’mor procures its food supplies from the premium butcher. Mo’mor Izakaya’s menu features Japanese cuisine with European elements, focusing on fresh ingredients prepared with the interplay of textures.
Australian Wagyu on Skewer
Sharing appears to be encouraged, with signature small plate tapas such as Hokkaido Scallop Tartare ($24) and Australian Wagyu on Skewer ($22) headlining the menu. Charcoal grilled, chopped into bite-sized chunks and topped with ikura (roe), the scallop brims with natural sweetness.
All Beefed Up
As for the Australian Wagyu on Skewer ($22), it proved to be a little too fatty and chewy for my liking. Biting into each slice felt like a chore.
Meat lovers will appreciate the tender Matsusaka Wagyu Striploin.
Nonetheless, meat lovers will appreciate the Matsusaka Wagyu Striploin ($9 per 10gm). Tender with a melt-in-your mouth texture, the beef is drizzled with a tangy ponzu (citrus-based) sauce to counter the richness. With such quality meat, condiments play a secondary role.
While the a la carte menu offers a great selection of meat and seafood, Mo’mor’s value-for-money lunch sets will surely appeal to diners. The options are simple — pick between a two-course $15 set, which comes with a main course as well as tapas or dessert, and a three-course $18 set that includes a main, tapas and dessert.
Value-For-Money Lunch Sets
Order some saké to go with the Charcoal Grilled Whole Japanese Squid.
Dish selections for the lunch set change periodically so you can dine at Mo’mor every other week and never get bored. I chose the Grilled Hamachi Collar for my main dish and was pleased with how tasty it was.
A slab of slightly fatty and flavourful hamachi (Japanese amberjack) collar is paired with fried garlic rice and tempura sauce. I found myself going at the crisp and meaty fish until there was nothing left but bones. The fried garlic rice even tasted bland in comparison.
For an izakaya, the drinks selection was pretty nondescript to say the least. You’ll find the usual suspects like saké, Japanese whisky and wines. We hear there might be speciality cocktails coming soon. Meanwhile, I’ll make do with the extensive food menu.
Mo’mor Izakaya, 56 Tanglin Road, #B1-01, Singapore 247964, Tel: 6463 8080
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of Weekender, Issue 153, May 27 – June 9, 2016, with the headline ‘More Mo’mor Izakaya, please!’.
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