The Izakaya In A Suburban Mall In Simei H O S T E D
Tucked away on the ground floor, towards the back of Eastpoint Mall is Moippai Izakaya (#01-20). Once you enter, cheery young ladies in kimonos call out greetings in Japanese to welcome you.
The interior is less bright compared to most F&B establishments in shopping malls. This is completely intentional so as to create the right ambience for the dining concept.
My food tasting menu had been planned so I didn't have to decide on anything apart from my drink. Befitting an izakaya, their sake menu is extensive which I am sure, is music to many ears.
Of the dishes that came our way, the most memorable for me was the signature "Fried Maki with Negitoro" ($16++). Its impressive presentation set expectations high. Fortunately, taste-wise, it lived up to it. I loved how the thin layer of tempura coating contributed a crunch to each mouthful of the seaweed-wrapped rice and fresh minced tuna rolls. Eaten with the generous mentai-mayo and pops of ikura, this was decadently delicious.
The "Sashimi", presented on a bed of ice, was the other course I liked for the obvious freshness of the tuna, salmon, yellowtail, scallops and shrimp.
An unusual but easy-to-get-hooked-on item was the "Fried Somen with Parmesan and Truffle Oil" ($6++). Savoury and snap-crisp, they were nice to nibble on.
Naturally, being an izakaya, Moippai offers a pretty decent variety of "Kushiyaki" (food on skewers priced between $1++ and $4++ per stick). Personally, I found the amount of pepper used to be a little overwhelming. However, if you are into strong seasoning, these would suit your palate.
For those of you who hanker after clear, lighter flavours, the "Ochazuke" ($6++) is worth considering.