[CLOSED] Moippai Izakaya

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.

Easties can take knote. Moippai Izakaya is a newly launched Japanese Izakaya joint conveniently located within East Point Shopping Mall. It's a casual Japanese joint serving sushis, kushiyaki skewers and other Japanese bites, as well as an extensive range of sake (sparkling & traditional), Japanese bottled beers and other drinks at a pocket-friendly price.
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Pictured is one of their more interesting item, which is a deep fried maki topped with negitoro, black fish roe, ikura and spicy flying fish roe.
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Honestly when I received the invitation for this tasting, I wasn't that keen as I didn't think that an Izakaya within a shopping mall could be any good. Nevertheless, I went with an open mind and it exceeded my expectations. It's quite good for its price.

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This 2-week old izakaya has a good range of tasty kushiyaki and Japanese light bites.
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But they're also a niche offering; there isn't many other drinking places in Simei - East Point Mall.
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They offer an extensive range; over 25 labels of sake, along with shochu, wine, and beer. Cheers!.
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Moippai Izakaya
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Love how incredibly soft and creamy that egg omelette is.
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The eel is decently sweet and meaty, and the bed of cabbage lends a nice crunch.
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Moippai Izakaya
More details on blog

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This 2-week old izakaya in Simei - East Point Mall has an affordable range of skewers at SGD $1 - $4 each.
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This skewer has a generous portion of chicken thigh, juicy and succulent with a thin silver of fat under the skin.
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Meat is smoky savoury sweet. Unlike elsewhere, there is no marinade, instead, they focus on freshness and quality of grilling.
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Shiok.
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Moippai Izakaya
More details on blog