むーんらいず
Modern Kaiseki at Hasshoji Momo
A rare opportunity to have dinner at Hasshoji, and we found a wonderful restaurant called Momo. It had been 8 years since my friend and I last met, so we wanted a place where we could catch up over delicious food and drinks. I had always been curious about Momo, and I'm so glad we decided to go there.
Located near Ofudo-san, this hidden gem is tucked away in a small building down a narrow street. The restaurant has a small counter with 6 or 7 seats, as well as private rooms. We opted for the counter seats, and started with a toast of fresh sake, which we quickly followed up with another round.
Next, we carefully selected a Japanese sake to enjoy with our meal. The menu included a variety of dishes such as sashimi with bonito, sea bream, and fresh octopus, as well as a selection of appetizers like edamame puree, assorted nuts, and summer vegetables. The highlight was the eight-course meal, which was truly exciting.
We were served dishes like amber-colored summer vegetable soup, eggplant with salsa sauce, avocado dip with baguette, and more. The main course options were fried suzuki (sea bass) or fried chicken thigh, and we were delighted to receive a combination of both. The meal ended with a seasonal rice dish cooked in a clay pot, pickles, and corn rice.
Each dish was beautifully presented on unique plates, and we couldn't help but take photos of them. The soup was served in a round dish with a vibrant green color, and the flavors of edamame were delicious. The main course plates were also lovely, adding to the overall dining experience.
We finished the meal with a delightful corn rice dish, which had a perfect balance of sweetness from the corn. We were able to take the remaining rice home, which was a nice touch.
Throughout the meal, we enjoyed three different types of special junmai sake, each with its own unique flavor profile. Despite spending four hours catching up, we were surprised to find that the course menu was only 5000 yen, offering great value for the quality of food we received.
Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience at Momo, and we left feeling satisfied and content. Despite our thirst for more drinks, we decided to continue our night at another bar in Namba.