We love noodles, in any form, shape, or application.
So it was with great excitement that we recently got to try a new Japanese noodle place not too far from where we live.
Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss is a compact-sized dining place along Shaw Blvd, corner Ideal Street, in the same building where a Red Ribbon is located. I remember this area used to have a Chinese restaurant a long time ago, so it was quite a surprise that we found ourselves back, this time to try out something new.
Admittedly, I wouldn't have known about Moshi Koshi if my friend hadn't told me about it. She gave me a postcard GC worth P500 so that we could try it out. The postcard was ingeniously designed to look like a Japanese noodle stall that popped up into a standing 3D counter.
The theme is focused on Japanese Koshi noodles, the kind that many Japanese are passionate and crazy about. Koshi, which means "that sweet state of a noodle that is tender and chewy, firm but not hard, with resistance to the bite."
Happy noodle time is the theme that Moshi-Koshi wants to prevail. All dishes are prepared by The Noodle Boss, who is "master of the bowl." We saw him inside the kitchen, busily directing all food preparation. He's as authentic as the noodles, you can't miss him!
The restaurant is simply laid out, Japanese in its austerity but thoroughly modern in execution. A no-nonsense dining place if ever there was one. I like its straightforward interiors, with walls that are clean and neat, and subtle lighting that's quite pleasing, and not tiring, to the eyes.
The servers are keenly attentive and are able to answer the most complex of questions, like, "what noodle should I get?" Kidding aside, it is quite a challenge to choose any one kind of noodle when faced with a plethora of varying choices.
To think that they offer the three main kinds of Japanese noodles -- ramen, udon, and soba -- the difficulty came from selecting a particular dish to try out. Do we go with beef, chicken, pork or shrimp?
Since my wife and I were in the midst of our non-meat phase, we opted for Ebi tempura Teishoku, which was a set meal that consists of Ebi tempura, Japanese rice, a side of kani salad and miso soup. We also got Ebi Tempura Soba, a side order of Agedashi Tofu (actually 2 side orders of this!), and an extra pair of Epi Tempura.
This was more than enough for a two-person spread. Since we love noodles and soup, the udon was just the right concoction to end a busy Saturday. That's my new comfort food, I think, along with ramen. The soup was flavorful and rich, so I didn't need to add more soy. I merely sprinkled some hot chili powder sauce on it coz I like my noodles hot and spicy!
Moshi-Koshi also has bento meals with Chicken Teriyaki, Kara-age and Shogayaki choices, consisting of rice, miso soup and 4 special sidings.
We couldn't finish the rest of the tofu and extra tempura so we just brought them home for the kids. At least we still had space for a tub of Green Tea Ice Cream. Our total bill was about P650 only! Unbelievable!
I don't want to say that the food was great, only because I wouldn't want it to be too crowded when I come over again. But that wouldn't be fair, would it?
I love my noodles koshi. And for that, its a sure bet that I'll go back to Moshi-Koshi.
Its best if you try Moshi-Koshi yourself because I'm not really a food critic. If you love Japanese food, especially noodles, then you'll probably enjoy this place, too.
Hopefully, other branches will be opened soon, so that you don't need to drive all the way to Shaw Boulevard.
Moshi-Koshi Noodle Boss is located at 431 Shaw Blvd., cor. Ideal St., Mandaluyong City, M.M. Telephone 72-MOSHI.
www.moshi-koshi.com
