Moto-I is touted as "The World's FirstSake Brewery outside of Japan". Featured in Minneapolis Monthly Magazine (
www.mspmag.com) as one of the late and great up and comers in the Twin Cities, I didn't think we could pass up an opportunity to hit up a one of a kind...
A little confused by when we first got there, Moto-I is tucked in a little storefront with dim lighting and was a bit difficult to find. Once we spotted it, we went in expecting a bit more Japanese infusion in the decor, and didn't find much of that. I felt as if there was a bit of an identity crisis as the restaurant/bar/brewery had bar style seating, with a mix of bar games such as shuffleboard and darts, while advertising it's Sumo matches they feature on tv every week. And our friend Ronnie, complained that they didn't even have Japanese beer! So much for an authentic bar.
The menu was confused at best. They have an assortment of small bar foods mixed with random entrees that incorporate Japanese, Thai and Korean flavors with a strong American background (they had Ramen on the menu!) Here's a breakdown of what we got...
1) Steamed bun with pulled chicken, spicy hoisin, green onion, thai chili, cilantro: $3
The bun itself was ok- moist and sweet as it should be, but the filling failed to impress. It didn't have a lot flavor and the flavors in and of themselves were too distinct and just didn't gel for me.
2) Taro Shoestrings with Spicy Chili Mayo: $3
I think this was the only highlight of the meal (if there was one). These were crisp, and the spicy chili mayo had its fair share of heat adding some zing to the snack. It truly was bar food, but this one had some uniqueness and we couldn't stop eating it.
3) This is a picture of Angela's pork ramen which barely had any flavor and tasted like water with vegetables and noodles in it. It looked more appetizing that it really was... And come on...$9 for Ramen?
4) Ika (Dried Squid) with wasabi mayo ($3) and Thai Beef Jerky with Sriracha sauce ($4)
These are very traditional snacks in Asia that you can pick up at the local supermarket for half the cost. Unique and conceptive, but knowing the cost behind the dishes, all I could think about was the killer margin they were making. And they didn't even have to pay for their day old newspaper...
4) Another unspired picture of the squid...
So overall, I wouldn't recommend or go back to moto-i. The sake was fun, and it was interesting to try something different- but not different enough. It was a good concept and with a better quality of food and more dish selection, moto-i has the promise to turn into a fun place to hang out with friends. During happy hour, their sake selection seems to be cheap, but I guess we missed that too... Not only do they used recycled newspapers, but their glasses come from Ikea and they sell $9 ramen. Now that's a way to do business.
