Michelin-starred Moko showcases the vision of husband-wife team Alexis and Ayaka Moko in a beautifully refurbished two-story building complete with a intimate Japanese garden and traditional kura storehouse that houses an impressive 1,000-bottle wine collection focused on respected French producers. Rare for a Michelin-starred establishment, Moko welcomes families with young children, making fine dining accessible to all.
Chef Alexis champions a nose-to-tail philosophy, purchasing whole animals and dry-aging both fish and meat to intensify flavors. The results are spectacular: two-week dry-aged Ibaraki duck arrives as roasted breast, confit leg, with a skewer of heart and liver paired with summer beetroots and blueberry chutney. Dry-aged Goto grouper grilled over binchotan charcoal showcases precise technique with courgette-basil purée and smoked butter beurre blanc. Hokkaido milk-fed lamb receives the full treatment—miso-marinated neck and shoulder, grilled leg, roasted loin, plus an offal skewer—served alongside aubergine-sesame purée and roasted manganji peppers from the Ohara area north of Kyoto. You’ll want extra slices of the freshly baked sourdough bread to soak up those intensely flavored sauces (also available for takeaway if ordered in advance).
AloJapan.com