Friday, April 6, 2007

30. Cafe Review: Mois Cafe

I love stumbling across a hidden gem like Mois Cafe. I was just wandering a residential side street not far from the station and there it was. An English list of drinks on a huge chalkboard in front of a older 2-story Japanese home. No idea what might be inside, but one of those places where you just have to take a look.
Glad I did. Just inside was a smallish room with three tables for 4 and a tiny open kitchen. A young woman was cooking something that smelled amazing. I was led upstairs to a large Japanese style room filled with dark wood furniture - two tables for 2, four regular tables for 4, and two coffee tables flanked by sofas (each seating 4). Mellow, yet funky new age music was playing softly in the background.
The 3 menus presented were on CD jackets; an extensive list of alcoholic drinks (just about everything, 500 yen and up), another long list of non-alcoholic drinks (tons of coffees, teas, juices - 400 to 600 yen each); and the lunch menu.

The lunch menu is served from 12:00 - 18:00, but if you order between 12:00 - 15:00, coffee or tea is included. For an extra 200 yen, add the dessert of the day.

Lunch Menu:
*Ratatouille burger 800
*Daily Rice Bowl Dish 800
*Mexican Jambalaya 800
*Today's Curry 800
*Sweet Potato and Chicken Ethnic Curry 900
*Indian Chicken Curry 950
(All served with salad and soup.)
*Spicy Tomato Soup 850
*Fish and Spinach Cream Soup 900
*7 Types of Mushroom Cream Soup 900
(All served with rice or bread.)
* There is also a daily special.

There is a drink/dessert set for 900 yen. Choose from blueberry, strawberry, plum, or 'Today's' tea + 'Today's' pudding.

I had eaten earlier in the day, so I tried the dessert of the day (Apple cheesecake) and iced coffee. The cheesecake was very good, but quite rich. It was also pretty big. Good for sharing, I couldn't eat it all myself. I'm looking forward to going back for lunch, the ones I saw delivered to other tables looked tasty.
I did not get a chance to see the dinner menu and I am not sure of the hours of operation.

The menu is in Japanese, but if you read katakana, you'll understand 90% of it.

Address: Kitazawa 2-21-26. Walk down the main shopping street from Shimokitazawa's South Exit, turn right at Mister Donuts, walk a little and turn right again, it is on the left.
Mois Cafe is owned by a company called 'Renovation Planning'. Every place they own is unique. Check their website for more information: http://www.renovationplanning.co.jp/