Moshi: Refined Japanese in Poblado

TLDR? Moshi is a delicious Japanese restaurant located in the heart of the big El Poblado neighborhood.

Medellin’s dining scene has begun to raise eyebrows from those in the know for the breadth and diversity of its offerings. It’s also known for the innovative spirit that inflects many of the more notable institutions in its oeuvre.

Among the places that have made their mark both locally and across the border is Moshi. It’s a hip and stylish purveyor of high-quality Japanese in the heart of Poblado.

Moshi offers sushi and izakaya classics as well with a personal spin. They create scrumptious and delightful versions of Japanese favorites. Here’s all the info you might want to be privy to if this sounds like something up your alley!

Getting To Moshi

Moshi is located in a very central section in Poblado, right off some of the main boulevards.

It’s an easy walk if you’re staying in the area. And, if you’re not, taking a car or hopping on the metro to the Poblado stop will bring you about a 15-minute walk away.

Moshi is connected to a couple of other restaurants that are in the same complex, like Don Diablo and XO. Don’t worry about getting confused, though, as you’ll be greeted by a host who asks which venue you’re headed to.

The interior of Moshi is sleek, slick, and stylized. It has various homages to both ancient and contemporary Japanese culture. They’re all over, decorating the walls and bathrooms.

The atmosphere is cool yet cozy, enabling one to kick back and relax, even while you take note of the cool customers posted up at the tables and the bar.

The metropolitan atmosphere was also apparent in the attitude and look of the staff. Everyone working at the restaurant seemed like someone who I would want to take me to some local Medellin party.

That is to say, they were all young, hip, stylish, and smart. Not to mention friendly!

Tasty Morsels, Sumptuous Sushi, and Hearty Entrees

The menu at Moshi is fairly extensive, featuring several sections of offerings that are available. The drink menu is particularly hefty. It has a capacious selection of house cocktails, wines, champagnes, spirits, and local beers.

You can dive into the sushi menu a la carte and pick your favorites out. Or, let the house take you for a spin and provide you with a curated omasake mushi or omasake sushi bar. For my part, I split the difference between the traditional and the new.

I took on some tuna nigiri, a delicious spicy chili crab roll, and the centerpiece: a Japanese curry with an octopus named Tako Gohan.

The sushi fish was fresh and tasted that way, with the menu claiming that much of it was sourced from the nearby southern pacific.

The menu also featured several dishes that were inspired by other types of pan-Asian cuisine. Such as the Kao Pat Puu, a Thai-inspired crab fried rice decorated with fried shallots and other vittles.

Professional Service, Friendly Demeanors

Of course, the main issue at hand when you go out to eat is the food. The food at Moshi was prepared with dedication and care applied to the presentation, with each dish looking and tasting great.

However, possibly the second biggest impact on my dining experience at Moshi was the incredibly affable demeanor of the staff.

The service was professional yet friendly, with the staff interacting with me in ways that enhanced the dining experience. There were nice little touches, like where the bartender suggested a spin on the classic cocktail that I ordered. Indeed, it made it even tastier.

Given the variety in the menu, I felt like the venue warranted return visits considering that I didn’t even shell out for the chef’s omasake tasting!

The drink menu also included some fun social options, such as drinks that are intended for two people to drink.

Smack Dab in The Middle of All The Action

Moshi is in the heart of the Poblado neighborhood, which is well known throughout the country for its wild and riotous nightlife.

There are countless other bars, restaurants, and attractions just a short jaunt away from Moshi. So the restaurant makes a perfect place to start a big night out either solo or with some friends.

Poblado is perhaps the most international and metropolitan section of the city of Medellin. So Moji fits right in, in terms of atmosphere and environment.

Even among the other cool places to eat in the area, Moshi wears a demure coolness that seems hard to beat and improbable to imitate.

The Price Point and Clientele

Moshi is definitely on the higher end in terms of expense for Medellin.

The quality of the food, the environment’s entertainment, and the service’s professionalism serve to enforce that the restaurant deserves its position.

What you get at the restaurant is still quite affordable compared to what its equivalents would be in a place like New York. Even though it’s a bit more expensive than some of the other places you might be used to eating in Medellin.

I spent about $35 eating a three-course meal that would have cost me closer to $100 back home, just to give you a bit of insight into the ballpark price range.

Moshi is also one of the restaurants that come at a discount with the Caracol VIP Black Card. So, if you’re staying at a Casacol property and have received the card, you’ll have the added advantage of an additional discount on your tab.

Another Example of Medellin’s Exploding Dining Scene

When you’re perusing up and down the boulevards of Poblado, there’s no shortage of places trying to grab your attention and the dimes in your wallet.

It’s not always easy to determine the best place to grab your next bite. I think that Moshi is a strong contender for either lunch or dinner.

It’s all because of the fabulous food, the staff’s professional incisiveness, and the menu’s creativity.

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