Momonga: Hand Rolls, Vinyl and a Tokyo State of Mind

Inside, the pared-back language of Tokyo’s small eateries meets contemporary street art. Traditional lanterns hang beside unusual leaf-shaped fans; graffiti plays against vast windows overlooking the busy street; wood and textiles appear throughout. Eclectic, certainly, but warmly so.

Momonga — the endearing creature from the Japanese manga Chiikawa and the restaurant’s mascot — has a habit of turning up in unexpected places. Look above the mirror, across T-shirts, skateboards and other merchandise, even on the plates. Spotting every version and gathering the fluffy sightings into a collage is part of the idea. The Momonga People community extends well beyond photography. Musicians, designers, artists, skaters, DJs and dancers all find a place here — the people shaping the cultural identity of a new Tashkent in real time.

Dmitry Pak, chef of the Paris restaurant Uni, has shaped the menu around Japanese dishes, threading European techniques and ingredients through traditional recipes. Smashed cucumber is paired with grapefruit and coriander (UZS 40,000); udon is served in a carbonara sauce (UZS 140,000); and raw fish appears as mixed sashimi (UZS 99,000) or salmon carpaccio with clementine and shiso (UZS 99,000). Spring rolls come three ways — chicken, prawn or duck (each priced at UZS 60,000).

The hand rolls, however, are the main draw. They come in several forms and, as the name suggests, are meant to be eaten with the hands rather than chopsticks. Cone-shaped temaki feature familiar pairings such as salmon with roe (UZS 80,000) and eel with avocado (UZS 65,000), alongside less expected versions with duck (UZS 60,000) or scallop (UZS 65,000). Open rolls come with torched salmon (UZS 39,000) or tempura prawn (UZS 39,000), while the cigar-shaped rolls are filled with tuna (UZS 45,000) or sea bass with truffle (UZS 50,000). To finish, there is matcha tiramisu (UZS 100,000) and mochi in a range of flavours (UZS 40,000 each).

Vinyl provides the constant soundtrack. DJ nights are set to follow, with the first planned for mid-October.

The drinks list is every bit as considered. Red Flag (UZS 120,000) combines rum and soju, while Mama Doesn’t Know (UZS 95,000) is made with wine infused with Chinese tea. There is plum, grapefruit or peach soju (UZS 145,000 each), as well as sake (UZS 60,000) and a concise wine selection (from UZS 110,000 per glass) — something for every mood and occasion. The alcohol-free side of the menu brings together signature bubble teas made with buckwheat tea (from UZS 60,000), mors (UZS 45,000), smoothies (UZS 65,000), coffee classics (from UZS 25,000) and tea (UZS 55,000).

Photos: the restaurant’s website and social media