Moshi Moshi Sushi
www.moshiseattle.com
5324 Ballard Ave. N.W.
206.971.7424
Monday-Thursday: 4:30 p.m - 10 p.m.
Friday - Saturday: 4:30 p.m. -11 p.m.

Ballard Food Police officers face perplexing dilemmas daily – wading into unruly crowds on Ballard Avenue, frisking if necessary, eying all with suspicion. Readers must know when they enter the greater Ballard grid that safety, comfort and and gastronomic sophistication is on the radar. Put another way, we've got your back.

Can the Ballard Food Police guarantee our recommendations will deliver the goods? Heck no. But, can we promise wherever you go, we’ve preceded you with sleuthiness, vigor and an elevated “code orange” concern for your welfare? Absolutely.

With this vigilance in mind, we've kept a wary eye on the Ballard head-to-head Sushi Battle. Who's the best? Shall we venture over to 24th Northwest? Stay in Old Ballard? Or consider going off Market to Sam's?

While there is no clear cut winner, we've found ourselves returning with the most frequency to Moshi Moshi.

Moshi Moshi contends, and contends strongly. Surprisingly, its strength lies not in its sushi, but instead in fresh and inventive grill items.

Nicely cooked steak (Shiitake crusted steak with potato croquette & asparagus, $19), crunchy and slightly blackened hot grilled peppers (Shishito peppers, $4), and small plates of seared chicken (Sansho Chicken, $8.50) seasoned with sea salt characterize the inviting grill menu.

Many dinner items can be upgraded for $5 to include miso soup, rice and a sparky little sunomono.

Moshi Moshi brings a respectful tone to sushi making, noted by traditionally clad sushi makers standing behind a traditional sushi bar making traditional sushi.

The inevitable scenester-oriented rolls are there, replete with "hot" this, "spider" that, "Ballard" this, "Seattle" that, "firecracker" this, etc. This is a trend in the newer sushi establishments, and Moshi Moshi has its share.

But, the heart of the menu is traditional sushi and grilled fare. Chirashi, the tireless dish of mixed sashimi over rice, is simply irresistible. The mixed bag of fish, replete with nice contrasts of pale reds, yellows and glowing burgundies, delivers the goods.

Edibles and drinkables are why Moshi Moshi exists (hopefully), but it's the giant architectural tree inside, lit with soft pink small bulbs to emulate cherry blossoms, that sets the tone. The light is especially appreciated now with the darkest days of winter upon us.

TV sets are notably absent (thank you!), making the ambiance about food, drink and the art of the amazing and unique interior tree.

The cocktails are artful creations. Complex and ambitious, they're made of ingredients from bygone days: various infusions, absinthe, elderflower, basil. It's a refreshing and celebratory way to imbibe.

Unlike the tree and the cocktails, food service at Moshi Moshi can dim from time to time. In three visits, we were brought the wrong items twice. Certainly the staff handled it with grace ("You didn't order the gyoza? Well enjoy it anyway on me!")

Orders come out of the kitchen helter-skelter, with plates set down in seeming irrelevance to who ordered them.

Starters are sometimes served last, and groups who order together occasionally receive meals with no apparent synchronization. A hungry trio of gents sat to our left, and while two of them looked on lustfully, one ate (and shared) his large sushi platter until their dinners arrived. By this time, recipient number one was done, and recipients two and three were left to plow through their plates rapidly, trying to catch up with their sushi-sated colleague.

We reflect on the great scene in the 70s movie "Five Easy Pieces," when Jack Nicholson has to get resourceful to get an item the way he likes it. Should we ask for what we really want as a starter to come last, and then ask for what we want as our entree as a starter?

This also evokes another restaurant memory of an establishment in Port Townsend, where we were told, "You can subtract things from items, but you can't add them." One of us wanted oatmeal with a little fruit cup, but the fruit cup only accompanied French toast. We offered of course to pay, but were told "No, you can't do that, you can't add items, you can only subtract."

We were almost ready to order the French toast, hold everything but the fruit cup, but the nice waiter accommodated us without causing us to resort such shenanigans.

A little attitude is present in the hostess staff guarding the door at Moshi Moshi, who are a mite too free with the indifferent look that seems to say, "Oh, did you wander into the wrong place?" rather than "Welcome!"

But, plow on through to the bar side of the restaurant. The consistently friendly and gregarious bartenders make everyone feel at home in what feels like the inner sanctum.

In addition to the fresh, hot grill items (the bar is close to the kitchen), skillfully concocted pre-prohibition cocktails (try the "Nickel Plated"), and the Ave's most impressive assortment of bitters await.

The Ballard Food Police visit all establishments anonymously and pay for all food and drink in full. Know anything we should know? Tell the Ballard Food Police at ballardfoodpolice@gmail.com.