Momokoko is located at 7050 Warden Avenue just north of Steeles, in Markham, the municipality just north of Toronto's east end. It is as close as it can be to the Warden and Steeles TTC bus loop so is transit accessible. Momokoko offers a $43.99 all day "basic" AYCE menu with more expensive options, so accordingly identifies as a higher-end place; we went with the the so-called basic. Interior is modern, brightly lit with darker furnishings. Ordering is through a QR code menu, ordering from smartphone or tablet. Soy at table is very flavourful, although a touch salty, but was quite fresh. Ginger is not dyed pink. Happily, reusable chopsticks are used. Beware that the kitchen closes between 2:30 and 4:00 in the afternoon even though the price is the same all day. AYCD pop is available for $3.
We both loved the green salad; it was very fresh and the dressing was excellent and tangy. Miso soup was excellent and richly savoury, although a tiny bit dilute, and it had a wonderful smoky flavour. Mishy also loved the seaweed salad saying it was better than average, and she usually does not compliment the seaweed salad unless asked to comment on it. Takoyaki was excellent, one of the better I've had. I loved the Japanese fries although I think the eel sauce might have turned off Mishy, but I've never seen this before and it was delicious. Japanese fried chicken was excellent, moist and very flavourful.
Beef short ribs were absolutely the best I've ever had, beautifully seasoned. Beef teriyaki was excellent and we both loved it and it had a delicious sauce. Australian wagyu skewers were (as expected) excellent; in contrast to most beef skewers which are dried out these were moist and delicious especially with the excellent sauce. Chicken teriyaki was absolutely fantastic, and one of the better I've ever had, and Mishy even said it wasn't rubbery, which is her highest chicken teriyaki compliment. Shrimp tempura was very good, not oily, and the sauce although being more soy-like than most tempura sauce was quite good. Teppanyaki bean sprouts were very good, but even better with a few drops of soy sauce. Brown sugar rice was delicious; although be careful of the powder on it... Mishy accidentally inhaled it and coughed.
Salmon, tuna, and butterfish sashimi were all fantastic; extremely fresh and tasty, and went very well with the soy. Salmon nigiri was excellent and the rice had a wonderful warm flavour to it. Tuna aburi aka torched sushi was delicious. It doesn't say “torched” on the menu so you just have to know that that's what “aburi” is. Beef tataki was delicious, but watch out for the little hot things on it which are very spicy, so I removed them.
For dessert, crème brûlée was excellent, sweet and delicious. Mishy thought that the vanilla ice cream was freezer-burnt, but I didn't find it that way, although it was quite soft. Unfortunately the single-serve sundaes were out, leaving only honeydew and cantaloupe as the remaining desserts. However we still agreed it was an excellent lunch... having anything with wagyu on it is a rare treat for us. Momokoko aims itself as a higher-end AYCE and pretty much achieves it; the all-day price of $43.99 includes sashimi and for many other places’ dinner menus this is the only addition at the same price point.
Rating: 9.5 - 10 / 10
