Think healthy eating is just about eating leaves topped with a few cherry tomatoes? Think again. Beijing-born café Moka Bros has recently expanded out of the capital, ready to redefine healthy eating for the citizens of Shanghai. The “Bros,” as the owners Alex Molina and Daniel Urdanata like to refer to themselves as, opened their first shop in Salitun, Beijing. Following immense success, they have since expanded to both Shanghai and Hangzhou, with the goal of taking “gourmet and stylish dining to its most casual and affordable level.”1And boy, do they deliver.
The Food
The menu at Moka Bros is diverse and spans across salads, dips, sandwiches, poke bowls, normal bowls, smoothie bowls (they do love their bowls), build-your-own-brunch, and waffles. This may be a good or bad thing, depending on how indecisive of a person you are. One thing that is certain, though, is that there is definitely something for every palate here.
One highlight from their “bowls” section is the salmon sashimi bibimbap (78 rmb). This dish seamlessly combines Japanese and Korean cuisine by offering a bed of black rice topped with gochujang (Korean bibimbap sauce), roasted pumpkin, kimchi, seaweed, avocado, carrots, and poached egg, and generous servings of salmon sashimi. The chewy rice serves as the perfect neutral base for the medley of flavors that range from sweet, to spicy. Give it a decent toss, and you have a delicious, wholesome meal ready at your hands. Other bowls include the Mexican bowl, the paleo rice, Dr. Rice, and many more.
Following the recent craze in Shanghai, Moka Bros also offers 4 poke bowls, with the option of salmon, tuna, shrimp, or tofu. Each of these come with different toppings and sauces, and can be customized with white or black rice quinoa mix. For example, their tuna poke bowl (70 rmb) comes with mango, macadamia nuts, seaweed, ginger, and other vegetables. Although Little Catch will always be the OG poke bowl, this rendition certainly gives it a run for it’s money. For one, the addition of mango and macadamia nuts creates texture and flavor that enhances the dish, while the portion size is also larger than Little Catch's.
Another great thing about Moka Bros is that they allow you to easily customize your order. Perhaps anticipating the indecisiveness of guests, they give costumers plenty of options to mix and match their menu offerings. For instance, you can get a three salad combo, a half sandwich-half salad, or a half wrap-half sandwich. You can also “build your own brunch,” and top their homemade rye bread with avocado, scrambled eggs, or smoked salmon. Add this on to their breakfast waffle, or their “Bro-nola,” and your brunch is just about set.
Priding themselves on a “wholesome” approach to healthy eating as opposed to strict diets or rules, Moka Bros also offers decadent desserts such as milkshakes, waffles, and cakes. However, not all of their side offerings hit the mark. Their smoothie bowls are disappointedly watery, and fail to have the consistency required to elevate it beyond a smoothie poured into a bowl. Furthermore, their juices, priced just shy of 40 rmb for a small, seem pricey for what they are (perhaps we have been spoiled by the mall's juice shop prices).
The Atmosphere
Stepping into Moka Bros feels like stepping into a little slice of the trendiest parts of America, Australia, or other hippy-inclined countries. With hats hanging off the roof, bright neon signs, a chandelier made of bike tires, and a giant wall proclaiming “Hey You! You're Awesome!,” the place can feel a bit like an eclectic, quirky uncle that you can't help but love. Adding to this charm is the soft touches of wooden furniture and beanbag chairs that combine to create a comfy environment suitable for meet ups or an afternoon of chilling. However, it may not be the best work environment as music is blasted unapologetically loud all day, with some weekends seeing the appearance of a live DJ.
Overall, Moka Bros truly delivers on their promise to provide healthy but delicious food that is affordable and fun. Next time you're looking for a pick me up, brunch spot, or café to spend the afternoon in, why not give Moka Bros a try?
Food: 4.5/5
Variety: 5/5
Environment: 4/5
Evian Chai
Sources:
1: http://mokabros.com/en
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| A Sample Spread at Moka Bros (courtesy of eater.com) |
The Food
The menu at Moka Bros is diverse and spans across salads, dips, sandwiches, poke bowls, normal bowls, smoothie bowls (they do love their bowls), build-your-own-brunch, and waffles. This may be a good or bad thing, depending on how indecisive of a person you are. One thing that is certain, though, is that there is definitely something for every palate here.
One highlight from their “bowls” section is the salmon sashimi bibimbap (78 rmb). This dish seamlessly combines Japanese and Korean cuisine by offering a bed of black rice topped with gochujang (Korean bibimbap sauce), roasted pumpkin, kimchi, seaweed, avocado, carrots, and poached egg, and generous servings of salmon sashimi. The chewy rice serves as the perfect neutral base for the medley of flavors that range from sweet, to spicy. Give it a decent toss, and you have a delicious, wholesome meal ready at your hands. Other bowls include the Mexican bowl, the paleo rice, Dr. Rice, and many more.
 |
| Salmon Bibimbap, Mexican Rice Bowl and Jungle Green Salad (courtesy of SmartShanghai) |
Following the recent craze in Shanghai, Moka Bros also offers 4 poke bowls, with the option of salmon, tuna, shrimp, or tofu. Each of these come with different toppings and sauces, and can be customized with white or black rice quinoa mix. For example, their tuna poke bowl (70 rmb) comes with mango, macadamia nuts, seaweed, ginger, and other vegetables. Although Little Catch will always be the OG poke bowl, this rendition certainly gives it a run for it’s money. For one, the addition of mango and macadamia nuts creates texture and flavor that enhances the dish, while the portion size is also larger than Little Catch's.
 |
| Tuna Poke Bowl and Green Juice (courtesy of That's Shanghai) |
Another great thing about Moka Bros is that they allow you to easily customize your order. Perhaps anticipating the indecisiveness of guests, they give costumers plenty of options to mix and match their menu offerings. For instance, you can get a three salad combo, a half sandwich-half salad, or a half wrap-half sandwich. You can also “build your own brunch,” and top their homemade rye bread with avocado, scrambled eggs, or smoked salmon. Add this on to their breakfast waffle, or their “Bro-nola,” and your brunch is just about set.
Priding themselves on a “wholesome” approach to healthy eating as opposed to strict diets or rules, Moka Bros also offers decadent desserts such as milkshakes, waffles, and cakes. However, not all of their side offerings hit the mark. Their smoothie bowls are disappointedly watery, and fail to have the consistency required to elevate it beyond a smoothie poured into a bowl. Furthermore, their juices, priced just shy of 40 rmb for a small, seem pricey for what they are (perhaps we have been spoiled by the mall's juice shop prices).
The Atmosphere
Stepping into Moka Bros feels like stepping into a little slice of the trendiest parts of America, Australia, or other hippy-inclined countries. With hats hanging off the roof, bright neon signs, a chandelier made of bike tires, and a giant wall proclaiming “Hey You! You're Awesome!,” the place can feel a bit like an eclectic, quirky uncle that you can't help but love. Adding to this charm is the soft touches of wooden furniture and beanbag chairs that combine to create a comfy environment suitable for meet ups or an afternoon of chilling. However, it may not be the best work environment as music is blasted unapologetically loud all day, with some weekends seeing the appearance of a live DJ.
 |
| The Vibe at Moka Bros (courtesy of That's Shanghai) |
Overall, Moka Bros truly delivers on their promise to provide healthy but delicious food that is affordable and fun. Next time you're looking for a pick me up, brunch spot, or café to spend the afternoon in, why not give Moka Bros a try?
Food: 4.5/5
Variety: 5/5
Environment: 4/5
Evian Chai
Sources:
1: http://mokabros.com/en
