Stopped by around 8 PM and joined the Yelp waitlist after arriving. It's in a plaza with a large parking lot, which makes parking easy. The restaurant has a warm, inviting atmosphere with soft, yellow lighting that makes it feel cozy. There was background music playing which added to the energy, although it was loud enough that conversation took a little more effort than I'd have liked. Service was attentive from the beginning, with the server checking in regularly. I checked in at 8:05, was seated by 8:10, and got my food around 8:30. I ordered the Miso Bacon Carbonara which was delicious. The sauce was rich and creamy without feeling too heavy, and the miso added a sweet flavor that made it different from a traditional carbonara. The bacon was cooked well, crispy around the edges while still tender and the slight kick of spice kept each bite interesting. Overall, I'd definitely come back for this dish. Between the attentive service and food that's both savory and unique, it was a great experience. read more

Momonoki - Miso Bacon Carbonara - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

came on a Friday night when it just opened for dinner and the place was mostly occupied which was a good sign. I did like that parking was not an issue as there were many spots. service was pretty good. the dishes were small so be prepared to spend about at least $40+ each. -Hamachi crudo: nothing too special about it. only 5 pcs of hamachi. -Pork jowl: expensive dish considering the pork jowl were cut so small and portion was little (we had more lettuce cups than the pork itself) -Dashi pesto: this one was good. unfortunately, there was only 3 scallops. for a $30 dish, it prob needed another scallop. -Vongole: another good pasta dish. the sauce used was great. pricy dish however. -Miso bacon carbonara: this one seemed like it was their most popular dish. very creamy. tasted pretty good. I liked the egg yolk to make it creamier. -Momonoki chicken wing: don't bother. not worth it. overall, they've seemed to nail it on the pasta dishes. I liked all of the 3 we ordered. we were still hungry after the meal but ran out of budget. read more

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Even better than the first time. I don't know if it's because we were starving or because we were able to try more things but food was great. They changed up a lot of their menu too. Service was excellent too. Shout out Tai? I'm not sure how to spell it. Cute inside with pretty decor but a little small so make sure to put your name down. We went Sunday around 7:30/8pm and there wasn't a wait for party of 4. Pork jowl is a fav of mine and their ssamjjang tastes pretty authentic but definitely had a little twist to it. It was super tender and well marbled. The crispy chicken was also juicy as it was all thigh meat. It reminded me of takoyaki in terms of taste. I wonder if it's because there's bonito flakes in it or something like takoyaki? Scallop pesto pasta was AMAZING. Scallop is my fav seafood and I never had a creamy pesto before. Udon noodles were cooked perfectly. The skirt steak really surprised me. We asked for medium rare and nice never had a skirt steak that tender. The broccolini tasted very charred and smoky (in a good way). It complimented the meat so well. Miso bacon carbonara was a solid choice and we also got that last time. Can't go wrong with it. The wings though were standard fish sauce wings. The slaw was a bit too vinegary or sour for me. Can't wait to come back the next time! read more

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I saw a lot of posts about this place on social media comparing this place to the popular Ini restaurant, so I came to compare and try it out for myself. The cocktails were refreshing and good, but more on the sweeter side rather than alcoholic. We got a good amount of dishes to try out and share as a group Calamari- Solid but nothing too special Miso Bacon Carbonara- noodles were good, creamy base Gochujang Pork Belly- probably my favorite! tender bits of pork! Steak- good but a bit pricy from how much you get, need additional sides to go with it Crudo- refreshing but small portions Overall, nothing stood out to me crazy for me to run back. However I would come back if it was suggested by friends. A bit pricey in terms of their portion size so you do have to order a lot. Great spot to have date night as the restaurant itself is pretty and intimate. read more

Momonoki - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

This place piqued our curiosity since it seemed similar to INI, so we decided to try it out one day for dinner. Crispy calamari: Loved how lightly battered it was and it definitely was crispy. Also, the portion was pretty generous! It's good enough for 2-3 people for sure Kimchi fried arancini: We weren't sure what to expect with this dish despite the description, but we were pleasantly surprised. It reminded us of a potato ball with kimchi and spam inside. We loved the texture and flavor, and the fried egg aioli it sat on top of was great as well Gochujang pork belly: We wished the pork belly was just a bit crispier. The flavor was fantastic though! And while I understand the mashed potatoes are part of the fusion aspect, my husband and I both agreed that it would've been more amazing with rice instead, hahah Miso bacon carbonara: The udon texture was perfectly al dente and had such good bounce. I loved how creamy the sauce was too. However, I just wanted it so badly to be spicy! Some spice to this dish would've made it a 5/5 in my opinion Strawberry lychee ice cream: Meh. Compared to the delicious appetizers and entrees, this ice cream was just lackluster. No particularly strong flavor (even accounting for the fact that lychee is generally a weak flavor) and the consistency was more icy than creamy. Considering the price point ($10) for a scoop, I'd definitely not recommend it There's a decent amount of tables and it has a cozy feel inside. It can definitely get loud though since the sound bounces inside, especially when there's large/loud parties. The service was impeccable and our server was so quick and attentive. It runs a tad pricy, but I do feel like the quality of the food and service justifies it (minus the ice cream, lol). Overall, we had a great first experience and this place is definitely worth visiting :) read more

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Who made this food because why tf was it so yummy!!! Everything we ordered was delicious. I especially enjoyed the dashi pesto pasta - scallops perfectly cooked, udon noodles had nice bouncy chew, sauce was delicious. The skirt steak was so tender. Even the chicken dishes were cooked well and not dry at all, which is usually what I am wary of when it comes to chicken dishes but here I did not have to worry at all! Service was excellent with super kind and attentive waiters. Modern casual ambiance, great spot for a date night. I would come back to try the rest of the menu. read more

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Came on a Thursday during lunch around noon, plenty of tables available, got seated right away. I ordered the Menchi Sando, took about 20 minutes for it to come out. The waiter Tommy was extremely helpful and nice throughout the entire lunch. Ask if I wanted fresh grated parmesan cheese on my fries, Yes please!! He also recommended and gave me some furikake Hot honey for the Menchi sando and wow it was soo good with the Menchi sando. The menchi sando it self was so juicy and flavorful. The caesar salad that came with it definitely lived up to its hype, so good. Overall, menchi sando with the fries, salad, and furikake Hot honey was good. shoutout to Tommy for hooking it ip with the extra furikake Hot honey togo. I do want to try more items on the menu, so for now a solid 4/5. read more

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Notes to consider so you don't make the same oops I did. - The restaurant does not have apparent signage in the front. Know where you're aiming to go. - There is a sister restaurant named Mono Yama two doors down ...cue to me walking in between aimlessly because my friend recommended the place and all i recalled was "momo". That said, the people were super nice in both places. You can tell it happens often. We went right as it opened, and we got seated right away. The menu is via a QRC on the table. We ordered 3 things - vongole pasta. Previously they offered it uni but this one had claims and shrimp. We also got the pesto and the calamari. Calamari was crispy but it also was slightly too salty and seemed to be a lot of batter. The calamari pieces were small. The pesto pasta was okay, but the pesto wasn't the traditional pesto. I couldn't put my finger on it but it must've been the dashi. The udon was cooked well though. Soft, definitely not al dente. This vongole was the biggest miss. It had a taste that we also couldn't figure out, but it was not enjoyable to eat. We left the meal very dissatisfied. The friend I went with, who has gone before, also agreed it was disappointing. As someone who hates to waste food, we were very close to leaving nearly half of each dish there. My friend ended up taking it back. Later that evening, we both were feeling off. Idk, perhaps it was a coincidence. In the end, it was a truly sad experience. read more

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I have long heard that this is an "INI Ristorante dupe." They were also rooted in Japanese and Italian fusion food, but at a lower price point. When we visited, my brother noticed that their menu changed- they had removed his favorite dish! The waitstaff informed us that they are moving in a new direction with a new menu. They are now focused on Japanese and Korean fusion foods! We got their Miso Bacon Carbonara and Kimchi Fried Arancini. The Miso Bacon Carbonara was pretty good! Bouncy noodles, creamy sauce, and crispy bacon. No complaints here! The Kimchi Fried Arancini were essentially deep fried balls of kimchi fried rice filled with cheese. It was yummy, but quite indulgent. Definitely great as a shared plate! As far as the "INI Ristorante dupe" narrative goes, I think they're taking steps to differentiate themselves a bit. There are still some similarities, but lots of new things to come. read more

Momonoki - Miso Bacon Carbonara - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Went here for a night out and I was impressed by the flavor of the food and the portion size of the food. We went right at opening so there was no wait, the waiters were very nice and on top of everything. Their cocktails are on the sweeter side which I liked. Yuzuni: 7/10 it was good, sweet with yuzu flavor. The part I didn't like that it was the after taste. It was very bitter for some reason. Fries: 10/10 it was delicious. The garlic flavor was strong in a good way and the crispy is on point! Calamari: 10/10 can't really go wrong with that tbh Carbonara: 8/10 the flavor is there but it wasn't that special. The noodle was super al dente that felt a bit undercook (?). There was barely any bacon and the portion size is so small Vongole: 8/10 the flavor was very good. Lots of seafood in the bowl, but there was barely any noodle. The portion is also very small for it to cost $40 Pork Jowl: 7/10 nothing special. Not much flavor to the meat. The sauce that comes with it tastes like the cocktail sauce that I feel like did not go well with the pork. Overall I would give this place a 7/10. The portion size were very small, none of the dishes we ordered were special or stand out enough to wow us. The service was great. The atmosphere was alright. read more

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Meat was low quality and looked nothing like photos, it was old and tasted wrong. The service was nice though. read more

Momonoki - beef tartare - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

This resturant was very unique. It is definitely an asian fusion concept. The restaurant is nice and quaint. Great for a date night! Although the interior is nothing special the food is spectacular. Our group ordered more than half the menu. Definitely order the focaccia bread and the gnocchi. I would definitely comeback. read more

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My wife and I wanted to try this place since its opening few months ago but kept putting it off because it was always packed. We came after 2 p.m. today (Sunday) and noticed it wasn't too crowded so decided to take advantage of it. This is a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant in a casual, yet elegant setting. It's under the same owner as Momoyama two doors down. The owner actually recognized us from the few times we were there last year. I was impressed he still remembered my name. Garlic Parmesan Fries were really good. Sounds simple enough but I loved the detail of having shredded parmesan instead of just some powder parmesan sprinkled on top. Smoked Short Rib Cavatelli was excellent. Really loved the tender short rib braised with red wine and tomato sauce. I definitely tasted quite a bit of wine in this dish. It was topped off with some whipped ricotta cheese and basil leaves. Butokaku, a slow braised pork belly dish with potato puree, was rich with a nice contrast from pickled cucumbers. This dish had some Korean flavors infused with what looked like braised radish, which reminded me of something my mom used to cook. Pasta on both of the entrees were cooked perfectly al dente. Portions didn't look that big but was quite filling. I actually couldn't finish my short rib and had to take about quarter of it home. Miso Brown Butter Ice Cream was excellent. It's kind of hard to associate miso in dessert because of its savory flavor, but it really worked well with the ice cream. It added more of a salty layer than overpowering with miso flavor. My wife and I both thought it tasted like salted caramel ice cream. Service was excellent and attentive. Someone was constantly refilling water and checked on us to make sure everything was good. We even got a dessert of our choice on the house (mentioned above). I'm assuming the owner arranged this since we've been to his other business. read more

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This restaurant was amazing! There was no wait when we went for weekday dinner but there are very few tables so I would expect a longer wait on the weekends. The raichi drink was good and the miso carbonara was creamy and the proportion of bacon to pasta was perfect. It is super cute inside as well, but the service was kinda slow because they only had one server for all the tables. I think it's important to compare this to Ini ristorante because I think with this place being new that it is quite similar to Ini especially with the japanese italian fusion concept. I would say it is basically the same price if not more expensive than if you were to go to Ini and I personally think the food, ambiance and service is better at Ini than here. So in the future, I would be open to going back and there was nothing wrong with the restaurant, but I would definitely choose Ini over momonoki just cause I feel like I get more with how much I spend. read more

Momonoki - raichi drink - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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My first time visit this place after they rebrand and I would definitely say this is one of my new favorite spot! We ordered the miso bacon carbonara and a pork belly gochujang! 1. Miso bacon (5/5) wow this one was so great for me! This is a pretty good dupe of the miso bacon at ini kei concept! Flavors were great, I wish the noodles were more udon noodles instead of skinny noodles. I would definitely get this again tho! 2. Pork belly gochujang (4/5) this dish was SOOO unique! The pork was tender and all the flavors blend together really well :) I enjoy the smash potatoes as well because I thought it has a good texture and a little bit of cheese in it! Servers were amazing and I think we had a pleasure to speak with the owner and he was great as well! Such a nice casual dinner spot read more

Momonoki - Miso Bacon Carbonara - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Came back for another birthday celebration, and this time the food was on point. We did have a small setback with the clam chowder being served lukewarm, but the staff quickly took it back and reheated it. Once it came out again, it was rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious, definitely worth it. Everything else was flavorful, perfectly cooked, and deserving of a solid 4-star review. The waiters were all very kind, especially Brian. attentive, and very accommodating throughout our visit. We were even treated to a complimentary dessert, which was a nice touch. Overall, we left happy, full, and satisfied. Definitely a much better experience this time around! read more

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I came here at 4pm so there was no waiting. Only 2 other parties were there. The restaurant is small, cozy, and casual. Bathroom was a 7/10 on cleanliness scale. I ordered two dishes for myself and my husband ordered himself a 24oz Sapporo beer. Miso carbonara 4/5. It was creamy, eggy. I love the incorporation of the runny egg yolk. The cheese could be added extra as well. There weren't a lot of bacon though. The flavor was still rather bland. Botukaku 3/5 was an interesting dish that I never saw elsewhere. The incorporation of mashed potato is truly fusion. There are mixtures of daikons too. One thing I didn't like was how fatty these pork bellies were. The cuts were big regardless. But the ratio of fat to meat is too high. After eating two pieces, the next morning, I couldn't even digest them away. Overall I do recommend trying out this place. It's cure and the prices are affordable. Service is good as well as they refill my water constantly. read more

Momonoki - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Momonoki delivers a solid dining experience overall, especially when it comes to service. The service here is great--attentive, friendly, and consistent throughout the meal, which we really appreciated. The place itself is minimalist, but well decorated. We especially enjoyed the calamari. It was well prepared, crispy, and flavorful--definitely one of the highlights of our visit. The pasta is good, no doubt about that. It's well executed and tastes great, but the portion size is on the smaller side. While everything is technically done well, it just didn't feel as exciting or memorable as we were hoping for. Overall, Momonoki is a good spot with strong service and well-made dishes, but the portion size and overall excitement factor left us wanting a bit more. read more

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Great food, great service, and great vibes! My friends and I had an awesome time trying this place out read more

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Came here for dinner with my sister around 5:15pm on a Wednesday night. We were sat immediately. They have QR codes for the menu but also offer paper menus which I prefer and appreciate. Our server was friendly and attentive and made sure to refill our water throughout our meal. The place is modern and clean. The food itself reminds me of Ini except it's more reasonably priced. We got: Prosciutto Salad: this salad was tasty and I loved the creaminess of the cheese Bread & Butter: the maple honey butter was tasty paired with the warm focaccia. Uni Vongole: this was good. Perhaps needed a bit of flavor. I thought it was a bit bland Miso Bacon Carbonara: my sister gave me some and it was good. Probably needed a bit more flavor or punch Parking is easy and in a big plaza! read more

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I found this gem on Yelping in the area. Definitely was a great hit! The food was delicious. Currently they are offering a pre-fixed meal which comes with appetizers, entree, and dessert. Ordered one with Parma fries, miso bacon cabbonara, and panna cotta...solid. Second order was crispy calamari, dashi pesto, and matcha ice cream with drizzled honey. The crispy calamari came with a cocktail sauce with yuzu peppers taste. All the food was delicious and definitely would come back for the items on the menu! Not sure how long the pre-fix menu will be going on, but if you are craving Japanese fusion Italian food, try em! Service was attentive and good. Our waters were refilled. read more

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Ordered for pick up and food was ready on time Ordered: Miso Bacon Carbonara 3/5 the flavor of this was a little funky i'm not too sure why :/ Cacio E pepe 4/5 - decent nothing mind blowing Butter Pasta (kids) 5/5 - honestly simple but really good my favorite of the night. Overall pastas were okay (besides butter pasta) I waver between a 3 and 4 for this place so really it's a 3.5. I would say though the prices here are very fair and lean towards more bang for your buck vibe. read more

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1. The dishes were delicious and well-presented! I I really like the smoked short rib cavatelli! 2. The spot has chill casual vibes! The interior has high ceilings! 3. The staff was friendly and timely with our order! They were very attentive! 4. The spot only has indoor seatings! There were a good number of tables! 5. Parking lot is huge! Very easy to find parking! Note: There is a bathroom available for customers! Photo: Crispy Calamari, Uni Vongole, and Smoked Short Rib Cavatelli read more

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I'm so happy I was able to try this place, specifically, their dashi pesto udon! I was able to go in at an off time so I was only one of three customers there and the service was quick! My waiter was attentive, helpful and kind too! The dashi pesto udon was one of the best dishes I've had in a long time! The pesto sauce was flavorful and perfectly balanced with a bit of citrus, nori and nori oil. I had never seen the nori and pesto combination before but it works so well! The udon was cooked perfectly too, not overcooked but instead had the perfect chew! The tomatoes helped to cut the heaviness, the basil strips were strong and the panko breadcrumbs were a perfect savory texture addition! Overall, a chef's kiss dish, and for only $13, it was even better! read more

Momonoki - Dashi Pesto - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Final Score - 7.5 / 10 Yelp Score - 4 / 5 Overall, I like the place. The service was good but the execution of the dishes had a bit extra to be desired to make it standout within its category. I went here on Saturday with my partner, arriving a bit later than half past noon. There weren't many people too many people here yet and we were seated promptly. The service was good the entire time and didn't have any issues. The decor was very nice, I do enjoy the more green or plant aesthetic they had going with the plants on the ceiling. Although, I would like to see them differentiate themselves more as it's only just nice and not amazing or unique. We ordered the Dashi Pesto with Scallops and the Pork Jowl with lettuce cups. I found the Dashi Pesto with Scallops to be good. It was a bit overly salty to my taste, although my partner said it was fine. They did mention that the scallops were only seared on one side and not both sides though that wasn't something I noticed or missed. I do have some issues with a 30 dollar dish only having three scallops on top, four would've been acceptable. These issues for me brought the dish down overall, although still delicious. The Pork Jowl with lettuce cups I definitely enjoyed more. It was cooked very well with the meat being pretty tender. The ssamjang aioli was delicious and paired nicely with the entree. I could've used more lettuce cups but that's a personal preference as I'm more of a vegetable heavy person. I enjoyed this place a lot. It would've received my yelp 5 stars or my person score of 8/10 of it hit everything perfectly. My yelp score maxes out at my personal score of 8 out of 10. Very close to being a standout place for its category if it can fix up the execution. read more

Momonoki - Pork Jowl Close Up and Split - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Second time at Momonoki and continues to be a good pasta spot. In the recent visit, I went on a Saturday at around 4:00 pm. It wasn't busy at the time so I was able to easily get a table for two, place the orders, and get the food quickly. Service was very attentive with filling water, clearing the table, and bringing out the check. My girlfriend and I got the Dashi Pesto, Smoked Short Rib Cavatelli, and the Spiced Pear Panna Cotta. Both pasta dishes were good! I lean towards the Short Rib Cavatelli, mainly because the pesto pasta didn't have any protein in it. Panna Cotta was refreshing with the mint and the walnut as a crunchiness to the dessert; it wasn't too sweet! The portion felt just right for two people. The prices are more on the reasonable side as well. American Express is accepted as a payment option. Parking is shared in a large plaza with lots of other businesses. I was able to seamlessly get a spot. read more

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I have been wanting to try this place ever since they opened. I finally had the opportunity with three other people for dinner. We did not have reservations but they were able to sit us right away when we came even though it was busy. The staff gave us great recommendations and answered any questions we had. They were knowledgeable and I liked that they told us what the specials were as well. For starters, we got their crudo, meatballs, Cesar salad, croquette, and calamari. Honestly everything was good but my favorite starters were the crudo and calamari. The crudo was drenched in a delicious sauce. Yum! The calamari was fried perfect. For dinner, we shared their miso bacon carbonara, Bolognese, and pesto pasta. Although all the pastas were perfect, my favorite was the carbonara. It's a must get in my opinion. To end the night we shared their matcha cheesecake and the miso brown butter ice cream. I highly recommend the miso brown butter ice cream. The service was excellent. The staff was warming and the chef came out as well. The inside of the place is cute and great for large or smaller groups. I can't wait to be back and try all their other items. read more

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Underrated newer restaurant in the OC! I came to Momonoki after learning that the wait at INI was close to two hours, and I'm SO thrilled that I landed here for dinner. The restaurant is small but the space is used well. Not a great option for larger parties though. The food is fantastic and priced pretty fairly compared to similar restaurants. I'd prefer it if the portions were a little larger, but that could be a personal preference. The texture of the pasta is al dente and has a nice bite to it! The steak and branzino is cooked with a nice dry sear. Will definitely be back next time I'm craving pasta. read more

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My girlfriend brought me here for a dinner and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Parking is great around the area since it's a big lot so that is nothing to worry about Make sure to use the Yelp Wait list so that you're able to get seating a little bit faster. Luckily my gf did and we got there right at 630pm on a Friday night. However, if we got there a little bit later you would have needed to wait as there are only about 14 tables. Service was fantastic. Everyone was very attentive and gave their recommendations on what we should try. We were constantly checked on. Pricing was very fair. Although they don't have their liquor license since I know it takes a long time usually. Ambiance made it feel like you're in a Japanese Zen Garden. It was very minimal and modern. Food: - Amberjack Crudo - 5/5 - MUST ORDER - Usually at Omakase Amberjack I feel like can be kind of tough but this one was actually so tender and melt in your mouth! - Fennel Sausage Croquette - 5/5 - When I think of croquettes they're usually very small and cute. However, this two were actually HUGE! We loved that it came out PIPING hot with a huge bed of the yuzu salad. We thoroughly enjoyed the spice in it. - Steak Chimichurri - 5/5 - It has a little bit of a kick but it's nice with the chimichurri. Very tender and asparagus was cooked to perfection. No complaints here! - Uni Vongole - 4/5 - I was thinking about getting the Branzino but the server actually told me to get this because it was better. Uni was very fresh, Clams were fantastic. Although I thought that the shrimp was a little bit overcooked but overall it was very good! Thank you so much for the Momonoki Staff and my girlfriend for a delicious meal! My recommendation for Momonoki: -Possibly get a little stand or barrier in front of the first table! :) Could be good to block the wind coming in and even show some specials or menus! read more

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Highly recommend this little neighborhood gem. It had a casual modern vibe with reasonably priced dishes and friendly service. Came here for brunch and they offered a prix fixe menu for $28 that came with your choice of appetizer, main dish, and dessert. Not bad at all! The amberjack crudo was the choice of appetizer made - it was fresh, refreshing, and a decent portion. Their miso bacon carbonara was very tasty with a nice kick of heat, and lastly for dessert, I think they did a good job with their panna cotta. I most especially loved the Uni Vongole with the udon cooked perfectly chewy, slathered with a flavorful yet light sauce. I ordered this a la carte. It was served with clams, shrimps, and one piece of uni - all tasted fresh. The only thing I would do next time is have them remove this herb thing with a really distinct flavor. Not sure what it's called but it's not my favorite even in Korean dishes where I've had it before. All in all, a great dish. When I come back, I'll definitely check out their cocktail list and potentially try the yuzu drink. Cheers! read more

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Finally got to try this place on my checklist - and on Valentine's Day too! Looking back it actually ended up being such a great pick, the restaurant was busy for the holiday but not overstimulating, service was great, lighting and music made the perfect vibe for a more intimate date night. A girlfriend and I shared the Valentine's Day set - Beef Tartare, Lobster Vongole, and Chocolate Came. Everything was spectacular, I'd say just the right amount of food and I wouldn't have changed anything about each of the dishes. I also had a Raiza which was dangerously good and came with two perfect Lychees. Didn't wait too long to be seated at all, and though we ordered a set it didn't feel like we were waiting too long in between each app, entree, and dessert. While this place is compared to Ini often I'd say it offers a different charm which makes it stand out. Will definitely be back, looking forward to trying more items off the menu! read more

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Review 4/365 Day Challenge Long overdue review. Came here for dinner w a bunch of girlfriends. Spontaneous night out but 1st dinner Saturday 8.24.25. Had reservations, we were about 10-15 mins late so called to let the associates know. Right when we got there, it was a full house. Had to wait 10-15 mins for our table. Came almost close to end of day along soft opening so their menu was out with a lot of stuff. Understandable since they did have a full house meaning it was pretty successful for soft opening weekend. It's a Japanese Italian fusion restaurant. I'm not too big fan of pasta so i was ok with all the food along w my girlfriend did say it needed more seasoning on majority all of their food. Not sure if it was just that night we went in to dine. But i felt it could've had more flavor to each dish. I'm familiar with Italian food especially it's somewhat suppose to have a Japanese kick to it. Why i deducted 1 star since i didn't love the food. Customer service was top notch. We received our items in a timely manner. The restaurant itself was really simple w nice green artificial greenery hanging from the ceiling lights decor. Restaurant isn't too big and can get pretty crowded easily. Located next to Eastern Tales Thai tea shop with a lot of parking available. Idk if this would be a restaurant I'd return since I'm not a fan of Italian food but would come if my friend's choice to celebrate an occasion here. Wishing much success to the restaurant though, looks like since I've gone there. A lot of foot traffic, Just not really my cup of tea. read more

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Momonoki is an intimate Japanese-fusion spot where food, service, and ambiance are all excellent. Service: 5/5. We were seated immediately, and my water glass was never empty for more than a minute. Waiters were incredibly forthcoming about dishes, explaining flavors and textures so we could make decisions tailored to our preferences. FOCACCIA: 5/5. Crrrrrisp on the outside, fluffy inside, and paired perfectly with the delicately whipped honey butter. PROSCIUTTO SALAD: 5/5. This dish presented a first for us, which was panna cotta in a salad, but it worked. This was also the silkiest panna cotta I've ever had; the texture and slightly tangy flavor contrasted the richness beautifully. Texture eaters, YMMV with this one. CRUDO: 4/5. Another unexpected pairing, this time with avocado and apple (maybe pear?), adding a nice layer of crisp sweetness. STEAK: 5/5. Tender, and the chimichurri was bright and deeply flavorful. PAPPARDELLE BOLOGNESE: 4/5 solid crowd-pleaser, balancing tangy tomato with savory beef and pork. UNI VONGOLE: 5/5. Absolutely the star of the show for me. Chewy, bouncy udon noodles in a tangy white wine emulsion that made every bite feel light and refreshing. BRWN BUTTER MISO ICE CREAM: 4/5. Lovely blend of sweet and salty! Definitely leans a little more savory over all. MATCHA BASQUE CHEESECAKE: 5/5. The texture was a perfect melt-in-your-mouth velvet. Initially subtle, but a pure matcha flavor grows as lingers. Not sweet, which I appreciated. The space itself is clean comfy enough that my friend and I yapped for three hours without noticing the time. Not that anyone was waiting for our table, but we were never rushed by staff, making the calm atmosphere to easy to linger in. Would absolutely go back. read more

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They have a chef's special menu along with their regular menu. We ordered the fennel sausage croquette, amberjack crudo, skirt steak, and uni vongole. The fennel sausage was evenly fried and paired with a creamy yuzu dressing. The amberjack crudo had great flavors and paired with pear and avocado, this fish quality was good too. I would order this again. The skirt steak was cooked medium rare as ordered and paired with asparagus. Their chimichurri was too sweet for me, but the spicy sauce had a kick. The Uni Vongole made with udon noodles could use a bit more sauce or umami flavor. My boyfriend says the shrimp was overcooked, especially since they were smaller cut pieces. Overall, it's a busy restaurant, but seems like they don't compromise on quality and efficiency. Their layout has more tables for 2 or 4. Our table was right in front of the open door, so we felt the wind draft. It would nice if they added a partition to either block or advertise their chef special menu. I would love to return and try more dishes and their matcha basque cheesecake. read more

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We finally got around to trying MomoNoki and honestly, every dish we ordered was a hit. Ricky and Ryan took great care of us and were super friendly throughout the meal. The Miso Carbonara was probably my favorite. It's one of those dishes where everyone at the table keeps sneaking another bite. The Kimchi Arancini was also so good We also ordered the scallop dish with pesto, and wow!! The scallops were cooked perfectly and the sauce was creamy without feeling too heavy. It was one of those dishes that makes you pause for a second after the first bite. By the end of the meal, we were already talking about what we will order next time read more

Momonoki - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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The food was very delicious! We had the Miso Bacon Carbonara and Pappardelle Bolognese. We'll definitely be back for the food. One thing I noticed when we visited was that there were two servers and they both helped us which was nice. But they were not communicating with each other so both of them kept coming to us with the same question. Other than that, everything else was great :) read more

Momonoki - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Plenty of parking available. We added ourselves to the Yelp waitlist on our way just in case. When we arrived, the restaurant was fairly empty and we were able to get seated right away. We tried: - Fennel Sausage Croquette - Butokaku - Smoked Short Rib Cavatelli - Dashi Pesto. The food was overall fine but the Dashi Pesto tasted a bit off to me. I couldn't quite pinpoint what part of the flavor, but there was something that I didn't enjoy. This place reminded me of Ini Restaurant. Overall, the food was better than I expected, but not quite as tasty as Ini. The servers were attentive and I would be open to coming back to try more dishes. read more

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My friends and I been wanting to try this place out! After seeing the hype all over the media, this place is just okay. Service is great but the food wasn't something I'll ever crave for. We left underwhelmed with the quality & taste. Bread and Butter (maple honey) - Star of the appetizer Proscuitto Salad - just okay, love the grilled grapes but not wow. Miso Bacon Carbonara - was hoping it would be saucy like ini but the noodles were undercooked Uni Vongole - i didn't like this one at all because the uni didn't taste fresh and overall very fishy aftertaste as a dish. Desserts: Miso Butter Ice cream & spiced pear panna cotta which were just okay and not overly sweet. read more

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Overall, a decent experience here! The staff are kind and the interior are simple. The portions are quite small, but fairly reasonable to the pricing. Worth checking out!! If you like a strong wine flavor in your bolonese, the Pappardelle Bolognese is great option! The ribbon-like pasta are cooked aldente and they don't skimp on the meat sauce. The Cream Corn Cavatelli impressed me! A very simple dish, but the flavor was yummy. The corn was sweet and the cavatelli was cooked perfectly. This portion was good for the price! P.S. the garlic parmesan fries and caesar salad were sooo good... read more

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I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit Momonoki at its soft opening and months later for my friend's birthday, with pleasant dining experiences both times! As a frequent consumer of pasta and lover of anything seafood, I was so excited to hear about a new Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant in town. While there is Ini in Fountain Valley, I find myself disappointed with the quality and selection of pastas at times. After visiting here, I feel that Ini has some serious competition. Momonoki doesn't have as broad a selection, but I believe their quality of food per price range is far superior. What I Ordered: - Uni Vongole: This was my all-time favorite of the night! I've had it around twice now and quality has been consistent! The creamy white wine sauce paired perfectly with fresh, chewy udon noodles and garlic-infused mussels and shrimp. However, one thing that could be improved is the portion of the uni (it's only 1 piece!). As other people have commented, this is not uni-based--they should increase the portion size if they're going to call it Uni Vongole, or change it to Seafood Vongole. - Bread and Butter: This was also a surprise heavy hitter! Savory focaccia bread that was fresh and soft, paired perfectly with maple butter for a flavor explosion of both savory and sweet. - Calamari: This was a miss for me. The pieces were way too small and the marinara sauce provided was too vinegary for my tastes. Ambiance: This is a very small establishment with limited seating. Even though it doesn't look like there's a wait, I still recommend putting yourself on the waitlist as spots can fill up quickly. However, the ambience is still beautiful with dimly lit candles and faux greenery--perfect for a date night or birthday celebration. Service: Service was quick and professional. When I mentioned it was my friend's birthday, they provided a complimentary dessert with a lit candle, which is always a plus in my book! Final Thoughts: Highly recommend coming here with great quality and price range for affordable but elevated Japanese Italian fusion! read more

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