Shanghai Restaurant Review: Moka Bros

By Betty Richardson

The Place

Defined by a wholesome rather than staunchly healthy approach to life, Beijing-born fast casual eatery Moka Bros, from chef-sommelier duo Daniel Urdanata and Alex Molina, has already made an impression since opening in October. 

We can barely leave the airy, high-ceilinged space without bumping into five people we know. Outside, genetically fortunate staff encourage us to hop on exercise bikes linked to blenders and make smoothies using the power of our quads. 

You’re probably getting the sense that we’re ready to hate on Moka Bros. But honest, we’re not. Despite being worthier than kale sandwich (they have those), for the most part, they back up the style with substance. 

The Food  

Where there is fast casual, there are bowls. The first bowl we try at Moka Bros is one of spinach and artichoke dip (RMB38), creamy and with notes of onion and parmesan that make it one of the best things we eat here. 

The aloha poke bowl (RMB70) is another good idea. A decent portion of yellowfin tuna with marinated wakame seaweed, pickled ginger, scallions, bonito, sesame shoyu and, wait for it, macadamia nuts and mango, which really liven up the flavors. A clever addition of walnuts, goat’s cheese, raisins and caramelized onions make the aforementioned kale sandwich (RMB55) much better than choking down a salad. 

The Mexican rice bowl (RMB59) is another good order, as verified by our Mexican-American date who called it “the closest thing I’ve had to home food since I got here.” To be fair, she’s only been here a few weeks, but we can’t deny the marinated chicken, blistered corn, jalapenos and black beans make the brown rice base, so often dull, quite the fiesta. 

Not everything is as good. Shrimp avocado salad (RMB68) suffers from too much dressing and a raw red onion assault; the red rice crunch (RMB51) lacks substance compared to the other protein-packed bowls, and the diminutive wrap sandwiches have sizing issues. 

The berry sensation smoothie bowl (RMB48) arrives way too liquid, more like a bowl of fruity gazpacho than the thick, icy texture it’s supposed to have. Get one of the green juices, such as the balanced and fresh Hydrate smoothie (RMB38), or screw it, a cream-topped milkshake (RMB38), instead.

But the negatives here are niggles. The majority of Moka Bros is basic, wholesome food executed well for its price point. 

Food verdict: 2/3

The Vibe

Big in format and low on formality, you could come here just for coffee and laptop time. Being situated in one of the busiest parts of town, it’s already a popular spot for lunch meetings. Looks like the wholesome attitude is paying off. 

Vibe verdict: 2/2

Total Verdict: 4/5

Price: RMB60-150 per person
Who’s going: young locals and expats
Good for: healthy-ish food, lunch dates, meetings, hangouts

Moka Bros, 100 Xiangyang Bei Lu, by Huaihai Zhong Lu 襄阳北路100号，近淮海中路

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