Moga at Pullman Hotel is a sexy new hangout with Japanese-inspired drinks & izakaya bites

Enjoy scrumptious but unpretentious izakayas bites, but looking for something more classy for your dates or hangouts?

If so, then the new Moga at Pullman Hotel Hill Street is a watering hole that you should add to your bucket list. It’s a new addition to the area, having only opened in Nov 2023.

Designed with the glamour and vibrance of early 20th century Japan in mind, the chic establishment is a new concept that marries simple izakaya comfort with the speciality cocktail bar experience.

It’s named after the “modern girls” (“moga” for short) of 1920’s Japan — trendsetters who had challenged societal expectations of the time and embraced Western fashion and lifestyles.

Hidden behind a nondescript door, Moga first greets diners with a row of cosy seats by the open kitchen, in the usual izakaya style.

Further inside, the space is decked out with stylish trimmings inspired by Japanese culture, including moga-style motifs that give it a bit of a sexy, modern flair.

Everything comes together to provide a great ambience that’s conducive for both intimate meetups and lively group gatherings alike.

Craft cocktails as the focus

As with most traditional izakayas, the food is kept straightforward and satisfying. 

However, the drinks here are treated with much more intricacy — there’s a lot more than just your usual highballs here.

That seriousness shows with the choice of personnel: Moga Bar is headed by head mixologist Marcus Liow, an industry veteran who has also headed other renowned establishments including The Other Roof and Fairmont Singapore hotel’s Anti:dote.

Going with the theme, Moga’s signature cocktail offerings are meticulously crafted with touches of Japanese flavours and ingredients to switch things up. One great example is its best-seller — Crystal Sake Royale (S$24).

This spin on the clarified milk punch keeps much of its usual topical brightness with tequila and passionfruit as the base, but is jazzed up with Junmai Ginjo sake to add a splash of distinctly Japanese effervescence.

Japanese-style tea also punctuates the menu in concoctions such as the haru no shinju (translated as “pearls of spring”, S$24), which uses a genmaicha-infused (brown rice green tea) sake.

The drink — head mixologist Marcus’ very own signature — builds on it with gin, citrus, lychee, and a sea salt raspberry foam to build an elegant and easy-to-drink tipple that’s lush with florals.

There are also wackier ideas on Moga’s drinks menu, such as the herbaceous Wasabi Smash (S$24), a drink containing shiso leaves and wasabi, as well as the kinako espresso martini (S$24) that’s accented with fragrant kinako (soybean flour) and garnished with parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Unbeatable izakaya favourites

On the food front, Moga’s focuses on the usual izakaya suspects of rolls, grills, tempura, and sandos.

Oh, and of course, sashimi. The salmon (S$16) and hamachi (S$16) were delightfully fresh and thickly cut — a boon for those who enjoy quality cuts of sashimi.

Sando lovers will also want to check out their unique offerings: One is a chicken-based Moga katsu sando (S$18) and the other wagyu sando (S$28) variant.

In the latter, roast beef complements a one-of-a-kind teriyaki hollandaise, whereas the former features cured egg yolk for a bit of added oomph to the fried chicken katsu patty.

However, if you’re in search of sushi with more modern pizzazz, as befitting the vibe at Moga, the indulgent Moga samurai roll (S$30) should do the job.

Lavishly loaded with hamachi, prawn tempura, avocado, sriracha, and yuzu aioli, it’s probably a creation that many modern sushi-roll fans will relish.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the unique new bak kwa sando specialist and where to go for your weekend sojourn in JB.

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Moga at Pullman Hotel for drinks.