ANNOUNCER: Partnering with the success of Stadium District's Asian Street Eatery, owners Grissom, Ngov and Nanakornphanom opened up Tacoma's first ramen eatery right next door. Now that the initial lines have tapered off, Jackie and Dutch rush in to see what all the excitement is about.

DUTCH: There are several tables and booths all bunched together as soon as I came through the doors, but it had the feel of a much more intimate setting once seated. At times I tend to overlook the specialty cocktails, but not on this day. I ordered the Hanami Sour, which combines honey, lemon and lavender with Kome Shochu. A little sour, a little sweet, and even a little earthy flavor drive a tasty and balanced drink. If I wasn't driving, I would have had two or three.

JACKIE: Craft cocktails are my jam! And though Moshi doesn't brand itself as a cocktail bar, their petite menu featuring Japanese whisky-based concoctions is well executed. The Whisky Highball with Akashi Whiskey, soda and lemon oil was bright and refreshing but the Paper Crane was easily my favorite. The Suntory Toki Whisky, Aperol, Cardamaro and Yuzu matrimony was bright and delicate all at once, making for a super sessionable beverage that paired well with every dish. 

DUTCH: The plan is to rotate the ramen menu here to keep it fresh. On my visit, I grabbed the Kinoko Ramen with a pork base that included blackened garlic, wild mushrooms and assorted greens. This was a surprisingly flavorful bowl, which was driven by the garlic, but the crunch of the greens added a nice texture to the soft ramen noodles. I would like to see a more basic offering added to the menu where I can enjoy the amazing house-made noodles without the distraction of all the add-ons.

JACKIE: I've been closely following Moshi Moshi for some time and admiring the care and creativity that has gone into the curation of each dish. It was hard to choose just one thing to try, so I went for more of a smorgasbord approach. I started with the TanTan Ramen. This Red Miso-based delight included tender bits of spicy pork, nori, negi and egg yolk. As I dove into the bowl, I was in ramen heaven; each bite presented flavor country with a warmth that built and a craveable character.  

DUTCH: Don't ignore the Yakitori section of the menu that focuses on plateable foods such as Korean pork shoulder or the skewered pork meatball. Both of these are a small but flavorful addition to any offering on the menu.

JACKIE: I couldn't ignore it; there's too much I wanted to try! The chicken thigh skewer boasted a flavorful char. I moved on to the Sakana side of the menu to indulge in some small plates, too. The Pork Belly Bao fills a fluffy steamed bun with tender pork belly slathered in hoisin sauce then adorned with pickled shallot, kumquat and chicharone furikake. Not only was the flavor the thing day dreams are made of, there is special attention paid to texture as well, making each bite dance in your mouth. The Karaage is a dashi fried chicken plate that will impress as well. The exterior is splendidly crisp that holds up nicely to the rich and creamy cured egg kewpie. Pickled veggies add a nice touch. After sharing all that I was satiated without feeling overfull so I stopped there, but with a rotating menu and flavors so well executed, I'll be visiting ... often. 

MOSHI MOSHI BAR, 4-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 4-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 110B N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253.301.4688, moshitacoma.com