When Victgor Srikusalanakul opened Moshi Moshi in Carytown, he knew it had to be different from Sumo San, his popular sushi/sake bar in Shockoe Bottom. “In Carytown, there are more families,” he says. “The crowd is not as young as at Sumo San.”
 
Sumo San won over the Bottom crowd with exceptional, original sushi, most of which were created right in Sumo San’s kitchen. The sake—40 kinds—is no small draw in Richmond’s second strongest booze haven (after The Fan), and Srikusalanaku’s Sake Bomb has become an oft celebrated routine in the Bottom. (For the uninitiated, it’s is quite the bonding ritual.) But slamming the bar and tossing back booze isn’t necessarily your ticket on a night out with kids or in-laws.
 
Srikusalankul himself is perhaps the greatest asset of both restaurants. His laugh is boisterous, infectious. And it can be heard ringing through either restaurant when he’s around. More importantly, this happy chef/restaurateur keeps customers coming with his unflagging attention to his customers’ reactions.
 
He creates his menu from years of observing customer’s choices. “I watch customers’ faces when they first see their food, when they take their first bite,” he says.
 
His ruminations are needless. Srikusalanakul has created a failsafe way to please patrons: If Moshi Moshi’s lengthy list of inspiring and original sushi creations fails to trip a palate, he invites customers to invent their own rolls. What the customer wants, the customer gets.
 
“Sometimes we question the combinations,” he says. “White fish with salmon eggs? That’s alright, but we’re going to make suggestions. For instance, salmon eggs will pop when you eat them. You want something to accommodate the whitefish, which is very subtle,” he says.
 
Sushi devotees often know what they want before they even glance at the menu. If you are one, don’t be offended if staff pushes a recommendation. It’s Srikusalanakul’s way of ensuring your dining experience is singularly delightful.
 
“Some sushi lovers go to sushi bars, they know what they want,” he says. “We still might suggest maybe a piece of asparagus, cilantro. Or add something spicy.” Cilantro cream sauce sound funny? Mango salsa a stretch? Give it a try. Srikusalanasul won’t serve anything he wouldn’t eat. And don’t think that, just because you had it at Sumo San, you can get it at Moshi Moshi. Srikusalanakul has developed individual menus for each restaurant.
 
If sake equals fun, then Moshi Moshi matches Sumo San, with 40 different sake selections. You can sip your favorite, or you can stretch with such exotic quaffs as the Moonstone Asian Pear (creamy body, pear flavors, and a hint of sweetness) or Momokawa Pearl, an unfiltered, creamy version with hints of vanilla, banana and coconut. Carafes run as low as $8; bottles top out around $35.
 
But sake is just a beginning. Moshi Moshi’s menu is vast and varied. Each section has its own stamp. The list is filled with original Moshi Moshi entries, like Tuna Tangerine, 4 Seasons Steak, Miso Pretty, and an Oyster Platter to beat all.
 
Salads run from seaweed to octopus; from Seared Salmon Mango to a bountiful seafood salad, with cooked shrimp, raw scallops, white tuna and salmon. And there are unique vegetarian dishes as well. Nippon Gari, for example, features tamago, onion, cilantro, tomatoes, mushrooms and tofu in a garlic ginger sauce. Or try What’s Up, a mélange of potatoes, onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and tofu in wasabi pepper sauce.
 
Most of all, Srikusalanakul likes the neighborhood feel of Carytown. It makes fun-making all the merrier. And that is what drives this restaurateur. “It’s important to me that they have fun, like at Sumo San,” he says. “I want to make sure everyone enjoys the whole experience.”
 
Most importantly, listen for the laugh; it’s catching. Food, sake, beer and booze aside, the laugh ensures that you will leave Moshi Moshi happier than when you arrived.

Moshi Moshi | 3321 W. Cary St. | 359.1151