Is the Molecular Tapas Bar at the MO any good? Or is it just one of the gimmicky scientific/pharmaceutical kitchens which produces lots of ‘froth’?

Would love to hear about your meal experience. Thanks!

Review of a previous menu in the first post in this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=502175

Ahhh....this is the "miracle fru-tsu" restaurant. Probably a bit more posh than the tacky amusement park in Ikebukuro which, AFAIK, is the only other place in Tokyo to get this stuff.

Needless to say, I went to the tacky amusement park, which also has "gyoza city" included for the same admission price (Y300/person to get in). Last time I was there, there also was a little floor show with dancing people in cute animal costumes.

See also:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...=miracle+fruit

Haven't been to the Ikebukuro branch yet, I'm saving that for a visit to the Nekobukuro, since we (the royal we, of course) don't want to make much ado of the fact that we're going to Ikebukuro, the Tijuana of Tokyo, willingly.

I have been, though, to the branch at the MO. I thought it was interesting, but gimmicky and unsatisfying enough that once is enough.

Ok, that does it. Now I have GOT to find this place.

It's more like gyoza aisleway. There are about 10 different places selling gyoza of various types at fairly reasonable prices.

For each Y500 you spend inside the place, they give you a scratch-off ticket that awards a prize, most commonly an exemption from paying the Y300 admission if you show up again there in the next several weeks.

Overall, it is about the tackiest place I've ever been to in Tokyo and I am specifically including Venus Fort in the competition. (I was gonna say "Roppongi Hills" but this is 'be kind to mjm week.')

We did this in April and it was amazing, albeit a different menu to the one Ether mentions in that link. I can post it up if anyone is interested?

I thought the meal was an amazing experience, and definitely not expensive. The chef happily talks to you about the food and preparation while he concocts the dishes. We will definitely return when we go back.

Yes please! I'd certainly like to see it.

I have a bit of a soba fixation and came across this review of a previous Molecular Tapas menu; http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0070715x2.html
Was this food on a similar theme to what you enjoyed?

Venus Fort from name to concept has always puzzled me so I am right here with you on that call. To describe Roppongi Hills as tacky however would just be inaccurate and this forum does not need such inaccuracies, thanks.

When I hear Venus Fort I think of Monty Python's Castle Anthrax skit.

Isn't "Mons" French for "Fort"?

No, it is Latin for "mountain" or "mount", but forts do get built on top of mountains. Now it makes sense.

I have been to the Molecular Tapas Bar probably 12 to 18 mths back. Since I didn't take detailed notes, I can't recall the exact dishes that I had. I can say though that it was a very "interesting" experience and the food is decent. Once would be worth the experience and I do intend to go back once more so that Mrs HKTraveler can experience it too. But in a city with so many good restaurants, doubt I would go back again.

I'll assume RichardInSF was feeling playful when he wrote his post. A shopping mall based on Caesar's Palace complete with a synthetic sky that churns through days and nights clicks with my concept of the word tacky (and naff - as well as hortera). Come on an auspicious weekend if you want to catch a bridal parade through Venus Fort and get a mere glimpse of some of the worst excesses of the wedding industry in the 1980s.

But I'll stick up for Roppongi Hills on this occasion. Mr Mori has hitched its wagon to some rigorous and very respected stars of the contemporary Art world and they are happily trotting (and crawling) this development through hipville. Now, if you don't happen to like 'superflat'... then that's super tough. It isn't tacky though.