I feel it's important to write a review of Moto-i because so many have had such bad things to say about it.
While I wouldn't say or even suggest this was the best restaurant I've ever eaten at, I left Moto-i happy that I went and tried it out!
The ambiance was nice; not too loud, not too dark, trendy and cool.
Off the bat, I don't claim to be a sake connoisseur, but I do enjoy the stuff quite a bit and I know what tastes good to me. I ordered the Sake flight, which consists of three 2oz. pours of different, freshly brewed, sakes. For $12, you can't beat the experience of trying 3 different types - especially if you don't know much about sake to begin with (like me). It was neat to be able to taste the difference, rather than just getting a glass and enjoying it. Quite eye-opening.
For food, we tried several small plates, Moto-i's menu is mostly small plates, which is always fine by me. The prices were reasonable compared to many other 'tapas' style restaurants I've been to.
I wouldn't say the food is outstanding but it's not like you're eating dog food either; definitely some interesting plates and fun new things to try. The Buns were probably the favorite dish of the night.
Our waitress was very helpful and, as she was new, she made it a point to find out the answer to any question she couldn't answer. She had several recommendation and was quite helpful in explaining the sake options!
All in all, I probably wouldn't rush back to Moto-i, but I'd definitely stop in for sake or a bite if I'm in the area. It's at least worth trying, you never know what you might find!!
Pros: fresh sake
Cons: uptown parking is never fun
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