Last November, we traveled to Japan for 10 days and had an incredible experience with the culture, scenery, cities and FOOD. We fell completely in love with Japanese food – its diversity is astounding and we continue to find ourselves seeking out restaurants across Atlanta to satisfy our cravings for everything from sushi to soba.

When we heard about a new Japanese cafe called Momonoki in Midtown, we knew we had to try it. The green tea soft serve ice cream was an immediate draw – we had some at a temple in Kyoto that I still dream about. I’ve been to Momonoki Cafe twice since it opened this past summer. Here’s what I recommend, along with some tips.The cafe is very cute and modern, with a nice dog-friendly patio. I will say it is a little pricey and the portions are not huge but the quality is there, along with the amazing Japanese flavors we crave so it’s worth it to us. Plus, it’s Midtown so the prices really are in line with nearby restaurants.

The poke bowls are filled with wild blue fin tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, scallions, pickled daikon, etc. It was fresh and delicious!

I love the katsu sandos – fried meat cutlets on oh-so-soft white bread with cabbage and sauce. Delicious! The chicken katsu sando is definitely a favorite and I recommend it with the lotus root chips and a yuzu soda.

Another incredible food item at Momonoki Cafe is the takoyaki – fried octopus balls. We learned how to make these during our cooking class in Osaka last year and love trying them at local Japanese restaurants. Each place does them a bit differently and these one were particularly good and topped with bonito flakes and traditional sauces.

Green tea soft serve. What else can I say except – go get some! Yum!

Awesome dog-friendly patio with counter service.